Holidaymakers in Gisborne are being warned to steer clear of waterways and beaches due to serious health and safety risks.

It comes as the town expects thousands of visitors for the three-day Rhythm and Vines New Year’s Eve festival, which kicks off tomorrow.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand is urging the public to follow Gisborne District Council’s advice regarding waterways affected by emergency sewer valve releases.

A large tree defies the current of Waimata River opposite Clifford St houses in Gisborne on December 27.

“Recent heavy rainfall has overwhelmed the city’s wastewater system, resulting in contamination in the Taruheru and Turanganui rivers, which flow into the city’s Beaches,” SLSNZ said in a statement.

Contact with contaminated water poses serious health risks, it said.

It said all patrolled beaches in the area — including Tolaga Bay, Wainui, Waikanae, and Midway — are showing a red water quality alert. This means it is not safe to swim due to the contamination, they said.

In addition to this, surfers are advised to avoid beaches due to the extreme weather.

“Surf conditions feature large swells and strong winds, making the water particularly hazardous,” it said.

Beach goers are advised lifeguards will be actively engaging with the public at these beaches, to communicate the risks and provide safety advice.

While surf and weather conditions are forecast to improve in the coming days, coinciding with the arrival of festival-goers for Rhythm and Vines, water quality notices will remain in effect.

SLSNZ advises the public to stay out of the water to avoid the risk of illness.

Gisborne District Council is monitoring the situation and will provide updates to water quality notices five days after the wastewater overflow is turned off.

“Your safety is our priority. Please adhere to all advice and precautions to protect yourself, your whānau, and your community,” SLSNZ said in the statement.

More than a month’s worth of rain fell on Boxing Day in Gisborne in what was a record for the wettest December there since records were taken in 1937.

A MetService spokesman told the Gisborne Herald on Friday that the Thursday rainfall pushed the city’s December rainfall total to 206.9mm. The previous record was 204mm set in 1954.

Gisborne had the best weather in the country on Christmas Day at 28C but a day later was enduring conditions among the worst as a wet deluge arrived from the north, followed by a dose from the south.

It resulted in significant rainfall figures for Gisborne city and other areas of Tairāwhiti.

Boxing Day rainfall at the airport amounted to 89.4mm.

Gisborne city received substantial falls that caused surface flooding in some streets.