Tourism operators return to lake

It’s business as usual after massive wastewater spill at holiday hotspot

It was business as usual for most tourism operators yesterday after they were told that cruises and fishing on Lake Taupo¯ can go ahead as normal. That followed a spill of around 800,000 litres of wastewater into the lake on Tuesday when a water main broke, scouring away part of the bank and causing a concrete footpath to crush a wastewater pipe.

Some of the tourist businesses on the Waikato River, including

HukaFalls Jet and Rapids Jet, suspended operations on Wednesday and did not run yesterday due to rain. They are expected to resume operations when the water has been tested and the results are clear.

However Huka Falls River Cruises operator Dave Kilmister ran his usual morning trip from Aratiatia Dam to Huka Falls yesterday and said he was expecting to see some discolouration in the river but it was remarkably clear.

“There was no visible sign of waste water anywhere on our 7km [journey]. It all seemed okay,” he said.

He added that his cruises were able to continue because the passengers did not have any contact with the water and there was no spray created, unlike jetboats.

“We are carrying on as usual unless the Taupo¯ District Council notifies us otherwise. They are keeping us in the loop,” Kilmister said.

On the lake, tourism operations such as cruises to the Maori carvings were running as normal, said Destination Great Lake Taupo¯ general manager Jane Wilson.

She added that for tourism businesses not directly affected, it was “business as usual” but added that any operators with any concerns should contact the Taupo¯ District Council.

“The safety and wellbeing of visitors is the priority.”

People are being warned to stay out of the lake around the affected area after early water sampling results from the site of the wastewater spill showed “highly elevated” e.coli levels.

However boating is unaffected. Taupo¯ District Council chief executive Gareth Green says water underneath the pipe break and towards the Waikato River mouth is being sampled twice a day. It takes 24 hours to process the samples.

As well as water sampling at the spill site, the council is also monitoring the water at 22 sites on the lake and Waikato River and Green said it would do so until it is certain the water is safe.

Taupo traditionally receives an influx of visitors over the school holidays and Green said people need not put off their trip to the town because of the water issue as the system would be able to cope with normal visitor numbers for this time of year.

There were fears earlier yesterday that forecast heavy rain might overwhelm the temporary wastewater system, but pumps brought in to keep the system operating coped with the load.

Residents are still being urged to minimise wastewater as much as possible, including putting off showers and washing, and not flushing toilets unless absolutely necessary.