Testing underway for Lake Te Koo Utu

Water testing is under way at Cambridge’s Lake Te Koo Utu following the discovery of dead fish over the past week.

Around 200 dead fish have been removed from the centre of the lake over the last seven days. Last week, the bodies of 90 fish were collected from the lake over a two-day period.

Community services manager Brad Ward said the deaths were believed to be caused by the flush of heavy rain into the lake following an extended dry summer. Water samples have been sent to be tested for pesticides, heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Results are expected next week.

The Ministry for Primary Industries has been notified, and a fish sample will be sent to them on Monday to test for signs of disease, histology and chemical damage.

“We still believe the cause is from the heavy rain. We will know more when we get the results back,” Ward said.

The affected fish are a non-native pest species of goldfish. At this stage, no other wildlife appears to be affected.

Council teams will continue to remove any more dead fish, with a contractor checking the vegetation for any that haven’t washed up to the lake edge.

“We’re doing everything we can to get on top of it and reduce the risk to other animals and wildlife in the area,” Ward said. “We’re removing the fish as quickly as we can to break the cycle of contamination.”

While the investigation continues, the Council is asking the public not to touch or remove any dead fish and to keep dogs out of the lake and away from the water.