By MELISSA MOXON
TAIRUA - Tairua Harbour, playground of wealthy Coromandel property owners, remains off-limits to swimmers and seafood lovers after sewage poured into its waters through a burst bank.
About 10,000 cu m of semi-treated sewage flowed into the harbour on Tuesday night when a bank enclosing a seldom-used containment pond
collapsed.
Sludge gushed into the Coromandel Peninsula harbour less than 100m away.
The Thames Coromandel District Council has repaired the bank, and public health manager Gary Deadman said there was no sign of any pollution in the water.
"10,000 cu m is a hell of a lot, but when you compare that to the volume of the harbour, it's a very high dilution."
Many local people complained that health officials did not tell them of the spill, although warnings were broadcast on radio.
Bill Meek, of the Pauanui Information Centre, said he heard about the spill at 11 am yesterday and had to ring the council for information. "People could have had more notice."
Mr Meek saw plenty of jetskiers and windsurfers on the harbour, oblivious to the health risk or ignoring it.
"But we're fairly philosophical about [the spill]. These things happen from time to time," he said.
Tairua and the nearby resort town of Pauanui have a base population of about 700, but up to 20,000 people visit during the summer.
Most locals had heard about the accident by yesterday afternoon, but a few were unaware, including the Tairua police officer, and a group seen collecting pipi on the harbour's edge.
Dive and fishing retailers were optimistic that the contaminants would soon be flushed away, and lifeguards reported business as usual at the Tairua and Pauanui ocean beaches, which were not affected.
Swimming and other contact with the harbour water is not advised for two or three more days, but boating is not affected.
Harbourmaster Wayne Price said a few concerned people rang him yesterday, but there had been no real problems and health officials were erring on the side of caution.
"It doesn't seem too serious. The water looks as clear as a bell."
