Auckland beaches safe for swimming after outage

Auckland city's eastern beaches have been declared safe for swimming after a raw sewage spill caused by Tuesday's power cut.

Health warnings were now being removed from Kohimarama and St Heliers, Auckland city's environmental health team said.

The free Waitangi Day Festival 09 at Okahu Bay would now go ahead as planned.

Auckland residents and visitors were encouraged to make the most of its beaches and harbours over the long weekend.

Meanwhile, the cyanobacterial health warning has been lifted for one of the six Waikato shallow lakes following the latest test results.

Hakanoa Lake's cell count has now been below the health warning level for two consecutive months said Waikato District Health Board medical officer of health Dell Hood.

Warnings remained in place at all five of the other lakes which were tested regularly.

The lakes are in the north Waikato, near Huntly and Te Kauwhata.

- NZPA