Street evacuated, warnings issued after 100-litre acid spill

A Napier street was evacuated and a health warning issued after a Hawke’s Bay business spilt 100 litres of hydrochloric acid into a stormwater system, which flows into Ahuriri Estuary.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council issued the warning on social media after the spill yesterday, in the Thames St area.

Signs were erected to warn the public to stay out of the water at the estuary, until further notice.

Medical officer of health Dr Nicholas Jones said people should avoid water contact in the area and anyone suffering any related health-effects should contact Healthline or see their GP.

Napier City Council said Thames St was closed and evacuated following the spill by Galvanising Hawke’s Bay.

The regional council’s pollution response team, NCC’s environmental solutions team, City Services, Fire and

Emergency and Beard’s Environmental attended.

Hydrochloric acid can cause severe chemical burns if it comes into contact with skin.

The spill comes after swimmers were told to steer clear of Napier’s Pandora Pond, again, after a contaminated overflow from a wastewater pipe was discovered.

Napier City Council advised people not to swim in the pond until 4.30pm tomorrow in case it has been contaminated by an overflow from the Pandora industrial area on Thursday.

It was discovered at 3.40pm by council staff carrying out a routine check on the Mersey St wastewater pump station. Staff cleared the blockage in the wastewater pipe underneath Mersey St, and removed 40,000 litres of potentially contaminated water.

This water came from a number of industries including tanneries, meat processing and rendering.

Council staff took samples upstream and downstream of the discharge.