Woman's 'nasty' skin infection likely caused by swimming at contaminated beach
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.
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
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Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
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15% Critical thinking
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Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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