Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says health fine after Moa Point sewage swim stunt

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has reassured the public he is in good health “so far” after taking a swim to prove the safety of the capital’s beaches yesterday.

The mayor donned his board shorts and rash top, going as far to put his head under the surf at Lyall Bay beach as part of an announcement the area had reopened after a catastrophic sewage plant failure three weeks ago.

Raw sewage continues to flow 1.8km from the shore, but the public health advice now states bacteria levels are low enough for safe swimming.

The swim photo-op has triggered an “extraordinary level of interest” in his health, Little declared at the opening of this morning’s council meeting.

“I can report no adverse symptoms in relation to anything, my health is fine,” the former Health Minister said.

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little said he felt refreshed after a swim at Lyall Bay beach, which has been closed for three weeks following the Moa Point sewage disaster.

The mayor noted ailments like campylobacter and botulism “do become apparent reasonably quickly”, but he was yet to fall ill.

“So far nothing untoward has happened, but I’ll keep you posted,” he told the council.

Many on social media expressed concern, remarking on the perceived risks of the plunge.

“Bro the waves are brown,” one said.

“Is he still alive,” another asked.

Others pointed out items of concern from the video of the stunt, speculating on what they thought to be a piece of toilet paper in the waves.

Upon exiting the water, a small piece of brown material was seen on the mayor’s forehead, with many online suggesting it was either a fly or faecal matter.

The Herald can confirm it was a piece of seaweed.

A piece of seaweed on Mayor Andrew Little's forehead upon exiting the surf caused a stir online. Photo / RNZ

The relaxed guidance means locals can now make their own calls on whether to swim on the South Coast, but said it was important to check the LAWA ‘Can I Swim Here?’ website to get the latest information on the conditions.

People can now access the beaches and swim near the shore in the area from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay.

Tarakena Bay remains a no-go area due to its proximity to the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment plant’s short outfall pipe.

Activities further out from the shore like surfing and diving are deemed higher risk due to their proximity to discharge, and should be done at people’s own risk, Wellington Water said.

The Moa Point plant remains inoperable, with the city’s wastewater being discharged from the 1.8km long outfall pipe near the mouth of Lyall Bay without treatment.

In the days after the plant failed, Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty said it could take months before it was safe to swim in the area.

The Moa Point Plant failure is now at the centre of a Government inquiry, which is soon to kick off to investigate what caused the facility to fail.

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.