Search for source of Wellington sewage leak

The beach at Wellington's Owhiro Bay has been closed for the second time this summer as council staff search for the source of a raw sewage leak.

Wellington City Council put up signs at the beach yesterday warning against swimming and collecting shellfish. It is the second time in a fortnight that contamination levels in the bay have exceeded safe levels.

Yesterday, council staff checked sewer mains in Todman St, Brooklyn, where a broken pipe is the suspected source of sewage leaking into the stormwater system.

Council spokesman Richard MacLean said the sewage was probably getting into the bay though the Owhiro Stream.

Owhiro Bay resident Ian Ruxton, who walks his dog Zolly on the beach, said he emailed photos to the council yesterday of sewage that had flowed from a pipe near the bay's boat ramp.

He had told the council about sewage leaks from the pipe three times in the past six months and was frustrated that the problem had not been fixed.

"Sewage on the beach is not appropriate. It's gross. It's just a matter of saying to them [council] there's a problem. Can you do something about it?"

The beach was closed last week after unsafe levels of bacterial enterococci were found.

Nearby Island Bay beach was closed before Christmas after sewage leaked from a private main.

Mr MacLean said that, as well as checking the Brooklyn source, council staff checked a manhole in Severn St, near the pipe Mr Ruxton photographed, and found sewage inside.

"The two things may be linked. It's certainly not supposed to happen. If people can spot raw sewage or excrement, it's not supposed to be there basically."

A Wellington City Council statement said the level of contamination in the water was likely to cause a health hazard. Problems could include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting and skin infections.

- © Fairfax NZ News