Health Warning lifted for the Hae Hae Te Moana River at Te Moana Gorge and Ōrāri River at Ōrāri Gorge

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora has lifted its health warning for the Hae Hae Te Moana River at Te Moana Gorge and Ōrāri River at Ōrāri Gorge.

Latest water testing results show faecal bacteria levels in the Hae Hae Te Moana River at Te Moana Gorge and Ōrāri River at Ōrāri Gorge are now below guideline values and the health warning has been removed. The water in the Hae Hae Te Moana River at Te Moana Gorge and Ōrāri River at Ōrāri Gorge suitable for recreational use.

Dr Ramon Pink, Medical Officer of Health for the National Public Health Service, says “This is great news for swimmers and other recreational water users of the Hae Hae Te Moana River and the Ōrāri River who would have been avoiding the water following the high levels of contamination,”

When a health warning is in place, water quality at affected sites is not considered suitable for recreational uses including swimming because of the risk to health from the bacteria and other pathogens.

Water contaminated by human or animal faecal bacteria may contain a range of disease-causing micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa

For further details visit: https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/canterbury-region/

Or contact Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health on (03) 364 1777:

https://www.cph.co.nz/your-health/recreational-water/

For more information about Mahinga Kai:

https://www.cph.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/saf0112.pdf

ENDS

For further information, contact:

Karen Berry
Public Health Communications Lead, Te Waipounamu
National Public Health Service
Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora 
021 139 7442
kberry@scdhb.health.nz