Rotorua Lake Rd fumarole: Four residents impacted by shutting bore

Four properties that used a private bore for heating will be affected after it was grouted shut.

The council is checking in with the residents to see if they have alternative heating solutions and what help it can provide while they get that sorted.

The privately-owned bore was found to be the cause of the geothermal activity in a median-strip garden on Lake Rd near Kuirau Park on Wednesday.

A volcanologist described the emergence of the fumarole - a steam-driven vent - as apparent "infrastructure failure", while a council expert said the event was "man-made".

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It was spurting out water, steam and mud, and a section of the road was closed from Wednesday afternoon until today.

Motorists that drove through the geothermal activity in Lake Rd this week are being "strongly advised" to clean their vehicles because of the acidic mud.

Shot of the geothermal activity taken from Pukeroa Hill on Wednesday. Photo / Andrew Warner

The cause of the fumarole was confirmed after a nearby bore was quenched causing water levels in the fumarole to drop significantly, the council said in a statement.

Rotorua Lakes Council community and regulatory services manager Kurt Williams said the road reopened today and activity within the fumarole completely died down overnight.

Well drillers arrived onsite this morning to grout the bore shut and this work was now complete.

Williams said council staff would keep an eye on the area intermittently over the weekend to ensure everything remains settled.

Williams said the bore being grouted shut was privately owned but the council got involved as the issues "could impact public safety and wellbeing".

"Council has worked closely with the bore owner and other technical experts to reach a suitable outcome."

He said the grouting of the bore would impact the owner and three nearby residents who have previously used the bore for heating purposes.

The scene in Lake Rd on Thursday morning. Photo / Andrew Warner

He said the council was checking in with these residents today as part of its duty of care to the community.

"We want to minimise disruption to those impacted by the event as much as possible, especially with the cold and wet weekend ahead of us."