Pilot Bay closed to public

The public is not allowed to swim at Pilot Bay today.

This was a precautionary closure due to possible wastewater contamination.

Earlier this morning, Bay of Plenty Regional Council was informed that a commercial fishing vessel in Tauranga Harbour was found to be taking on water.

A small quantity of fuel was sighted in the water and booms were deployed which were working effectively, a statement from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council read.

The Harbourmaster had been on site this morning, along with staff from Maritime New Zealand and Tauranga City Council.

The vessel tank that appeared to be the problem, which contained the vessel's sewage, is being emptied into a sucker truck, it said.

"It was not thought that any sewage made it into the harbour, however tests have been carried out."

Tauranga City Council communications advisor Marcel Currin said at 5am today the ship was taking on water into its wastewater tanks and bilge pumps were pumping into the harbour.

Council was still unsure about how much wastewater affected the harbour with timing coinciding with the outgoing tide, he said.

Mr Currin said water quality testing had been taken along Pilot Bay, Sandy Bay and Harbour Bridge Marina.

Pilot Bay beach was closed to swimming as a precautionary measure with the closure being reviewed as more details came to hand, he said.

Pilot Bay has been closed today because of apparent water contamination. Photo/John Borren

EARLIER: Health warning signs are being put up along Pilot Bay. Water quality test results are due tomorrow.

It appeared a ship may have pumped wastewater into the harbour early this morning, a statement from Tauranga City Council read.

Precise details about how much wastewater entered the harbour are still unclear, sothe council's pollution prevention team was liaising closely with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.