Environment Bay of Plenty is earmarking some coastal communities as ‘maintenance zones' in a bid to keep Western Bay harbours clean.

The maintenance zones are areas that require frequent sceptic tank clean outs and inspections.
Little Waihi, Maketu, Tanners Point, Ongare Point and Te Puna have been identified as maintenance zones.
Environment Bay of Plenty group water manager Eddie Grogan says everyone has a responsibility to care for the region's harbours and estuaries.
'We are working with local councils to improve water quality, including a significant financial contribution to a proposed wastewater treatment scheme for Little Waihi and Maketu,” says Eddie.
EBOP's call for maintenance zones comes after a recent report released by the organisation found multiple sources of bacterial and viral contamination in Tauranga Harbour and Waihi Estuary.