After reports of some form of contamination at the water’s edge earlier in the month, last week a 5sqm patch appeared, and the council was able to determine it was fuel.
Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said excavating a test patch at the council’s waterfront property had identified "quite a small fuel tank" at the site — a former Shell station — thought to be the source of the fuel.
It was removed this week as a precautionary measure.
"It was a very, very small seepage, in the scheme of things, which means it has been quite challenging to find — if it is a small pocket left over from the old days or whether it was something more permanent ... we were unaware of," Mr Jorgensen said.
"At this stage, we’ll just be removing the tank and seeing what else we see."
Otago Regional Council harbourmaster Steve Rushbrook said the regional council was "fully aware of the situation" and the district council was responding appropriately.
