KEY POINTS:
An eastern Bay of Plenty river has been closed to the public after a dog swimming in the water died from suspected poisoning.
Toi Te Ora Public Health has issued a health warning advising against using the lower Rangitaiki River for recreational use.
The river - popularly used for whitebaiting, boating, and fishing - is suspected of being contaminated by toxins from blue-green algae found growing downstream of Te Teko.
Toi Te Ora urged people not to paddle, wade, swim, fish or take part in river activities until further notice.
Toi Te Ora medical officer of health Jim Millar said preliminary results from an investigation into the death of a dog that had been swimming in the river, suggested that blue-green algae toxins might have been responsible.
He said additional water sampling and monitoring was under way.
The algae were often found in the Rotorua lakes and were associated with warm weather and still conditions.
Whakatane District Council is putting up warning signs.
Meanwhile, Hawke's Bay Regional Council is trying to find out who killed more than 1000 eels by putting ammonia in the Ruahapia Stream near Hastings last week.
- NZPA
