By WAYNE THOMPSON
Pollution warnings are still up at one of Auckland's most popular beaches - 18 days after a large quantity of fat was found in a stormwater outlet at Mission Bay.
Foul smells from the big drain at the eastern end of the beach have disgusted thousands of visitors during
three weekends.
Yesterday Metrowater defended the delay in clearing the beach for bathing.
Spokeswoman Lisa Finucane said the fat had to be removed from several hundred metres of drain and traced to the source of pollution.
The fat was found to have come from a local restaurant, which had been unknowingly discharging it for some time because of a damaged gully trap in its wastewater system.
Ms Finucane said it took four days' work alone to pump out fat caught in the pipes, and they had to be cleaned several times.
The smell was caused by air getting into the drain and reacting with the rotting fat.
Work finished last weekend and beach signs, left as a precaution, would be removed this week.
Metrowater was not recommending prosecution of the property owner, Retail Holdings.
The company's general manager, Darryl Henry, said yesterday that the damaged gully trap was underground, so its malfunction was not noticed.
The company had fully co-operated when the Auckland City Council approached it to allow an investigation into the private sewer.
The company engaged its own contractors to help the council find the source of the pollution.
Mr Henry said the company would pay for the repairs but he did not know how much they would cost.
Further reading
nzherald.co.nz/environment
