COVID-19 Information

Here you'll find information and updates from Council in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last updated: Wednesday 12 August 2020

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Alert Level 2 - From 12pm Wednesday 12 August

We are back at COVID Alert Level 2 from 12pm on Wednesday 12 August. All our Council facilities remain open - including service centres, libraries, recycling/greenwaste centres, parks, playgrounds and boat ramps.

We're continuing contact tracing and frequent cleaning of surfaces at our libraries and service centres, and encouraging physical distancing at all Council facilities. Hand sanitiser is available.

To reduce the number of people visiting our service centres, we are encouraging people to pay any bills or invoices online via our website if possible.

At our recycling/greenwaste centres, staff will not be able to assist with unloading your recycling/greenwaste, and greenwaste centres, and may restrict the number of people on site at one time. Please note we will only be accepting Eftpos transactions at our recycling and greenwaste centres at this time.

Protect yourself and others from COVID-19:

• If you're feeling unwell, stay home
• Stay 1-2 metres away from other people in public
• Wash your hands well and frequently
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow
• Keep track of where you've been and who you've seen
• Wear a mask in public if you can
• Events with over 100 people can not go ahead in Level 2
• Only essential travel to/from Auckland is allowed
• Don't panic buy

Keep track of where you've been

Fast and effective contact tracing is one way we can all work together to prevent any further spread of COVID-19.

NZ COVID Tracer

The Ministry of Health has created a tracing app — NZ COVID Tracer. The app helps you to create a digital diary of where you have been.

You can:

• scan the official QR codes at participating businesses
• add manual entries for places you have been that don't have a QR code poster

Economic Recovery Plan

Council has an important role to play in an all-of-government effort to assist our communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fundamental to this is a recovery plan that focuses on working collaboratively to rebuild the Western Bay of Plenty economy as fast as possible, through immediate relief and medium to long term support. The plan highlights key issues for the District and how we can complement government initiatives at a local level. Read the full plan here.

Facilities and services

All Council facilities are open.

We're continuing contact tracing and frequent cleaning of surfaces at our libraries and service centres, and encouraging physical distancing at all Council facilities. Hand sanitiser is available.

People who are feeling sick or unwell must stay home.

Recycling / greenwaste centres

All recycling and greenwaste centres are open normal hours. Check hours and accepted items here.

Staff will not be able to assist with unloading your recycling/greenwaste, and restrictions on the number of people on site at one time may apply. Please note we will only be accepting Eftpos transactions at our recycling and greenwaste centres at this time.

Tauranga City Council's transfer stations in Te Maunga and Maleme Street are open for general rubbish, greenwaste and recycling services.

Service centres

All service centres, including the Barkes Corner customer service counter are open normal hours. We're continuing contact tracing and frequent cleaning of surfaces at our libraries and service centres, and encouraging physical distancing

To reduce the number of people visiting our service centres, we are encouraging people to pay any bills or invoices online via our website if possible.

Libraries

All libraries are open normal hours. We're continuing contact tracing and frequent cleaning of surfaces at our libraries and service centres, and encouraging physical distancing. Restrictions on the number of people in the libraries at one time may apply.

• The free public WiFi sites are available in Katikati, Te Puke, Waihi Beach and Omokoroa from 8am until 8pm, seven days a week.
• Book Bundle service - elderly or health-compromised borrowers who do not feel able to visit their local library should email libraries@westernbay.govt.nz or phone 07 571 8008 and ask to speak to the team at their local branch to arrange a bespoke Book Bundle which can be collected from their library at a pre-arranged time.
• As a library member, remember that you have access to thousands of eBooks and eAudiobooks online, as well as newspapers and magazines and a range of online databases for you to explore. See our library website for all the details.

Reserves and playgrounds

All playgrounds and reserve facilities are open as normal.

• Reserve facilities can be used - playgrounds, public toilets, picnic tables, drinking fountains and public barbecues.
• We encourage social distancing from others as much as possible. And please continue hand washing/sanitising. Stay home if you are unwell.
• TECT Park is open.

Boat ramps

Boat ramps are open as normal.

Freedom camping

All freedom camping sites are open as normal.

Animal services

If you're heading out for a walk around your neighbourhood with your dog, we recommend keeping your dog on-leash at all times - even in normal off-leash areas.

Save our pipes from wipes

Wet wipes are causing a real headache for Council at the moment with an increase in people putting them down the toilet instead of in the rubbish during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is causing an increase in blockages in the wastewater pipes. Repairing these blockages is putting staff at higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus.

We realise that wipes are a convenient and hygienic option, but please don’t flush them down the toilet. Place them in a bag and put them out for rubbish pick-up to the landfill.