Woman's 'nasty' skin infection likely caused by swimming at contaminated beach

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

Kia ora neighbours.
A woman who likely got a “nasty” skin infection during a swim at Narrowneck Beach believes it is “unacceptable” that people cannot go swimming without fear of getting sick.

Devonport resident Vanessa Ingraham developed a staph and e coli infection on her legs about four weeks ago. Her doctor believes she caught it from swimming not long after shaving her legs.

Ingraham, who moved to New Zealand from the Bahamas seven years ago, said she didn’t know about Auckland’s storm water issues until she got her infection.

During heavy rain, water contaminated with animal faeces, oil, rubbish, metals and rubber from tyres is often flushed through the storm water network and onto beaches, a Watercare spokeswoman said.

Auckland’s wastewater network is also known to overflow during heavy rain, which causes sewage to spill out from manholes, gully traps, pump stations and engineered overflow points into properties, waterways and the sea.

Auckland Council’s Swimsafe website, which provides real-time forecasts of beach water quality, recommends people avoid swimming for 48 hours following heavy rainfall.

“You have to check to see if it’s safe to swim? This is a foreign concept,” Ingraham said.

Click 'read more' for the full story, including info from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.