This picture taken on Feb. 23, 2026, shows a warning sign is seen on Wellington's South Coast after millions of litres of untreated sewage were discharged into the ocean.(AFP)
The mayor of New Zealand's capital city took an afternoon dip Wednesday hoping to assuage public fears after a breakdown at a local wastewater treatment plant pumped raw sewage into the ocean and sprayed fecal matter on coastal homes.
Millions of liters of raw sewage have flown into the waters off Wellington's picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on Feb. 4.
Sporting swimming trunks and a rash guard shirt, mayor Andrew Little dived face first into the surf as he sought to reassure angry residents that the water was now safe.
"I do want to be clear, a risk remains but monitoring results so far show that it is low and it's now up to people to decide how they respond," Little said.
The Wellington City Council had previously urged people to refrain from swimming or fishing due to public health risk.
The situation escalated last week when a storm hit the city, fueling swells of up to seven meters that sent contaminated sea spray flying onto homes.
Residents said a brown residue was then found coating their homes.
"It's been disgusting," resident Roger Young told national broadcaster RNZ.
Another local described it as "slimy grime."
"When you run your finger along it, you get these brown marks of this residue that's on there and that's certainly not from salt," Island Bay resident Chris told RNZ.
