Saturday, 20 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
New Zealand

Revealed: SkyCity fire water contained chromium, arsenic but no long term impacts - Auckland Council

1 Nov, 2019 12:30 AM4 minutes to read
Focus Live: Water quality results after the SkyCity fire

Focus Live: Water quality results after the SkyCity fire

Michael  Neilson
By
Michael Neilson

Michael Neilson is a senior political reporter for the New Zealand Herald

VIEW PROFILE

Auckland Council says the millions of litres of contaminated water that flowed into the Waitematā Harbour during the major SkyCity fire will not cause long term damage.

Arsenic and chromium were among the most concerning contaminants discovered, however tests results - revealed today - confirmed once the water had reached the harbour outfall it had been "heavily diluted".

At the height of the fire that broke out on Tuesday last week in the under-construction New Zealand International Convention Centre firefighters were using 250 litres of water a second.

Watercare confirmed a total of 27 million litres was used to extinguish the blaze, or about one per cent of the city's total water usage in a week.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Auckland Council Safeswim programme manager Nick Vigar said about 20m litres of that flowed into the stormwater system and out into the harbour.

The fire caused major disruptions in central Auckland for several days. Photo / Alex Burton
The fire caused major disruptions in central Auckland for several days. Photo / Alex Burton

There was also about 1.8m litres of contaminated water pumped out of the convention centre basement into the harbour for about 20 hours from Wednesday evening.

Water testing results showed while there were elevated levels of contaminants, the water was sufficiently diluted by the time it reached the waterfront to not cause long term damage to the harbour ecology.

The contaminants came from burning materials - including bitumen - and later oils and chemicals from mixing with cars in the basement.

READ MORE:
• SkyCity fire: Young worker's blowtorch at centre of probe
• Premium - SkyCity fire aftermath: Three lingering questions answered
• SkyCity fire: New pictures shed light on devastating blaze
• Anatomy of an Auckland disaster: Inside the SkyCity fire that brought a city to its knees

The only potential long-term impact would be on sediment quality, he said.

Related articles

Business

Who are 10 possible entities key to NZICC fire probe?

30 Oct 04:58 AM
New Zealand

No major issues with air quality in SkyCity buildings: report

30 Oct 12:41 AM
New Zealand

SkyCity fire aftermath: Three lingering questions answered

30 Oct 02:04 AM
New Zealand

Contaminated SkyCity fire water results due tomorrow

31 Oct 04:02 AM

"It is possibly significant about 10 to 100m from the outfall."

However that sediment was to be dredged anyway in preparation for the America's Cup, and treated on land by turning it into "mudcrete".

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Despite water pouring into the harbour on the Tuesday afternoon, Auckland Council only issued a safeswim alert the following morning.

Vigar said they issued the alert as soon as they became aware the contaminated water was entering the harbour.

"Ideally it would be nice to know about it sooner... but it was an emergency situation," he said.

Auckland Council freshwater scientist Dr Coral Grant said they took water samples in drains close to the fire, and samples at the outfall on Gourdie St after it had entered the harbour.

"It showed it was more toxic closer to the site but diluted once it reached the sea."

Toxicology results showed there were "low to moderate toxic effects", from metals like chromium and arsenic on shellfish, but only in the immediate area around the outfall.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Grant said people were already not recommended to gather shellfish in urban areas.

An estimated eight million litres of water had accumulated in the basement of the convention centre during the fire fight, where it rose to 1.5m and submerged about 100 cars.

That water had all since been pumped out, Vigar said.

About 1.8m litres went straight into the stormwater system in a 20 hour period from 9pm last Wednesday, due to concerns from FENZ about a build up of hydrocarbons in the confined space.

Vigar said it was an emergency situation and they needed to remove the water as quickly as possible, which involved pumping it into the stormwater system. There was an emergency provision in the Resource Management Act that covered such actions, he said.

Initially there were concerns about potential contaminants damaging the wastewater network's biological reactors, but Watercare had since confirmed the system could handle the contaminated water.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

The pumps were switched over to the wastewater network last Thursday evening.

Concerns were raised at the time of the fire about the contaminated water being pumped straight into the Hauraki Gulf.

Moana Tamaariki-Pohe, deputy chair of the Hauraki Gulf Forum set up to advocate for the marine environment, said it could be "potentially devastating" for sensitive ecosystems.

"The Gulf is already stressed, and adding all of this contamination is hugely devastating. Our stormwater system needs to be prepared to handle this so it doesn't happen again."

Vigar said if a similar fire were to happen again there was "very little" they could do to separate contaminants out of the stormwater system.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Herald afternoon quiz: August 20

20 Aug 03:00 AM
Education

Departing head of polytech a 'scapegoat' - National

20 Aug 01:44 AM
New Zealand|PoliticsUpdated

Parliament protest: International conspiracy commentators to attend, claims influencer

20 Aug 01:30 AM
New Zealand

Covid: 3302 new cases, 10 deaths as dominant strain of virus emerges

20 Aug 01:05 AM
New Zealand

'Should not be approached': Wellington police seek wanted man

20 Aug 12:52 AM

Most Popular

Covid: 3302 new cases, 10 deaths as dominant strain of virus emerges
New Zealand

Covid: 3302 new cases, 10 deaths as dominant strain of virus emerges

20 Aug 01:05 AM
'Unbelievable' wild weather - more homes evacuated overnight
New Zealand

'Unbelievable' wild weather - more homes evacuated overnight

20 Aug 12:20 AM
Firefighters save man trapped on car roof in raging torrent
New Zealand

Firefighters save man trapped on car roof in raging torrent

19 Aug 09:35 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP