Residents of a beachside village on the Coromandel Peninsula have been warned a sinkhole has formed near a wastewater treatment plant.
The sinkhole formed near the Onemana Wastewater Treatment Plant in Onemana, the Thames-Coromandel District Council said today.
"We suspect treated wastewater may have entered a local wetland, potentially entering a stream that flows to the beach area."
A spokesperson for the council said as a "proactive step", signage would be erected by the Onemana Dr car park advising people not to swim, fish or collect shellfish in the area around where the stream discharges "until further notice".
The irrigation disposal closest to the sinkhole was also turned off, the council said, and sampling would be carried out at, and around, the sinkhole site and stream discharge area.
Regular monitoring of the site would also be carried out to "ensure no further deterioration or land movement".
In addition, the wastewater ponds would be dosed to deal with a recent algae bloom.
The council asked people to "please adhere to these restrictions".
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