Milk powder and krill oil leak into Lake Taupō

Milk powder and krill oil leaking from the truck into Lake Taupō. Photos: Waikato Regional Council Facebook.

People are being advised to avoid taking water from a particular section of Lake Taupō,

Milk powder and krill oil have been leaking into the water following a truck crash on Sunday.

State Highway 1 at Te Pōporo (Bulli Point), south of Taupō, was fully re-opened on Monday after the truck was recovered from the waterway.

But an assessment of the area continues as the Waikato Regional Council sort out a remediation plan for the powder and oil that was discharged from the truck into the lake.

'Our people have been working into this afternoon to sort out a remediation plan. That's because an amount of milk powder and krill oil the truck was carrying discharged into Lake Taupō – the oil is that reddish-orange tinge you can see in our photos,” the council says in a post on Facebook.

'Experts we've been talking to say the oil will likely start to breakdown through a combination of sunlight and wave action, and the water will help to dilute it, too.

'While we haven't seen any oiled birds, there is a potential for the oil to stick to bird feathers. We don't know what effect this might have, but it's thought the krill oil will break down a lot quicker than mineral oils.

'We've also been talking to our scientists about any potential impacts on water quality for people who take water from the lake.

'Water samples have been taken for analysis and a water quality monitoring programme has been put in place to track any changes.

'Many of you will know that krill oil is a popular dietary supplement, but our advice is to avoid taking lake water for drinking/household water in the proximity of the crash site.

'We will update this advice as we monitor the site over the next few days.”

Local hapū Ngāti Te Rangiita have issued a rāhui over the area covering from Pūeaea (Waitapu Road in Motutere) to Pākā Bay (Hallet's Bay).

Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board is supporting Ngāti Te Rangiita by erecting signs informing the public of the rāhui.

Signs have been erected at Te Pōporo (Bulli Point) and the Waipēhi Stream rest area.

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