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Photo: RNZ \/ Samuel Rillstone\n<\/p>\n
Experts say it is safe to swim at beaches in the capital’s harbour, but Wellingtonians are taking a cautious approach.<\/p>\n
Nearly a week ago, the Moa Point Treatment Plant started pumping raw sewage into the ocean off the south coast after it completely failed early Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
The following Thursday evening, the raw sewage was diverted from being dumped near the coast to a 1.8-kilometre outfall pipe.<\/p>\n
Wellington Water had warned it may need to use the short outfall pipe if it were to rain in the city.<\/p>\n
There was no evidence to suggest sewage was reaching the city’s inner harbour, but at Oriental Bay most people RNZ spoke to thought locals were being careful around the water.<\/p>\n
Keita said there was nobody on the beach when normally it would be “a shocker”.<\/p>\n
“People would be everywhere, especially this whole sand beach would be full of people.”<\/p>\n
She would “definitely reconsider” swimming in the area despite there not being current warnings about entering the water there.<\/p>\n
“I think everyone has their own little mindsets on it I guess you could say.”<\/p>\n
Munroe said people would continue to be cautious until there was a fix for the sewage plant.<\/p>\n
LAWA said people should monitor their website for the latest risk assessments for beaches people were planning to swim at.<\/p>\n
“These predictions are based on a combination of environmental conditions such as rainfall along with the swim spot monitoring history.<\/p>\n
“This afternoon, there are dozens of beaches in the region that are predicted to be suitable for swimming.”<\/p>\n
Auckland University professor Karin Bryan said based on the evidence she would swim there.<\/p>\n
“Because it is incredibly high delusion rates and I’m pretty sure that LAWA and the council is being really, really careful to make sure the advice is really sound.<\/p>\n
“So, I would definitely trust them.”<\/p>\n
Bryan said Cook Strait had extremely strong currents which would likely keep the inner harbour unaffected.<\/p>\n
Calypso Science was a New Plymouth based oceanography research company, with a focus on coastal currents.<\/p>\n
It created a model of Wellington’s south coast after the news of the Moa Point sewage plant failure.<\/p>\n
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Photo: Supplied \/ Calypso Science\n<\/p>\n
Physical oceanographer Remy Zyngfogel told RNZ based on that work, the sewage was not seeming to flow into the inner harbour.<\/p>\n
“I didn’t see anything near Lower Hutt, it is mainly concentrated near Lyall Bay and \u014cwhiro Bay.”<\/p>\n