Otago Regional Council (ORC) says swimmers will soon have updated information on the water quality at the Lake Hāwea boat ramp swimming area.

Last Wednesday (January 1) water quality testing found high levels of bacteria at the popular swimming site and people have been advised not to swim there since.

ORC water quality scientist Helen Trotter told the Wānaka App yesterday morning (Monday January 6) it had just collected a new sample at the site.

The results will be available on the Land and Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website in the coming days.

Helen said ORC had not identified a “specific source of contamination” for the Lake Hāwea boat ramp site.

“As it was raining heavily at the time of sampling it is most likely this result is associated with surface run-off,” she said.

LAWA generally advises people to avoid swimming after heavy or prolonged rain lasting 48 hours or more because heavy rain can flush contaminants from urban and rural land into waterways.

This applies regardless of the long-term water quality of a site, LAWA says.

Swimmers can also check the LAWA website for water quality at a handful of other popular swimming locations in the area.

The sites are tested weekly throughout the summer.

PHOTO: Supplied