Heavy rain has been drenching New Zealand with sewage overflowing in Wellington and two people escaping from a car swept away in Coromandel.
The Moa Point sewage treatment plant overflowed after heavy constant rainfall caused storm water to exceed the plant capabilities on Saturday.
Swimmers and surfers need to stay out of the water at Lyall Bay, Wellington City Council said.
Small volumes of heavily-diluted and partially-treated sewage is being pumped out of the outfall pipe 1.8km into Cook Strait.
Samples of water had been taken and results would be available on Monday.
It was wise to stay out of the harbour and coastal waters for at least 48 hours after heavy rain, because of the "cocktail" of contaminants washed off city streets, the council said.
Heavy rain has soaked many parts of the North Island.
Driving conditions were atrocious in Bay of Plenty and Coromandel on Saturday.
State Highway 29, between Waikato and Tauranga, was closed due to a slip.
Sergeant Dave Raffan says police closed a road with two river fords in Wentworth Valley, near Whangamata.
"River levels have risen and about 12.15pm we were advised a car carrying two people had been swept away on the ford. Luckily the two occupants were able to get out and make it to safety without incident."
Organised New Year's Eve celebrations have been cancelled in Wellington, Mount Maunganui and Palmerston North because of the bad weather.
The MetService said heavy rain was likely to persist in the Bay of Plenty into Sunday, but would ease in Taranaki, central North Island high country, Tararua Range and Wairarapa on Saturday.
It lifted heavy rain warnings for Nelson and Wellington on Friday.
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