Heavy rain overnight caused a sewer overflow into the Waikareao Estuary.
Tauranga City Council is reporting the overflow came from a manhole at 3rd Avenue West, caused by a system overload as large amounts of water from heavy rain in-flowed into the wastewater system causing the pipes to become full.
TCC reports the overflow lasted for about an hour.
Water quality samples have been collected for testing with results due on Thursday.
Health warning signs have been installed at Third Avenue, Chapel Street, Maxwells Road and Sulphur Point.
There was also a smaller overflow last night at Sterling Gate Drive affecting the stormwater ponds in that area.
This was probably caused by an unknown blockage, which is still being investigated.
Health warning signs in place as usual.
6 comments
Forgive me
Posted on 31-07-2012 11:23 | By bigted
Please excuse my ignorance, but I understood that sewerage and rainwater were kept seperate, for obvious reasons? If this is the case, why/where has rainwater and sewerage combined and polluted the harbour? Third world stuff here.
YOU ARE FORGIVEN
Posted on 31-07-2012 14:38 | By PLONKER
In fact TCC paid heaps of money for contractors to go around puffing smoke up the sewer pipes looking for where a downpipe goes into the sewers, but really now it is obvious that did not work very well now did it. Yet another example of ratepayer money wasted on contractors and no result from it.
Stormwater & Greywater mixing
Posted on 31-07-2012 19:18 | By Murray.Guy
It's next to impossible to totally avoid storm-water entering a sewer system. EG: Sewer manholes are not sealed and if flood waters cover them, they will allow storm water to enter. The white PVC vents that are located at ground level (path level) around a home will allow stormwater to enter the sewer system if flooded.
both forgiven
Posted on 31-07-2012 20:23 | By L Hudson
Always the aim to keep stormwater and sewer separate but old pipes leak in ground water and even shallow floods around houses can still enter gully traps. Smoke testing sewers is a cheap way to find illegal connections and major faults so would be money well spent. When neighborhoods with high rainwater inflows are identified CCTV cameras are used to pinpoint the faults, but this is expensive and would only be done in the once the easy fix problems are sorted.
crap to too TCC
Posted on 31-07-2012 21:10 | By woodroffe
This is outrageous! It is 2012 for crying out loud and over and over when it rains, this estuary gets the lovely wee signs saying it is closed due to sewage. We have really not progessed from the dark ages. It is simply not good enough for us to keep getting the same old infrastructure excuses rolled out. Stop building event centres, paying for CCO's, discussing museums and paying for art gallerires. Keep the crap out of the water, before one day it is simply too late
Each to their own crap.
Posted on 31-07-2012 23:47 | By pomarie
Wake up TCC and WBOPDC, eco toilets are well overdue. Stop charging huge fees to people wanting them, instead of the flush ones.
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