A telephone service request was made to council at 6.28pm Tuesday, February 24, reporting raw sewage pooled around a manhole near the caller’s residence between Newarp and Harwich Sts.
A council spokeswoman said contractors attended but were unable to locate anything because it was too dark.
Returning the following morning, they ‘‘found the blocked manhole in a vacant section’’.
The council’s online media alerted the public to the ‘‘wastewater blockage,’’ reassuring it had been contained and signposted, and warning against swimming, gathering kai or allowing dogs in an indicated area of the Clutha river.
The Otago Regional Council’s pollution team and iwi were notified.
‘‘It is unknown how long the blockage has been occurring, but the neighbouring property was alerted by the smell,’’ the spokeswoman said. ‘‘Sewage has flowed over the section to a stormwater channel which discharges to the river.
A tanker arrived about 11.30am on Wednesday 25 and the council relayed confirmation in the afternoon the blockage was resolved, and the contractor would return the following day to remove wet soil and visible solids and apply lime across the area.
‘‘We have no details yet about what caused the blockage — it could be fats, wipes etc: A timely reminder to only flush the 3 Ps!’’
She said council were investigating with a camera in the pipe to see what might have caused the blockage, such as tree roots.
‘‘I first noticed the sun shining on a sort of ... pond,’’ the reporting resident said, ‘‘We know there’s a pipe there, so I didn’t have to follow my nose very far before calling it in.
‘‘I am wondering how long it’s been leaking for, though, because the bushes all around it look pretty crook ... [but] you’ve got to hand it to the council for getting on to it immediately.’’
