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As free blood testing begins this afternoon, a Waikouaiti resident and former health and safety specialist says a full investigation is needed into the way officials responded to lead contamination of Otago water supplies.

Clive Doubleday said he would not be satisfied with an internal review by the Dunedin City Council.

"I want an external review," he said. "I want a full investigation."

Waikouaiti, Karitane and Hawksbury residents have been urged not to drink tap water since last Tuesday, after an elevated level of lead was detected at the Waikouaiti raw water reservoir last month.

But problems were apparent much earlier and a spike last year when a lead reading was 40 times the level considered acceptable did not prompt the council or health authorities to warn the public.

Lead’s effect on children can include inhibited development and adults can suffer from symptoms such as memory impairment and tiredness.

However, water sampling has so far suggested only intermittent or one-off spikes in lead levels and free blood tests at the East Otago Events Centre in Waikouaiti from today are expected to help officials establish whether there has been chronic exposure to lead.

Six water samples at Waikouaiti and Karitane since late July have shown elevated lead levels and the most recent results have come back clear.

The source of the lead contamination has yet to be determined.

At a public meeting in Waikouaiti on Friday night, Mr Doubleday suggested WorkSafe should investigate officials’ handling of the problem.

In response, Dunedin City Council infrastructure services general manager Simon Drew indicated WorkSafe could be notified.

Both Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins and city council chief executive Sandy Graham had said there would be a review.

The nature of that review has yet to be confirmed.

Blunders by the city council have included an email being left unopened for weeks while a staff member was on leave and the council publicly understating the severity of a high lead reading from a December 8 sample.

Free blood testing at the events centre is due to start at 2pm today. Children will have priority today and tomorrow.

Free fruit and vegetables will also be made available at the centre and the city council has been supplying water through tankers.

Mr Doubleday, now retired, said he would be getting a blood test this week.

The presence of heavy metals in drinking water could go back to before the council carried out tests from July, he said.

"How long has this been going on for? We don’t know."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said last week the situation was unacceptable. Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall is due to be briefed by officials today.

TWO-DAY WAIT FOR RESULTS

Southern District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Susan Jack told RNZ's Morning Report today the turnaround time for the results from the lab were two days.

"If they do have elevated levels then they may have symptoms. Children may not have any symptoms at all, but they could be very non-specific symptoms such as a headache, muscle weakness, abdominal pain.

"What we are trying to to is see if people have been chronically exposed to lead and the best way to do that is blood levels, so that's what we have committed to do and are starting to do with the communities starting today."

Chronic exposure meant repeated exposures, Jack said.

"We don't believe that is the case because the evidence to date from the testing is that it's just been intermittent spikes, however, because the testing only began six months ago, that's why we're going ahead [with testing]."

If it were just a one-off event, there was not likely to be any impact on blood lead levels, she said.

"We do expect because of other exposures that there will be low levels of lead in people's blood, however, what we are looking for is elevated levels.

"Everyone who has a blood test, we are also asking to fill out a questionnaire which goes through all those possible exposures so when we get the results we can make some sense of that."

TESTING TIMES 

The clinics will take place at the East Otago Events Centre, Waikouaiti.

• Tuesday February 9: 2-5pm. Children will be prioritised.
• Wednesday  February 10: 9am - 12pm - Children will be prioritised. 12pm – 4pm.
• Thursday February 11: 3pm – 7pm.
• Friday February 12: 3pm – 7pm.
• Testing would be available for permanent Waikouaiti and Karitane residents and is free.

Residents unable to attend a clinic during the clinic times can request a test through their GP and this will also be free.

grant.miller@odt.co.nz

- additional reporting RNZ