Coastal water quality for swimming
Coastal water quality for swimming in the Waikato region is usually satisfactory or better. Often, our water quality is excellent. Some beaches occasionally experience high bacteria levels.
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What can make our water unsafe?
Recreational activities such as swimming, surfing and water-skiing can be unsafe when water quality is poor. Sometimes ‘bad bugs’ from human and animal faeces - contaminants like microscopic protozoans, bacteria and viruses - can get into waterways. These ‘bad bugs’ can cause illness when people are exposed to them.
The region’s coastal waters generally receive less bacterial contaminants than inland waters. Also, on the coast any contaminants are often diluted quickly and dispersed by tidal flushing and waves. Because of this, the levels of contaminants in the region’s coastal waters are often much lower than in rivers. But after heavy rain, contaminants from runoff are likely to be higher.
Our region’s coastal water quality
Water quality for swimming in the region’s coastal waters is usually at least satisfactory, often it is excellent. Occasionally, some beaches experience high bacteria levels.
The graph shows the percent of samples from coastal bathing beaches around the region that are considered excellent, satisfactory or unsatisfactory for contact recreation (compared with health standards).
This graph is based on data collected in 2006 - 2007 on the West Coast and in 2007 - 2008 on the Coromandel (Hauraki Gulf and East Coast).
View our water quality for contact recreation information for beaches on the West Coast and Coromandel Peninsula.
Find out more about why and how we monitor Coastal Water Quality for Contact Recreation in our indicator.