Elevated readings of arsenic have been recorded in the Waikato River. Photo / Waikato District Council.
题图：怀卡托河的砷读数升高。照片 / 怀卡托区议会。
With concerns about higher-than-normal arsenic levels in samples of Auckland and Waikato’s treated water, the government water regulator will announce the most recent test results this afternoon.
【澳纽网编译】由于担心奥克兰和怀卡托处理水样本中的砷含量高于正常水平，政府水务监管机构将于今天下午宣布最新的测试结果。
Elevated levels of the toxic heavy metal have been detected in treated water sourced from the Waikato River.
在来自怀卡托河的处理水中检测到有毒重金属含量升高。
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The Water Services Authority, Taumata Arowai, told the Herald it was expecting to release the results of tests done yesterday, a spokeswoman said.
水务局的一位发言人说，水务局 Taumata Arowai 告诉Herald，它预计将公布昨天进行的测试结果。
The results should provide clarity for authorities about the cause.
结果应该为当局提供关于原因的明确信息。
Waikato Regional Council environmental science manager Mike Scarsbrook said there were several possible reasons for elevated levels of arsenic in the treated water.
怀卡托地区委员会环境科学经理 Mike Scarsbrook 表示，处理过的水中砷含量升高有几个可能的原因。
“It’s going to take a bit of time to dig into that. We’ll know more when we get the results from the detailed sampling taken yesterday. We’re hoping to see those results today,” Scarsbrook said.
“这需要一点时间来深入研究。当我们从昨天进行的详细抽样中获得结果时，我们会知道更多。我们希望今天能看到这些结果，“斯卡斯布鲁克说。
“Then we can start to understand what might have changed.”
“然后我们就可以开始了解可能已经发生了什么变化。”
Scarsbrook said it was possible the higher-than-standard arsenic levels could be due to “a change in the [chemical] form” of the metal in the water.
斯卡斯布鲁克说，高于标准的砷水平可能是由于水中金属的“[化学]形式发生变化”造成的。
“So, [possibly] more dissolved arsenic rather than what is bound to particles.
“所以，[可能]更多的溶解砷，而不是与颗粒结合的砷。
“We do know that at times, particularly in the summertime, we can see elevated levels of dissolved arsenic coming from sediments in the bottom of the hydro lakes and along the river.”
“我们确实知道，有时，尤其是在夏季，我们可以看到水力湖底部和河流沿岸沉积物的溶解砷水平升高。”
He explained that Waikato Regional Council tested samples of (untreated) river water, while Hamilton City Council and Watercare (in Auckland and parts of Waikato) tested samples of the water they treated.
他解释说，怀卡托地区委员会检测了（未经处理的）河水样本，而汉密尔顿市议会和 Watercare（在奥克兰和怀卡托部分地区）检测了他们处理过的水样本。
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Govt briefed, arsenic levels explained
政府简报，解释砷水平
The Government was briefed on Wednesday evening and sought assurances that water supplies are safe.
政府在周三晚上听取了简报，并寻求保证供水是安全的。
Watercare is also rejigging the way it processes water to reduce the amount of arsenic in the city’s water supply but said there was no immediate concern to public health.
Watercare 还在重新调整其处理水的方式，以减少该市供水中的砷含量，但表示对公共卫生没有直接担忧。
怀卡托河的砷读数升高。照片 / Doug Sherring
Steve Taylor, head of operations at Water Services Authority Taumata Arowai (WSA), told Newstalk ZB water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton were affected.
水务局 Taumata Arowai （WSA） 运营主管史蒂夫·泰勒 （Steve Taylor） 告诉 Newstalk ZB，奥克兰和汉密尔顿的供水受到影响。
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He said there was “naturally a level of arsenic” in the river, but it had been notified levels had increased recently.
他说，河中“自然有一定程度的砷”，但据通知最近砷含量有所增加。
“I’m not sure what the reason for that increase is and that is affecting water supplies in Auckland and Hamilton,” he said.
“我不确定这种增长的原因是什么，这正在影响奥克兰和汉密尔顿的供水，”他说。
He explained the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is 0.01mg a litre – an “incredibly low amount” – but there had been levels around 0.013mg, which is “marginally above the acceptable value for drinking water”.
他解释说，砷的最大可接受值为每升 0.01 毫克——这是一个“极低的量”——但含量约为 0.013 毫克，这“略高于饮用水的可接受值”。
“The level of arsenic is above what we’ve described as a maximum acceptable value, but it’s not at a level that we would suggest has a significant health effect.
“砷的水平高于我们描述的最大可接受值，但并没有达到我们认为对健康有重大影响的水平。
“There’s no health risk in drinking that water,” Taylor said.
“喝那种水没有健康风险，”泰勒说。
“What we would expect is that those levels of arsenic would reduce over time.”
“我们预计这些砷水平会随着时间的推移而降低。”
Taylor said it is safe for people to keep drinking tap water.
泰勒说，人们继续饮用自来水是安全的。
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“The key thing about the maximum acceptable value for arsenic is it’s designed for long-term exposure, so it’s not an acute level.
“砷的最大可接受值的关键在于它是为长期暴露而设计的，因此它不是一个急性水平。
”Unlike some other levels, you know, if you exceed that level, it has an immediate health effect – that’s not the case with these levels.”
“与其他一些水平不同的是，你知道，如果你超过了那个水平，就会立即对健康产生影响，而这些水平却不是这样”。
Taylor said the WSA was only notified of the elevated levels on Wednesday and it had been “a very short-term situation”.
泰勒说，WSA 周三才收到水平升高的通知，而且这是“非常短期的情况”。
”We’ve contacted the [Waikato] regional council to try and understand what is the reason for this change in source water,” he said.
“我们已经联系了 [怀卡托] 地区委员会，试图了解源水发生变化的原因，”他说。
地方政府部长 Simeon Brown 已听取了有关该问题的简报。照片 / Mark Mitchell
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said he had been briefed on the issue by the WSA on Wednesday evening.
地方政府部长西蒙·布朗 （Simeon Brown） 表示，他已于周三晚上听取了 WSA 关于该问题的简报。
“I have asked the WSA to ensure that water suppliers in Auckland and Hamilton are taking appropriate steps, and that they communicate with their customers,” Brown said.
“我已要求 WSA 确保奥克兰和汉密尔顿的供水商采取适当的措施，并与客户进行沟通，”布朗说。
“The WSA is the lead agency for this issue and will be providing regular updates.”
“WSA 是此问题的牵头机构，将定期提供更新。”
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Watercare reduces production at Waikato Water Treatment Plant
Watercare 减少怀卡托水处理厂的产量
The Herald repeatedly sought comment from Watercare on Wednesday afternoon and it responded shortly before 8pm, saying it had reduced production at its Waikato Water Treatment Plant since detecting the elevated result.
Herakd周三下午多次向 Watercare 寻求评论，并在晚上 8 点前不久做出回应，称自从检测到升高的结果以来，它已经减少了怀卡托水处理厂的产量。
Watercare chief executive Mark Bourne said the Waikato River supplies about 20% of Auckland’s drinking water.
Watercare 首席执行官 Mark Bourne 表示，怀卡托河供应了奥克兰约 20% 的饮用水。
”We treat the water at our Waikato Water Treatment Plant in Tūākau and distribute it throughout the metropolitan network.
“我们在 Tūākau 的怀卡托水处理厂处理水，并将其分配到整个大都市网络。
”In most parts of Auckland, treated water from the Waikato River is blended with treated water from our dams. However, Pukekohe, Buckland, Clarks Beach/Waiau Pā, Patumahoe, Glenbrook Beach, and Drury south receive water solely sourced from the Waikato River.”
“在奥克兰的大部分地区，来自怀卡托河的处理水与我们大坝的处理过的水混合。然而，Pukekohe、Buckland、Clarks Beach/Waiau Pā、Patumahoe、Glenbrook Beach 和 Drury south 的水完全来自怀卡托河。
Bourne said Watercare had increased production at its major Ardmore plant, which treats water from four dams in the Hūnua Ranges.
Bourne 表示，Watercare 提高了其主要 Ardmore 工厂的产量，该工厂处理来自 Hūnua 山脉四座水坝的水。
“This extends the processing time at the plant, and we expect it to improve our ability to reduce the level of arsenic in the treated drinking water.
“这延长了工厂的处理时间，我们希望它能提高我们降低处理过的饮用水中砷含量的能力。
“We’re working closely with other agencies and will continue to share information as we learn more.”
“我们正在与其他机构密切合作，并将随着我们了解更多信息而继续分享信息。”
The current minor exceedance of the standards does not present any immediate concern for public health, Watercare said.
Watercare 表示，目前轻微超出标准不会对公共卫生造成任何直接问题。
A Waikato District Council spokesperson said Watercare operates the local water networks in the area under contract.
怀卡托区议会发言人表示，Watercare 根据合同在该地区运营当地的供水网络。
“Pōkeno and Tūākau are supplied by Watercare’s Waikato Water Treatment Plant. There are also treatment plants that serve the townships of Huntly, Te Kauwhata, Meremere, Taupiri and Ngāruawāhia.”
“Pōkeno 和 Tūākau 由 Watercare 的怀卡托水处理厂供应。还有一些处理厂为 Huntly、Te Kauwhata、Meremere、Taupiri 和 Ngāruawāhia 等城镇提供服务。
The spokesperson said samples from these plants were being tested, with results due today.
发言人表示，正在对这些工厂的样本进行检测，结果将于今天公布。
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Hamilton City Council’s water supply remained safe for drinking, bathing, cleaning and cooking, following test results that showed small increases in the level of arsenic present.
汉密尔顿市议会的供水仍然安全，可用于饮用、沐浴、清洁和烹饪，此前测试结果显示砷含量略有增加。
What is arsenic? 什么是砷？
The Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora website describes arsenic as a substance found in rock, which in some situations “harms your health”.
新西兰健康部 Te Whatu Ora 网站将砷描述为一种在岩石中发现的物质，在某些情况下“会损害您的健康”。
It commonly enters the body in food and water and people can swallow small amounts every day for a long time without any obvious health effects.
它通常通过食物和水中进入人体，人们可以每天长时间吞咽少量，而不会对健康产生任何明显影响。
But swallowing larger amounts may cause long-term health effects, arsenic poisoning, or death.
但吞咽大量可能会导致长期健康影响、砷中毒或死亡。
Someone with arsenic poisoning may suffer from:
砷中毒的人可能会患有：
- Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea;
胃痛、恶心、呕吐和腹泻; - Extreme tiredness and bruising;
极度疲倦和瘀伤; - An abnormal heartbeat; 异常的心跳;
- A “pins and needles” feeling in the hands and feet.
手和脚有“针刺”的感觉。
Arsenic cannot be removed from water by boiling it.
砷不能通过煮沸从水中去除。
来源：NZ Herald
分类： 澳纽资讯
(即时多来源) 新西兰英语新闻 New Zealand English News
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