Sun, sand, surf ... toilet paper?

Bits of what is thought to be toilet paper have been found on parts of Pt Chevalier Beach, in Auckland, this week. Photo / Greg Bowker

Bits of what appears to be toilet paper have been found strewn along an Auckland beach.

Parts of Pt Chevalier Beach were spotted with bits of what is thought to be toilet paper this week.

A member of the public contacted the Herald saying she had been out walking her dog on Tuesday when she saw toilet paper washed up at the high tide mark all along the beach.

She did not see any sewage or other related items, but said she had heard about the situation at the beach from other locals.

"Fortunately, not many people [were] on the beach because of the cold weather. But it was packed with families over the weekend,'' she said.

On the SafeSwim website, the beach is classified as being a safe place to swim.

The water quality is deemed to be low risk and meets national guidelines that say there is very low risk of infection there.

A spokeswoman for Auckland Council said debris at the beach this week is the result of "recent rain entering and overwhelming the wastewater system".

"This area of Auckland has a combined wastewater/stormwater system.''

The council acknowledged that a new project - dubbed the Central Interceptor - was expected to reduce the volume of overflows by 80 per cent and would benefit the environment hugely as a result.

"The 13km Central Interceptor wastewater tunnel will run deep below Auckland - 110m at its deepest point - from Western Springs to a new pump station at the Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant,'' she said.

"At 4.5 metres diameter, it will be Auckland's largest wastewater tunnel and the biggest wastewater project ever undertaken in New Zealand."