Council works on sewers as pollution keeps Owhiro Bay shut

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Small deposits of sewage from one property are likely to be the main cause of closures of Owhiro Bay beach, on Wellington's south coast.

The beach remained closed yesterday, after water tests showed high levels of bacteria, and work continued on sewers along Owhiro Pde and in Brooklyn.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean said a private sewer on a property in Severn St, Island Bay, appeared to be a source of some pollution. "It appears the house had only one person living in it."

Every time the toilet was flushed, the contents eventually found their way into the stormwater system and then into the bay, Mr MacLean said.

The beach was closed on Friday morning for the second time in eight days after water samples taken from the bay were found to have exceeded safe levels for swimming and gathering shellfish.

During the weekend, council staff, using closed-circuit television cameras, also found three sections of broken sewer at the top of the area's catchment, in Todman St, Brooklyn.

The Todman St stormwater system feeds into Owhiro Stream, which runs into the bay. "We're not entirely convinced that it's just one source. We're not satisfied enough yet," Mr MacLean said.

The Severn St blockage was fixed on Monday and the broken pipes in Todman St were patched and would be fixed permanently later in the year, he said. The council had yet to decide whether to pass the charge, estimated to be about $200, on to the Severn St resident.

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