A number of areas have seen their wastewater systems overwhelmed this afternoon as Cyclone Vaianu’s impact peaked along the east coast of the North Island.
Thames-Coromandel District Council said the wastewater treatment plants for Coromandel and Thames are receiving very high inflow.
See full details of the events today in 1News' live updates here.
And Gisborne District Council says intense rainfall has flooded its wastewater system.
As a result, wastewater was being released into local catchments to stop sewage overflowing into homes and onto roads.
"The discharge is highly diluted with rainwater, but it still poses a health risk," a Gisborne Council announcement said.
Warning signs are in place, and people are advised to stay out of the water in the city's three rivers and Waikanae Beach until five days after the discharge ends.
In Coromandel, the plant cannot process the volume of wastewater, a spokesperson said, “so we are temporarily bypassing the final UV disinfection stage to prevent an overflow".
In Thames, access to the treatment plant was limited due to road flooding. "To manage the situation safely, we are carrying out a controlled overflow into local drains that discharge to the Waihou River," the council said.
The Coromandel's Whangarahi Stream and the mouth of the Waihou River in Thames should be treated as contaminated until further notice.
Heavy rain also caused a discharge of untreated wastewater in Wellington. The incident at hort Outfall into Tarakena Bay may make the water appear cloudy or murky and may have some odour, Wellington Water warned.
It recommended people stay out of the water for two to three days after heavy rain. Public health officials also strongly advise against gathering shellfish or kaimoana from the south coast area from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay.
In Paeroa, in the Hauraki District, there are areas of surface flooding and ponding and residents are being warned: “It is unsafe to walk through floodwaters due to potential contamination of wastewater and the likelihood that manhole covers have been dislodged.”
The worst of the wind and rain in the region was due to pass in the next few hours with weather warnings in place until later this evening or the early hours of tomorrow morning.
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