15 December 2005

Heavy rain causes swimming warning for the Tukituki River

Recent heavy rain has caused pollution to contaminate the Tukituki River, says Hawke’s Bay’s District Health Board medical officer of Health, Dr Caroline McElnay.

Dr McElnay is advising people to avoid swimming in the Tukituki River, at Black Bridge and State Highway 2 Waipukurau, until at least three days after heavy rain.

Monitoring by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has shown levels of bacterial pollution, in water samples taken on 13 December 2005, that exceed the levels recommended in the Ministries of Health and Environment’s recreational water guidelines. The level of these bacteria indicates excessive amounts of faecal matter, either animal or human, present in the water.

The Public Health Unit would like to remind people that all surface water should be assessed before swimming by checking the water clarity and evaluating the number of animals and water birds in or near the swimming point.

ENDS

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