• Potentially harmful algal bloom found at Anderson Park

Potentially harmful algal bloom found at Anderson Park

Dog owners are warned to keep their pets away from the Anderson Park ponds and all other waterways in Napier until further notice.

Napier City Council said in a statement this afternoon that a cyanobacteria bloom (blue-green algae) had been found in one of the ponds. This is a toxin known to kill dogs and can make people very unwell.

"As we cannot confirm whether this has affected other waterways, all urban Napier waterways should be avoided by dogs and humans," a spokesperson said. 

"If a dog is suspected of coming in contact with water from an urban waterway, and rapidly becomes unwell, treat it as an emergency and take your dog to the nearest vet without delay."

The NCC Environmental Solutions Team will be carrying out further monitoring of the ponds, and warning signs are being installed.

Cyanobacteria can occur in slow-flowing nutrient-rich water, aided by consistently high temperatures for long periods of time, and some species produce harmful toxins.

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