Pipe break spills chlorine into Taupo river

By Philippa Stevenson

TAUPO - A large quantity of chlorine which spilled yesterday into a Lake Taupo tributary prompted calls to locals to keep their windows closed and stay out of a small section of the lake.

The Fire Service said about 300 litres of liquid chlorine flowed from an underground pipe fitting which broke when storage tanks at Taupo Hot Springs were being filled from a bulk tanker.

Rotorua fire chief Wayne Bedford, who attended the 12.30 pm alert with a special Rotorua cleanup team and three Taupo appliances, said nobody was in danger from the spill but "there was a hell of a smell."

Firefighters wearing splash suits and breathing equipment scooped ponded chlorine and topsoil into drums and hosed down the area.

Authorities tested the water in a stream flowing through the hot water springs, which are on the Napier-Taupo highway about 1km from the lake.

They found chlorine at a level of 1 part per million where the stream entered the lake, Mr Bedford said.

Taupo police said the harbourmaster would post "no swimming" signs at the outlet.

Senior Sergeant Andy Warne said nearby residents were asked to close windows until the danger had passed.

Taupo Hot Springs owner Barry Kirkland - out of town when he was told of the accident - said the pipes carrying the chlorine must have come under pressure to cause the pipe joint to blow.

"Staff follow strict safety procedures and from my point of view it shouldn't have happened, but I'll have to talk to staff to see what went wrong."