A Ministry of Primary Industries' spokesperson, Craig Hughes, said close to 500 people had been intercepted at airports and other borders trying to bring the water in, and made a lot of work for border control staff.

He said the water posed a biosecurity risk to New Zealand and anyone bringing it in would be fined $400 or prosecuted if they did not declare it.

Alternatively if they did declare it and wanted to keep it, they would have to pay $60 for heat treatment.

"Our concern isn't whether the healing properties are real or not, but whether it contains waterborne diseases that could harm New Zealand's freshwater aquaculture and natural environment," said Hughes.

He said passengers tried to bring untreated water in from various parts of the world.

"We have seen live mosquito larvae in some bottles. It highlights the risk of water coming into the country."

Heat treatment was an option but was not a quick process. The water had to be sent to a proper treatment facility.

The miracle water has transformed the village of Natadradave, two hours' drive from Suva. In just two months at the end of last year, about 62,000 people visited the village.

They have gone to the village after hearing stories that the waters of a natural spring heal everything from conjunctivitis to blindness.

Although the jury is out on the efficacy of the water, its popularity has resulted in a better road into the village, as well as a big market for local produce.

No one is making any money from the water. The only request from locals is it's never sold as it would lose its mana.

Source

• newshub.co.nz
• nzfarmer.co.nz
• Image: Facebook

There is however no scientific expert or medical data is available to back or rebut these claims.

A caller from Luganville, told the Vanuatu Daily Post around 200 to 300 people come to the stream every day since its discovery.

Some people drink the water. Others bathe in it further downstream.

People fill containers at the source to take home to families or even send it to relatives in other islands.

"The miraculous healing water is unbelievable," the caller claimed.

"It works and people flock to the spring water by the sea shore just outside Luganville daily to get to the water."

"Since its discovery, people with all sorts of diseases such as skin diseases, those who can't walk, blind, deaf and internal problems have been bathing and drinking the water from the spring source that spreads along the foreshore," the caller said.

A similar claim about a stream was made in Fiji over a year ago that attracted thousands of people with various diseases and disabilities that flocked to and still going to a water source.

Some ni-Vanuatu travelled to Fiji to visit this stream and brought it back to Vanuatu in bottles.

"Here on Santo, there is no charge to come to the spring healing water because it is a free gift from God," the Luganville caller claimed.

Source

• dailypost.vu
• Image: dailypost.vu