Sinkhole rāhui lifts for most beaches
Beaches in Auckland are beginning to reopen as a rāhui placed over the Waitematā Harbour a month ago because of a wastewater overflow starts to lift.
Local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei placed the rāhui over the harbour on September 27 after a sewer collapse opened a 13-metre-deep sinkhole on a private property on St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell, two days earlier.
Deputy Mayor and Ōrākei Ward Councillor Desley Simpson described the sinkhole as “the size of a tennis court” at the time, saying the damage was the result of severe weather and lots of rain.
More than eight million litres of wastewater a day flowed into the harbour since the Herald first reported the collapse.
A temporary bypass to resolve the leak has operated since last Tuesday after 20 days of discharges , with Watercare saying these measures would substantially reduce the amount of overflow into the harbour.
Yesterday, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust chairwoman Marama Royal announced it has lifted the rāhui across the Waitematā Harbour, but it remains in place at Ōkahu Bay, Te Tinana/ Wilsons Beach, Judges Bay, St Marys Bay, and Masefield Beach reserve at Curran St.
“As tangata whenua of central Auckland and upper Waitematā, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have a duty as kaitiaki to look after the mauri, or life force, of the Waitematā as well as to keep our communities safe. We will continue to keep the rāhui under review — the health of the Waitematā and of all who enjoy using it are paramount to our iwi.”
According to safeswim.org.nz, 14 beaches across Auckland are still unsafe to swim at. They are: Chapman Strand, Herne Bay, Home Bay, Judges Bay, Masefield Beach, Milford, Ōkahu Bay, Pt Chevalier, Sentinel Rd Beach, St Marys Bay, Taipari Strand, Te Atatū Beach, Te Tinana and Wairau Outlet.
Auckland Council said Aucklanders should continue to check the Safeswim website for the most up-to-date information and to make decisions on where it is safe to swim.
“Following rainfall, swimming water conditions can change quickly,” a spokesperson said.
Watercare’s chief operations officer Mark Bourne said there had been “a monumental effort from our staff, contractors and suppliers to get the bypass planned, the pipes laid, the pump station excavated and concreted, and have six large temporary pumps installed and tested”.
Bourne said a project of this scale would “normally take several months” to complete.
However, he added: “These temporary pumps are more susceptible to blockages than our standard network pumps, so it will be more important than ever for people to only flush the 3Ps — pee, poo and toilet paper. Please don’t flush wet wipes or any other rubbish.”