St Bathans' famous Blue Lake is turning into Poo Lake.
Pollution and organic enrichment have degraded the landmark so much that it has been removed from Central Otago tourism promotional material.
The lake has also been contaminated by effluent believed to originate from septic tanks overflowing at St Bathans village
into a stormwater culvert.
The village has a permanent population of six.
A St Bathans Area Community Association report circulated at a recent meeting drew attention to the problem.
"If not remedied quickly, the continued pollution of the Blue Lake is likely to generate adverse publicity and consequent embarrassment to our community," the report says.
The lake, which stands out so clearly from the air that it has been used by the Air Force in landmark identification training exercises for pilots, was formed as a result of goldmining on nearby Kildare Hill in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Department of Conservation area manager Dave Murphy said yesterday that "low levels" of ecoli bacteria had been discovered in the popular swimming and fishing lake.
Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson said the council's tourism department had decided to remove the Blue Lake image from its advertising.
"We've tended to use the image of the Blue Lake in the past as a clean, green icon," he said.
"But it's not a clean, green icon, so it's really false advertising to hold it up as one."
- NZPA
