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January 11, 2026
#health – Health Warning Issued for Corsair, Rāpaki & Cass Bays Waters
Waatea Team
Posted On January 11, 2026
A health warning has been issued by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora after authorities were alerted to a discharge of untreated sewage into the coastal waters around Corsair Bay (Motu-kauati-iti). The warning now includes Corsair Bay, Cass Bay at both the jetty and beach, and Rāpaki Bay at the beach, where recreational water quality is currently considered unsafe.
Officials say that the presence of sewage in these coastal waters increases the risk of contamination with bacteria and other pathogens that can cause illness in people who swim, paddle, or engage in other recreational water activities. Health New Zealand and local authorities are urging swimmers, boaties and whānau to stay out of the water at these sites while tests continue and conditions improve.
This warning comes at a time when coastal water quality has been under pressure in parts of the Whakaraupō / Lyttelton Harbour area in recent years, with past advisories showing bacterial contamination that made beaches unsuitable for swimming.
Te Whatu Ora advises that people avoid contact with the water at affected bays until further notice, and to be especially cautious about eating shellfish or seafood collected from these areas, as contaminated water can carry disease-causing organisms.
For the latest updates on water testing results and when beaches are safe again, Te Whatu Ora and Environment Canterbury monitoring sites such as Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) are recommended as sources of up-to-date recreational water quality information.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
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