News release
26 June 2007

Greater Wellington Regional Council

Was it safe to swim last summer?

Just how safe were our recreational bathing waters last summer and do we need to be cautious in the future?

Greater Wellington's water quality monitoring for 2006/07 showed that our waters are fine for swimming but it pays to be careful.

"We had one particularly interesting finding as a result of the Mount Ruapehu lahar in March this year," says Greater Wellington's Environmental Science Team Leader Juliet Milne.

"Only two days after the event, dirty flood waters from the Whangaehu River - discharging to coastal waters south of Wanganui - reached Otaki and Te Horo beaches. All sites along these Kapiti Coast beaches failed the national bathing water quality guidelines although the quality improved the next day."

During the summer months, the Wellington region's rivers and beaches were monitored weekly to identify any potential risks to our health. Bacteriological test results help us decide where, when and how we can best use our rivers and beaches.

Recreational water quality monitoring in the region is a joint effort between the Kapiti Coast District Council, Porirua City Council, Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington.

As with previous years, water quality in rivers was strongly influenced by rainfall, with the majority of monitored sites recording bacteriological levels above the national action guideline at least once following heavy rainfall. Run-off from agricultural land and urban stormwater were the main culprits.

Recreational water quality was better than average at the majority of beaches throughout the bathing season, with just over 60 percent of the 76 monitored sites remaining below the national action guideline. On average over the last five summers, less than 33 percent of sites have achieved this.

Greater Wellington's Environment Committee Chair Cr Chris Turver says: "These are good results. They show that our recreational bathing sites are great places to enjoy swimming, surfing or splashing around but that we need to avoid our favourite swimming spots during and after heavy rainfall."

On the Beaches 2006/07 can be viewed on Greater Wellington's bathing webpage www.gw.govt.nz/on-the-beaches

ENDS

*** Greater Wellington is the promotional name of the Wellington Regional Council. www.gw.govt.nz

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