Nick Smith <\/p>\n
Information on the water quality of 350 New Zealand beaches is now available in one place online, a national water quality monitoring site, Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). <\/p>\n
Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith said New Zealand beaches generally had good water quality for swimming. <\/p>\n
''I want the millions of New Zealanders who go to the beach to swim, surf and play to have access to good information on water quality. It enables people to stay healthy.'' <\/p>\n
The site rated each beach for its overall recreation risk based on three years of bacteria data. <\/p>\n
Of the 350 coastal spots monitored, 64% were rated as having low or very low risk, 22% an acceptable standard and 14% high risk. <\/p>\n
Five Otago beaches, all monitored by the Otago Regional Council over summer, were listed on the website including Brighton Beach at Otokia Creek (moderate risk), Kaka Point beach (low risk) and Waikouaiti Estuary (very low risk). <\/p>\n
The two in Otago to receive ''caution'' ratings - showing they could at times be high risk (10% or greater chance of illness) - were Kakanui Estuary and Otago Harbour at Macandrew Bay. <\/p>\n
The ratings came with the rider that the risk indicator was a ''precautionary approach'' to managing health risk, so a site with a ''caution'' risk could still be suitable for swimming some of the time. <\/p>\n
Information on water quality at those spots was also available on the Otago Regional Council's website, which also advised people against swimming during and shortly after rainfall. <\/p>\n
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Two Otago beaches on 'caution' list<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nick Smith Information on the water quality of 350 New Zealand beaches is now available in one place online, a national water quality monitoring site, Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA). Continue reading