A new open-air saltwater pool has opened on Auckland’s waterfront. Video / Alex Burton
Just days after its opening, Safeswim has declared Karanga Plaza, where the city’s newest outdoor saltwater pool sits, unsafe for swimming.
The swimming pool opened last Friday and provides four 33m-long swimming lanes, ladders for access, a jumping platform and changing facilities.
Safeswim has placed a red pin on Karanga Plaza, which is shown when modelling predicts the level of faecal indicator bacteria at a location exceeding national guidelines for swimming or during toxic algae blooms.
Safeswim has declared the spot unsafe for swimming today. Image / Supplied
“Where a red pin is showing, the risk of illness from swimming is estimated to be more than 2%. The actual risk of illness from swimming when a red pin is showing could be much higher than 2% because the concentration of FIB (faecal indicator bacteria) in the water could be much higher than the trigger threshold for a red pin,” the site stated.
A Herald photographer who visited the pool today spoke to multiple swimmers who said they were unaware of the issue because they said there was no sign on display.
At least four sites in Auckland have a black pin, meaning wastewater overflow has been detected in the area.
As a result, Herne Bay, Home Bay, Judges Bay and Te Tinana are all off-limits for swimmers.
Auckland's new waterfront attraction has a red pin this morning, meaning swimming is unsafe. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Earlier this week an NZME photographer said an Auckland Council official had been telling swimmers every 30 minutes through a megaphone by the pool they would be entering the water at their own risk.
Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (Lawa) has also told New Zealanders to avoid swimming in the great outdoors today because of the elevated risk of pollution in the water.
The organisation said there had been a significant amount of rainfall in the past 24 hours and even swim spots that usually have good water quality can become unsuitable.
Science lead Dr Elaine Moriarty said heavy rain washes contaminants from the land into rivers, lakes, and coastal areas.
This runoff can bring bacteria from animal faeces, wastewater overflows, and other pollutants into waterways.
“Conditions can change quickly, especially after a lot of wet weather, which is why we recommend avoiding outdoor swims for two to three days after heavy rain.
“If you swim in water that’s been impacted by pollution, you risk getting ill with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, respiratory infections or eye, ear, and throat issues.
At the start of December, dozens of Auckland’s most popular beaches were labelled unsafe to swim because of faecal contamination during a rainy first weekend.
Karanga Plaza Harbour Pool, affectionately known as “Brownie’s Pool” after Mayor Wayne Brown, has already proved a hit with swimmers young and old taking advantage of the new facilities and clean water.
The tidal steps are proving a popular spot for swimming and the water quality is regularly monitored and tested and included on the council’s Safeswim website.
Lifeguards will monitor the pool during peak swimming periods, and it will be open during daylight hours over summer.
Data from the council’s Safeswim programme shows the percentage of time Karanga Plaza was safe to swim last summer was 85%.
This was near the bottom of the 130 or so beaches tested, which found 17 beaches were swimmable 100% of the time, eight were swimmable 99% of the time, and most were swimmable 90% or more of the time.
David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.
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