A permanent health warning in force at Kaiate Falls because of high levels of E.coli could remain in place until next summer, says a regional council scientist.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council environmental scientist Paul Scholes said testing had been regular and in October one sample came back showing very high levels of E.coli. Further tests were clear until December.
Since December testing of follow-up samples carried out in the wider catchment upstream from the falls, were at sustained high levels, he said.
Dr Scholes said 29 per cent of the samples were in the red mode or "alarm bells ringing" levels.
In January, there were reports of six people who suffered vomiting and diarrhoea after spending time in the falls and on other waterways.