As the sun finally comes out in Wellington, "unsuitable for swimming" signs are going up at many popular beaches in the region.
Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) has issued 28 unsuitable for swimming notices and eight caution warnings for beaches in and around the Wellington region.
This is partly because on Wednesday evening, Wellington Water said the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant undertook a "discharge of screened wastewater".
This occurred at the long outfall south of the coast of Lyall Bay after large amounts of rainfall forced it to overflow.
Wellington Water told Newshub the treatment plant reached capacity because a "plant clarifier" is "down" and this saw 38,000 litres of screened wastewater discharged into the ocean.
Wellington Water urged Wellingtonians who may be eyeing up their local beach to "follow the advice of LAWA".
A LAWA spokesperson told Newshub that while some of the beaches are unsuitable for swimming because of the discharge, others are unsafe because of large amounts of rainfall.
The beach warnings have come at a time when the capital's weather is beginning to warm up.
A MetService meteorologist told Newshub "the sun has come out" and is likely to stick around until next week. They added southerly winds are expected too, but temperatures are likely to be in the high teens to low 20s.
Temperatures between the teens and 20s don't usually put Wellingtonians off from taking a dip. Surfers were seen enjoying the water at Lyall Bay, despite a sign outlining that "a mixture of fully treated and partially treated sewage" had been discharged.
So where shouldn't you swim?
- Wellington City Waterfront - Shed 6
- Whairepo Lagoon - Frank Kitts Park
- Wellington Harbour - Taranaki St dive platform
- Oriental Bay - Freyberg Beach, wishing well and band rotunda
- Mahanga Bay
- Lyall Bay - Tirangi Rd, Onepu Rd and Queens Dr
- Princess Bay
- Island Bay - Island Bay Surf club, Reef St recreation ground, Derwent St
- Owhiro Bay
- Petone - Beach water ski club, Sydney St, beach kiosk
- Sorrento Bay
- Lowry Bay - Cheviot Rd
- York Bay
- Days Bay - Wellesley College, wharf and Moana Rd
- Rona Bay - north end of Cliff Bishop park, wharf
- Robinson Bay - HW Shortt Rec Ground and Nikau St.
Swim with caution
- Balaena Bay
- Hataitai Beach
- Shark Bay
- Scorching Bay
- Worser Bay
- Seatoun Beach - Seatoun Beach wharf & Inglis St
- Breaker Bay.
