Warning lifted at Rotorua’s Tikitapu (Blue Lake) after toilet leak contamination scare

A public toilet has leaked at Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) in Rotorua. Photo / Mead Norton

A precautionary health warning issued for Tikitapu (Blue Lake) after a small leak from a public toilet has been lifted.

A cleaner spotted the leak seeping from a urinal at the public toilets at the motor-camp end of Tikitapu Beach on Sunday.

The facilities were secured by a plumber, who alerted contractors about 11.40am.

Damp ground was discovered outside the toilet block along with a small damp patch near the sand.

The Rotorua Lakes Council said a fault in a power box temporarily cut power to the pump station servicing the toilets.

The fault had since been fixed.

The toilets were cleaned, and, as a precaution, the area was cordoned off with warning signs.

There were no visible signs of contamination in the lake, and water testing showed no contamination.

Further testing returned safe preliminary results and an update released by the council today confirmed final test results showed the lake had remained within safe bathing standards since Sunday.

The precautionary health warning has now been lifted, and signage has been removed.

Te Arawa Lakes Trust general manager Tame Malcolm said he was disappointed the trust received no notification of the leak.

“We have always partnered with Rotorua Lakes Council to improve infrastructure and manage that problem.

“So again, disappointing that we found out about it through the media despite statutory agreements, and I have the assurances from them last year that they will notify us.”

Malcolm also said board members, especially Tūhourangi and those in the wider area who whakapapa to the lake, were confused and disappointed they were not included.

The council responded: “We are in conversations with Mr Malcolm to understand and resolve this directly with him.”

The council said it took a precautionary approach and urged people to avoid the water until final test results were known.

Health officials warned that contaminated water could cause anything from stomach illnesses to respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections.