Surface water science manager Dr Elaine Moriarty said the results show that there is faecal contamination from humans and other sources birds, dogs and livestock in a number of the bays after rainfall events. The investigation is complex as every public and private connection poses a potential contamination source, so investigations will take some time," she said.
Dr Moriarty said planning is underway to enhance our annual Can I Swim Here campaign , with the hopes the public can better understand the grading system and the risks surrounding swimming after rainfall. This is part of our project to move towards a live modelling monitoring system which would allow us to make continuous predictions of water quality for recreation. When live modelling is launched, swimmers will be able to find out if a bay is safe for swimming on any specific day.
This is still some time away, but we hope to have it live in future summers," Dr Moriarty said. Public health is a top priority for all three agencies as we work together to improve water quality in Banks Peninsula," she added. Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton said that it's always a good idea to check out the quality of water before you jump in.
As a precaution, avoid swimming in the harbour, rivers, streams, lakes or estuaries for at least 48 hours after heavy or prolonged rainfall, even at sites that usually have good water quality. Water contaminated by human or animal faecal matter may contain a range of disease-causing micro-organisms, such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa, which can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, and skin infections.
People should also avoid eating shellfish and mussels from the harbour after heavy rainfall. If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash them in clean water before cooking. This will fill in some of the gaps and supplement the sampling done over the summer period and following rainfall events. Faecal source tracking helps determine the origin of faecal pollution in water sources.
