Water pollution at North Shore beaches is being carefully monitored, writes Kirsten Grant
Two newly trained back-up water samplers will be helping North Shore City Council's Safeswim crew monitor beach water-quality this summer. The programme is in full flight with water samples collected weekly from 27 North Shore beaches and six spots on Lake Pupuke in a tiny Robinson helicopter. Natalie Managh, pollution prevention co-ordinator in the council's sustainable environment team, is being trained in underwater escape for her new role collecting water samples. ``It's a very small helicopter. It only just fits two people. It's like a little bubble. It looks like a toy,'' says Natalie. ``We hover a metre or two above the water.'' She says it's important to be careful with samples, making sure they don't become contaminated. ``The most difficult part of the sampling is keeping your sample bottles in order, not losing any out the open side of the chopper,'' she says. Samplers also need to note the number of swimmers, wind speed and direction, large concentrations of seabirds or seaweed at each site, and things such as algal bloom or jellyfish. ``All these things have to be noted down on a slate whilst keeping an eye on the horizon to keep your equilibrium while swooping up and down from beach to beach.'' Samples must be taken from the right spot and depth for consistency and accuracy. If results show water quality is not within national health guidelines, warning signs on red posts are put up temporarily to advise the public of the potential health risks. A permanent water warning sign, the only one on the Shore, stands at the outlet to Wairau Stream, north of Milford Beach. ``We hope to be able to remove this sign soon if water-quality readings remain high in this area,'' she says. In most cases, health effects are minor and short-lived, with the very young, the elderly, those with low immunity or people who are frequent water users more at risk. Problems can include respiratory problems or tummy upsets that generally go undetected. Health risks are higher in the 24 hours after heavy rain and wastewater overflows. Test results are available at 0800 SAFESWIM (0800 72 33 79) or the Safeswim section at www.northshorecity.govt.nz
Water quality gets boost
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