Bathing - Freshwater Quality Monitoring
The Kawerau District Council undertakes microbiological water quality monitoring at Tarawera River during the summer months (November to March).
The monitoring is undertaken to:
- Assess the water quality of Tarawera River.
- Compare bathing water quality within the Kawerau District with National guidelines for contact recreational use of water.
- Monitor trends in bathing water quality over time.
The health status of sites monitored by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is determined by the District Councils according to National guidelines and monitoring results. Check their websites or the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website for more detail on recreational water quality in the Kawerau District:
Frequently Asked Questions
What illnesses can you contract from swimming in contaminated water?
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Respiratory illnesses, similar to flu-like symptoms
- Skin, eye and ear infections
- Abdominal pain, cramps and nausea
- Irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, which may appear as an itch, redness or dermatitis.
- Toxins can also affect the liver and the nervous system. People at greatest risk of a reaction are children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Whom should I call if I think I have experienced a reaction?
See your GP, or ring the Healthline on 0800 611 116. Tell them you may have been exposed to contaminated water. Your doctor reports cases to the Medical Officer of Health of any people with possible reactions.
Is it safe to swim in or drink contaminated water?
No. You should avoid any skin contact with the water and avoid swallowing the water.
For more information contact Bay of Plenty Regional Council on Telephone Number 0800 884 880.
Bacteriological Monitoring
Bathing water quality is assessed according to concentrations of indicator bacteria. For freshwater river sites, this is a type of bacterium known as Escherichia coli (E. coli), which is an indicator of faecal contamination. If there is faecal contamination there is a possibility of the presence of disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa. These organisms may pose a health hazard when the water is used for recreational activities such as swimming and other high-contact activities. Poor recreational water quality can possibly cause gastrointestinal illness and respiratory health effects, such as coughs and colds.
A high concentration of the indicator bacteria means that it is more likely that disease-causing organisms are present. It does not mean that anyone swimming in the water at the time will actually be affected. Water quality safety is assessed and reported according to the Ministry for the Environment and Ministry of Health 'Microbiological Water Quality Guidelines for Marine and Freshwater Recreational Areas' revised and issued in 2003.
These guidelines categorise recreational bathing sites into one of three 'mode' categories according to single sample results of E. coli (freshwaters). These categories are:
- Acceptable Risk
- Surveillance Mode Less than 261 E. coli/100ml in single sample. - Acceptable Risk
- Alert Mode 261 - 550 E. coli/100ml in single sample. - Unacceptable Risk
- Action Mode More than 550 E. coli/100ml in single sample.