Press Release – Greater Wellington Regional Council
The council is urging the community to check for LAWA website warnings and alerts, following the emergence of toxic algal blooms in several rivers in both the Ruamahanga and Kapiti Coast catchments.
It advises caution to swimmers in the Ruamahanga and Kapiti Coast catchments and to keep dogs on leashes – as new amber alert level warnings are in place for Otaki River and the whole of the Ruamahanga River.
The council’s senior environmental scientist Dr Mark Heath says, “Toxic algae has increased to amber alert levels in the Ruamahanga and Otaki rivers so we strongly advise to check for toxic algae before you swim, and to keep all dogs and children away from the river’s edge. With warm and dry weather predicted over the next week it is likely that this risk will increase.”