Much Loved Swimming Spot Dumped On Again

Friday, 6 June 2025, 4:09 pm
Article: Diane McCarthy - Local Democracy Reporter

A rusting car body found in the Tauranga River at Waimana's Wardlaw Glade, about 20km south of Whakatāne, is just one of many the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is likely to have to pull out of rivers this year.

Regional council compliance team leader Trudy Richards said last year, the council received 28 reports through its Pollution Hotline regarding vehicles abandoned in waterways across the region, from Katikati to Waioeka and surrounding areas.

The two-door coupe-style car was reported to the hotline on Tuesday afternoon along with an assortment of whiteware and other rubbish dumped in the carpark beside the popular swimming spot.

Richards said the council would arrange for a contractor to remove the car body from the river once weather conditions were suitable.

"If feasible, we will also retrieve the whiteware."

Pollution outside of the river bed typically falls under the responsibility of the territorial authority, which in this case is Whakatāne District Council.

However, as Wardlaw Glade is alongside State Highway 2, this is unclear.

The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is responsible for rubbish collection on and alongside state highways.

"However, where possible, we collaborate with local councils and Waka Kotahi to minimise costs."

The cost of removal for the car varies depending on site accessibility, the need for traffic management, and potential fuel or oil discharge but, on average, each removal costs ratepayers about $2000.

Richards said the regional council had not been able to assess the environmental impact of the car body on the river because of a lack of information on how long the vehicle has been in the waterway and whether it was fully intact or contained fuel or other fluids when it entered the water.

"It is always disheartening to witness such disregard for our environment through the careless dumping of waste," she said.

Transport agency system manager Andy Oakley said maintenance contractors were dealing with an "increasingly awful job", cleaning up after illegal rubbish dumping at rest areas along SH2.

"It's been a growing problem over the last couple of years at this rest stop and others, and can vary from domestic household rubbish, to large household items, such as beds, chairs, headboards and washing machines, to broken toys and push chairs."

"Stopping at rest areas to pick up litter was costly in terms of both money and, more importantly, time, when they could be prioritising other work that is vital to motorists such as fixing potholes.

"Littering in public places is illegal. We would love the support of the community to please report any sightings of fly tipping to NZ Police or call NZTA on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

© Scoop Media

Local Democracy Reporting

Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.