A burst of heavy rain in Richmond last night led to stormwater getting into our wastewater network which caused two pumpstations to overflow.
Raw sewage has flowed from the pump station at Sunview Heights and at Beach Road for brief periods late last night.
Wastewater at Sunview Heights on Hill Street South will have escaped into the adjacent stormwater drain so people should avoid contact with the immediate area, and downstream drains for the next day or so.
Wastewater from the Beach Road overflow will have ended up in the Waimea Estuary so people should avoid direct contact with the water for the next 48 hours as a precaution.
But remember after any wet weather there’s potential for contamination from run-off from the land
People should always be cautious about taking shellfish from coastal areas, particularly near urban areas, where there are many potential sources of contamination from human activities and animals.