The health warning for Blue Lake Tikitapu remains in place today, despite preliminary test results indicating the water is safe for swimming following a small sewage leak yesterday morning.
Rotorua Lakes Council confirmed the leak originated from a fault in a urinal at the public toilets near the motor camp end of the beach. A power box malfunction temporarily cut power to the pump station for the toilets, causing a small overflow. The area was swiftly cleaned, cordoned off, and warning signs were erected as a precaution.
While initial water testing showed no visible contamination entering the lake and further preliminary results suggest the water is safe, the council is maintaining the warning until full confirmation, which is expected later today or tomorrow.
The incident has drawn criticism from local iwi, Tūhourangi Tribal Authority trustee Deliah Balle says this is the second time council has notified the iwi about possible contamination leaks from public toilets at Tikitapu and they want real solutions to the infrastructure to prevent any possible sewerage contamination.
“Why is this happening, how is this happening when we’ve undergone and raised these issues with council time and time again,” she says. “We just don’t want to see any sewerage in our lakes, council has one job don’t let our beautiful lakes get contaminated!”
In a separate matter, Magic star Goal Keeper Erena Mikaere (Tūhourangi) went swimming in Tikitapu yesterday and she reported to Aukaha News that she saw a dirty sanitary pad and some white paper in the water, which she initially thought someone had been careless and had simply thrown into the lake.
“It was very paru and absolutely yuck,” Erena said.
Rotorua Lakes Council has stated there is no evidence to suggest a link between this sighting and the recent urinal leak.
The Council advises that contact with potentially contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal illness and in some cases respiratory or skin, ear, or eye infections. Anyone who has had contact with the water is advised to wash thoroughly.
“Nō mai anō e ngaukinotia, e tūkinotia ana e ngā kaupapa here a te kaunihera” – Te Maiora Rurehe, Poutaki Taiao o Tūhourangi
“Ehara i te mea he tauhou ēnei tūāhuatanga ki a mātou, nō mai anō e ngaukinotia ana, e tūkinotia ana, e ngā kaupapa here o te kaunihera, e rua e toru ngā marama pea ki mua ko ngā uri o Rotokākahi e haka ana i te urunga mai, i te pokanga tikotiko ki waho o Rotokakahi,” hei tā Te Maiora Rurehe o Tūhourangi.
“I tēnei wā e pā ana ki a mātou tēnei āhuatanga ka roa mātou e whakahē ana,” he ai ki a Te Maiora anō.
“Koinei te hua o te popoto o te tirohanga ki ngā āhuatanga kei mua kei te aroaro i tēnei wā e mahi tahi ana mātou ki te whakatikatika i te hononga i te whanaungatanga kei waenganui i a mātou me Te Kaunihera o Rotorua.”