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| 'Poo tracker': New Zealand website reveals sewage on beaches | 'Poo tracker': New Zealand website reveals sewage on beaches |
| (12 days later) | |
| Safeswim site predicts and tracks the safety of waterways in real time amid concern about effluent overflows | |
| Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin | |
| Thu 4 Jan 2018 01.23 GMT | |
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| A government website nicknamed the “poo tracker” in New Zealand has revealed the extent of sewage pollution on some of the country’s most popular beaches, with 16 spots closed long-term in the Auckland region due to water quality issues. | A government website nicknamed the “poo tracker” in New Zealand has revealed the extent of sewage pollution on some of the country’s most popular beaches, with 16 spots closed long-term in the Auckland region due to water quality issues. |
| The website Safeswim was launched in November last year and predicts and tracks the safety of Auckland waterways in real time. | The website Safeswim was launched in November last year and predicts and tracks the safety of Auckland waterways in real time. |
| It allows Aucklanders to pick which beach is safe to swim at, following decades of pollution and contamination plaguing the waterways of the country’s largest city and its 1.4m residents. | It allows Aucklanders to pick which beach is safe to swim at, following decades of pollution and contamination plaguing the waterways of the country’s largest city and its 1.4m residents. |
| An animated map shows contaminated water spreading for a number of kilometres off-shore, laden with bacteria such as e coli and cryptosporidium that can cause gastroenteritis, respiratory illnesses and ear, eye and skin infections. | An animated map shows contaminated water spreading for a number of kilometres off-shore, laden with bacteria such as e coli and cryptosporidium that can cause gastroenteritis, respiratory illnesses and ear, eye and skin infections. |
| The detailed animation comes on the back of a number of significant beach closures this holiday period, including the shutdown of one of Auckland’s most popular swimming spots, Takapuna beach, on New Year’s Day due to contamination. | The detailed animation comes on the back of a number of significant beach closures this holiday period, including the shutdown of one of Auckland’s most popular swimming spots, Takapuna beach, on New Year’s Day due to contamination. |
| Last summer 10 beaches were shut down over the holiday period in the Auckland region due to human or animal faecal contamination. | Last summer 10 beaches were shut down over the holiday period in the Auckland region due to human or animal faecal contamination. |
| The Auckland mayor, Phil Goff, said the ongoing pollution issues were unacceptable. “It’s not a new problem. Stormwater has been causing wastewater overflows into our harbours for a century. However for a world-class city in the 21st century which is what Auckland aspires to be, this is no longer acceptable,” Goff wrote in the New Zealand Herald. | The Auckland mayor, Phil Goff, said the ongoing pollution issues were unacceptable. “It’s not a new problem. Stormwater has been causing wastewater overflows into our harbours for a century. However for a world-class city in the 21st century which is what Auckland aspires to be, this is no longer acceptable,” Goff wrote in the New Zealand Herald. |
| “Current planning and investment levels in our storm and wastewater systems mean poor water quality will persist for 30 years.” | “Current planning and investment levels in our storm and wastewater systems mean poor water quality will persist for 30 years.” |
| Overflows into the harbour have been recorded after more than 5mm of rain, which some parts of Auckland with poor wastewater infrastructure experience between 50 and 100 times a year. | Overflows into the harbour have been recorded after more than 5mm of rain, which some parts of Auckland with poor wastewater infrastructure experience between 50 and 100 times a year. |
| Auckland council’s water manager Andrew Chin told RNZ that it was not only raw sewage being flushed into the city’s waterways but solid items that don’t break down. | Auckland council’s water manager Andrew Chin told RNZ that it was not only raw sewage being flushed into the city’s waterways but solid items that don’t break down. |
| “With that wastewater will also come all of the gross pollutants – the litter, the dental picks and tampons, the quite unmentionables that flow in,” Chin said. | “With that wastewater will also come all of the gross pollutants – the litter, the dental picks and tampons, the quite unmentionables that flow in,” Chin said. |
| Chin added that the rehabilitation of London’s Thames proved contaminated waterways could be improved. | Chin added that the rehabilitation of London’s Thames proved contaminated waterways could be improved. |
| Water contamination is a nationwide issue, with the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, vowing to clean up the country’s rivers and lakes to a “swimmable state” within a decade, saying clean water is “the birthright” of all New Zealanders. | Water contamination is a nationwide issue, with the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, vowing to clean up the country’s rivers and lakes to a “swimmable state” within a decade, saying clean water is “the birthright” of all New Zealanders. |
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