1 August 2013

National swimming suitability report effective way to inform public

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council says a national report outlining the suitability for swimming of New Zealand waterways is an effective tool to inform the public on water quality for recreational activities.

The Ministry for the Environment has released a report on the swimming suitability of New Zealand waterways. The indicator has a summary of monitored swimming sites. It reflects a precautionary approach to managing public health risks, which means that even a very small risk will be flagged through a lower grading.

In Hawke’s Bay six coastal sites have been flagged as having the best suitability for swimming. These are Aramoana, Blackhead Beach, Ocean Beach, Porangahau Beach, Pourerere Beach and Westshore Beach.

Meanwhile the indicator flags six other Hawke’s Bay sites as having ‘very poor’ suitability for recreation. These are Lake Tutira, Clive River, Porangahau Estuary, Puhokio Stream, Waipuka Stream, and Waipatiki Lagoon.

HBRC Senior Scientist, Coastal Quality, Anna Madarasz-Smith says ‘very poor’ sites can be influenced by faecal contamination, which may come from rural or urban runoff, or dense populations of birdlife.

“Lagoons generally have lower water quality because they are often shallow, with reduced water flow, warmer water and they attract birdlife,” says Anna Madarasz-Smith.

“Lake Tutira has had persistent problems this season, most notably algal blooms that were present for much of the summer.”

ENDS

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