Taranaki people, particularly dog owners, are urged to be wary of potentially toxic algae mats being exposed at waterways as river levels fall in the region.
Taranaki Regional Council officers monitoring popular recreational swimming spots have found exposed mats of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, at:
- The Waingororo River at Ohawe Beach.
- The Manganui River at Everett Park.
- The Waiwhakaiho River at Merrilands Domain.
The monitoring results have prompted the Taranaki District Health Board to direct District Councils to erect warning signs at these three sites.
Dogs are particularly attracted by the odour of the exposed mats and are susceptible to poisoning if toxins are present.
The public should also note that the freshwater quality map on the Taranaki Regional Council website is based mainly on the results of bacterial monitoring and map icons may not indicate the presence of algae mats. The information is available, however, by clicking through for more information about a site. Website users are strongly urged to access the full information.