Poo found in popular Te Tii Bay

Human excrement is causing a stink in Paihia - literally - with reports of it washing up on one of Northland’s most popular beaches.

Moana Cross, who lives in Paihia, says she regularly swims at Te Tii Bay.

On February 19 around 6pm, as she was set to enjoy her usual post-work dip, Cross says she saw something ‘‘float by’’.

‘‘I thought oh my god, it’s a poo. Then in the waves I could see more.’’

Cross counted seven different pieces and says there were a number of people swimming at the time.

The incident was reported to the Northland Regional Council. NRC group manager regulatory services Colin Dall says water samples were collected from three sites it regularly monitors between Waitangi and Paihia.

‘‘No enterococci bacteria were detected in the samples, [which] indicates that the water quality was suitable for swimming at the time of sampling.’’

Dall says this group of bacteria are found in warm-blooded animal and human faeces.

‘‘As no enterococci bacteria were detected in the water samples on February 21 it appears that the faeces probably originated from a one-off small scale discharge.

‘‘There have been no recent spills from the Paihia or Russell sewage schemes and so they are not believed to be the source of the faeces.’’ A post on social media about the incident received more than 100 comments - with some questioning whether cruise liners could be the source of the excrement.

Discharge into the ocean is legislated under the Resource Management Act.

All boats must be more than 500 metres from shore and more than 5m deep to release untreated sewage.

A Maritime New Zealand spokesman says cruise ships had sewage holding tanks and treatment plants, and did not discharge raw sewage.

Cross says every summer for the last five or six years she has noticed excrement at the beach and says sometimes the water can be green or slimy.

‘‘I want to come to the beach and not stand in dog excrement or swim in human excrement. Someone has to do something.

‘‘Please look after our water, it is vital to our way of life. ‘‘

Jim Murray of Kohukohu St John was in charge of fetching the ice creams as well as keeping an eye on proceedings at the North Hokianga A & P Show. For more pictures see P18.