NZ mayor swims to ease sewage fears

WELLINGTON:

The mayor of New Zealand's capital city took an afternoon dip on Wednesday hoping to assuage public fears after a breakdown at a local wastewater treatment plant pumped raw sewage into the ocean and sprayed faecal matter on coastal homes.

Millions of litres of raw sewage have flown into the waters off Wellington's picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4.

Sporting swimming trunks and a rash guard shirt, mayor Andrew Little dived face first into the surf as he sought to reassure angry residents that the water was now safe.