The organiser of a fishing contest in Whanganui says the district council's decision to pump raw sewage into the ocean is terrible timing for thousands of people arriving for this weekend's competition.
Problems that have afflicted the city's waste water treatment plant since before Christmas caused strong odours in Whanganui again on Friday, prompting the council to temporarily direct untreated sewage out to sea.
Surfcasting competition organiser Grant Clark said he is worried the sewage could either affect the fish or be blown back onto shore.
Mr Clark said he doesn't understand why the council has released the waste when thousands of people are camped on Whanganui's South Beach for the contest.
Mayor Annette Main said her council is not expecting the waste water to have an impact on the competition.
