MEDIA RELEASE 5 March 2007

Health Warning Sewage Overflow- Kaiapo Drain, Southland Drain, Irongate Stream, Karamu Stream and Clive River.

No swimming, food gathering or collecting of shellfish

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board advises the public not to swim, undertake other water contact recreational activites or food gathering activities in the area of the Kaiapo Drain, Southland Drain, Irongate Stream, Karamu Stream and Clive River, due to an overflow of sewage that has occurred in the Kaiapo Drain.

Hastings District Council has stopped the discharge and is pumping as much as possible to sewers with effluent trucks. The Council is investigating causes and will undertake ongoing clean-up where necessary. Hawke's Bay Regional Council has undertaken water sampling in and around the above area, and further samples will be undertaken.

The Medical Officer of Health, Dr Caroline McElnay, advises that until sampling shows levels of contamination have dropped to safe recreational swimming limits people should definitely avoid any recreational water activities around these areas.

“Swimming in or consuming food from sewage contaminated water poses a risk of infections of the stomach, skin, eyes and ears,” she said.

Warning signs are being erected around the area.

ENDS

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