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Taupō residents urged to minimise water use after massive sewage spill

Author
Rotorua Daily Post,
Publish Date
Wed, 3 Jul 2019, 11:46AM
Between 70 and 80 per cent of Taupō's wastewater poured into Lake Taupō. (Photo / Helicopter Services)
Between 70 and 80 per cent of Taupō's wastewater poured into Lake Taupō. (Photo / Helicopter Services)

Taupō residents urged to minimise water use after massive sewage spill

Author
Rotorua Daily Post,
Publish Date
Wed, 3 Jul 2019, 11:46AM

Taupō residents are urged to minimise toilet flushing and water use this morning as the clean-up from yesterday's sewage spill begins.

Between 70 and 80 per cent of Taupō's wastewater poured into Lake Taupō and its lake shore yesterday after a wastewater pipe broke on the lakefront just after 2pm.

Taupō District Council said on its Facebook page this morning a temporary fix was in place but it was likely to come under pressure during the usual wastewater peak about 9am.

Taupō District Council chief executive Gareth Green told RNZ's Morning Report the waste had spread along 200m of the lakefront and down the Waikato River.

"We think there's probably 190,000 litres of wastewater went into the lake at that particular point, so yeah, very considerable spill by any stretch of the imagination.

Contractors at the scene of the water main break on Taupō's lakefront. Photo / Supplied

Contractors at the scene of the water main break on Taupō's lakefront. Photo / Supplied

The flow had been shut down early afternoon, early evening yesterday, he said.

"There's no more sewage going into the lake, however the solution that we've got in place is only a temporary fix so we are having to ask residents to conserve water and to reduce their flushing.

Green said the quality of drinking water in Taupō was not affected by the wastewater overflow.

"However, we still need people to conserve water and minimise the impact on wastewater flows by not flushing toilets unless absolutely necessary, and not taking baths and doing laundry."

"The normal morning peak that comes through the pipes we would struggle to be able to cope with a normal flow."

He said they would be working with Waikato Regional Council and Tūwharetoa Trust Board - which owns the lakebed - on the clean-up.

"In some ways nature will take its course and will be the best thing to be able to solve the problem but there will be some cleanup of things that we can physically do down there as well."

Between 70 and 80 per cent of Taupō's wastewater poured into Lake Taupō. Photo / Helicopter Services

Between 70 and 80 per cent of Taupō's wastewater poured into Lake Taupō. Photo / Helicopter Services

However, he said there should not be too much impact on water life because of the size of the lake and the current produced by opening up the control gates yesterday.

"Obviously you've got a whole lot of nutrients which went into the lake that certainly shouldn't have been there - that's not ideal and will create some weed growth and things in that area which is where we'll take some advice from the experts today."

Green said it would only be days - weeks at the most - before people could swim in the lake if they wanted.

"No longer than that would the levels be over the recommended contact levels.

"I guess in some ways we are fortunate ... that it's the middle of winter, so obviously I think the lake temperature's about 10C so nobody is swimming at the moment which is a small mercy, I guess.

"Most importantly is around the cleanup that is going to be required around the lake shore and into the Waikato River, where the pumice and now effluent has [flowed]."

He said a permanent repair for the sewerage pipe could be weeks or months away.

Taupō District Council said schools could remain open today but to also minimise water use and toilet flushing.

A section of Lake Terrace is closed as council staff and contractors work to repair the damaged pipes on the Taupo lakefront. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

A section of Lake Terrace is closed as council staff and contractors work to repair the damaged pipes on the Taupo lakefront. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board chief executive Topia Rameka said it was "very disturbing" to hear of the major spill into Lake Taupō.

He said the board would be calling for a full investigation.

He understood the Taupō District Council and its contractors were doing a thorough clean-up operation.

"We will be keeping in close contact with council while that operation is in progress," Rameka said.

"While this incident is still unravelling, our immediate concerns are for the health and wellbeing of our local communities and our taonga - Lake Taupō and the Waikato River.

"We will be calling for a full investigation of this incident, how it came to be, how it has been responded to and how it will be remedied to ensure such incidents are mitigated into the future."

BurgerFuel Taupo store manager Cain Latham was worried the road closed around the store would impact the business as people may not want to walk far.

Latham's worry was that the road would not open by the time school holidays began next week.

Dixie Browns cafe operations manager Neville Steyn said the cafe was limiting water use as much as they could, reusing water where possible and not letting the water run unnecessarily.

Steyn said the restriction was not hindering their business but they would not be able to use less water as it was a health and safety risk, such as cleaning dishes with hot water.

The cafe was one of many outlets in the area cordoned off and the biggest concern was a drop off in customers during the quiet time of year.

View along the lakefront of the area affected by the spill this morning. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

View along the lakefront of the area affected by the spill this morning. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Absolute Lake View Motel owner Gerard Mahoney said he was not going to ask his customers if they flushed their toilet or not but was under the impression the Taupō Council lifted the flushing restriction at 10am.

He said he was sure to mention the issue to customers.

Mahoney said he was not concerned about the impact it would have on his customers or off-the-street bookings, being in the cordoned area.

"What happens, happens. I've got bigger things to worry about," he said.

Acacia Lake View Motel owner-manager Christine Howden said it was important to be positive as the problem was out of everyone's hands.

"I'm not the type of person to moan about it," she said.

She said while she was not able to monitor the water usage of customers, she informed them and asked people to take shorter showers.

She said people said some people had told her they would not shower and instead go to the hot pools.

Taupo DeBretts Hot Springs operations manager Mirela Petrar said they were ready for an expected increase in the number of people coming to the pools tonight.

She said she expected people would come to the pools as an alternative to showers.

The pools were also busier when it was raining, which it is today.

 

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