Health Warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality at Cass Bay

Advice issued 30 December 2022. 

Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health Unit has issued a health warning after high levels of faecal bacteria were found in samples taken from Cass Bay.

Dr Ramon Pink Medical Officer of Health for Te Mana Ora, National Public Health Service, says:

“Water quality at Cass Bay is not considered suitable for recreational uses including swimming because of the risk to human health from the bacteria and other pathogens.”

Eating shellfish from these sites should be avoided. If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash in clean water before cooking. For further information on gathering mahinga kai refer to the information below.

Water contaminated by human or animal faecal matter may contain a range of disease-causing micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa.

A number of other sites within Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour including Corsair Bay, Rāpaki Bay, Sandy Bay, Diamond Harbour Beach, Purau Beach are permanently not suitable for swimming.

“The sites where water quality is affected are listed on Environment Canterbury and Land Air Water Aotearoa websites,” Dr Pink says.

Anyone that experiences gastrointestinal illness should contact their GP in the first instance or call Healthline on 0800 611 116

For further details visit: https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/

Or contact Te Mana Ora on (03) 364 1777:

https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/recreational-water/

For more information about Mahinga Kai:

https://www.cph.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/saf0112.pdf

For further information, contact:

communications@cdhb.health.nz

ENDS