Many Auckland beaches have been closed after a sewer pipe collapsed causing wastewater to run into the city's harbour.
A large sinkhole has also formed after the 2.1m wide brick sewer pipe failed in the suburb of Parnell.
Watercare was alerted to the hole, which has a width of 13m, on Monday afternoon and has been trying to stabilise the ground and prevent more material entering the pipe.
However, chief operations officer Mark Bourne said the situation was only getting worse.
“Unfortunately, the situation has worsened with the sewer becoming completely blocked this morning, which may be causing overflows elsewhere in the network.
“Our crews on site are currently working with a large excavator to further widen the top of the tomo [shaft] to remove the debris causing the blockage.
“Safety is our number one priority. The ground near the tomo is unstable so we have established an exclusion zone around the site to ensure the safety of the public, staff and contractors.
“We’re working hard to confirm any overflow locations and to minimise any environmental impact as much as possible."
Do not swim black flags have been raised for 72 hours at well over a dozen of the city's beaches, from Mission Bay to the North Shore.
A black flag means there is a very high risk of illness from swimming.
Bourne urged Aucklanders to avoid swimming, fishing and recreational activity in the Waitematā Harbour. Warning signs are currently being erected at all inner-city beaches.
You can check the status of Auckland's beaches here.
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