Piha lagoon has been declared a no-swim zone. Photo / Nick Reed
Piha lagoon has been declared a no-swim zone. Photo / Nick Reed
Holidaymakers are being asked to avoid 12 Auckland beaches because they are contaminated by faeces.
An alert on the SafeSwim website today advises that water-quality models predict levels of Faecal Indicator Bacteria that exceed national guidelines for swimming, based on guidance published by the Ministry of Health andMinistry for the Environment.
Eight beaches in West Auckland and two in central Auckland have long-term alerts which rate them as no-swim zones.
Among them is Bethells lagoon, despite the fact the beach was recently rated as possessing some of the best water quality out of the city's beaches.
Bethells beach and Piha North were rated as the top two for water quality in the Auckland region, with almost 100 per cent clean water last summer.
A beach on Waiheke Island and one on the North Shore have also been flagged as no-swim zones with a long term alert.
Another 10 beaches dispersed around wider Auckland as far afield as Orewa have been marked as highly likely to cause illness.
Long-term no swim alert Little Oneroa Lagoon, Waiheke Wairau Outlet Cox's Bay Meola Reef Green Bay Wood Bay Titirangi Beach Laingholm Beach Fosters Bay Piha South Lagoon Piha North Lagoon Bethells Lagoon
High risk of illness from swimming Hatfields Takapuna North Judges Bay Hime Bay Heren Bay Weymouth South Weymouth West Granny's Bay Blockhouse Bay Cornwallis Beach
