Two Northland communities fear raw sewage dredged up from recent flooding poses serious health risks.
More than 200mm of rain fell across the region earlier this month causing widespread devastation, as putrid floodwaters coursed through low lying homes, swamped the Otiria rugby club and contaminated the playground at Moerewa School.
The clean up of both towns is ongoing, but the school's principal Maia Cooper says grassy areas are off limits to its 147 pupils for a couple more weeks because of faecal overflows.
And community advocate and treasurer of the local Otiria Rugby Club, Pamela-Anne Simon says many locals have been flooded so many times that they are uninsurable.
