NEWS
Council could cause a no show at Fitzroy Beach this summer

Council could cause a no show at Fitzroy Beach this summer

Credit: MICHAEL RILEY

NP Linked Taranaki

13 November 2012, 6:43PM

NP Linked Taranaki

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Following an article with Dribble NZ News about the New Plymouth District Council's plans to dump sewage near New Plymouth beaches it has caused a flurry of comments on our Facebook page and on the article and Dribble NZ News investigates again for you..

 

New Plymouth beaches could be empty this summer by what New Plymouth residents are commenting on our article and Facebook page regarding the 'sewage issue' in New Plymouth and residents say it is a very dangerous move that the council is doing.

New Plymouth District Council alerted to public that they would dump partly cleaned sewage into New Plymouth beaches because one of the treatment plant pumps had to be maintained.

Within miniutes of the news being posted to our Facebook page it caused a major outburst of complaints, a few comments to us were

"Thats terrible! I am not swimming this summer! How can our council do this?!"

AND

"Guess I will have to go down to back beach or something like that and get my mussels down there"

but one comment stuck out to us and this had to be published, Alisha Maply told Dribble NZ News"The council is pushing real boundrys, they put sewage in our sea on the north side so people go south which is much more dangerous"

A Taranaki Daily News poll showed 78.6% of New Plymouth would not swim near the North beaches like East End and Fitzroy one of the only patrolled beaches in New Plymouth because of the sewage problems.

Instead residents will be told to swim elsewhere like Back Beach where just a few months ago three people died, two students and one instructor following bad weather but comments from New Plymouth residents say that was not the case and Back Beach is always like that.

From next Monday, half the treated wastewater going into the New Plymouth wastewater plant will be fully treated while the rest will be screened to remove "material" larger than 3 millimetres, disinfected and released through the Waiwhakaiho outfall.

 

BEACH GOERS SAY 'THIS ISNT HAPPENING'

New Plymouth residents are angry that the New Plymouth District Council even thought of this as a option, many beach goers are saying 'this isnt happening'.

New Plymouth Mayor Harry Duynhoven said he understood the thought of effluent, even disinfected, going into the sea could be upsetting, but it had to be done.

"There should be no worry. Generations of people swam at the beaches before we had any treatment of sewage at all."

He said it was a difficult project to manage as the wastewater system could not be shut down while being upgraded.

"It's like doing an engine overhaul while the engine's still running."

The upgrade, as part of the upgrade to the Waitara sewerage system, will eventually mean all of the effluent from the district will be treated to a higher standard, he said.

 

HEALTH RISK FOR BEACH GOERS; COUNCIL WARNS

There is going to be a health risk for beach goers and the New Plymouth District Council is warning that you may get a rask or skin irritation from it.

If anything like this occurs you are highly reccomended to seek medical advice before you put on your own oitment.

Todd Cations-Velvin, president of Fitzroy Surf Lifesaving, said he was not pleased at the lack of communication from the council and was worried for the lifeguards and the public.

"Every Sunday morning at the moment we've got 150 5 to 14-year-olds and their parents and lifeguards down on that beach."

He also said avoiding Fitzroy and East End in favour of a cleaner swim at Back Beach or other unpatrolled beaches could be dangerous.

"It puts people at a higher risk of drowning."

Taranaki Surf Lifesaving Club development officer Andy Cronin said while it was important for the public and lifeguards to be safe and healthy on the beach, he expected the council would have already taken the possible effects into consideration.

"They've got to do it sometime and I guess they'll have good reasons for it."

He said the clubs would publicly display as much water quality information as possible, but there was still plenty of fun to be had at the beach this summer.

Officers from the New Plymouth District Council today spoke with Fitzroy Surf Life Saving groups to discuss the issue.

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