Notes:
(1) The map shows 2006–2007 summer data only; the legend applies to the map and graph.
(2) Compliance with the guidelines for freshwater is based on the threshold of 550 E. coli per 100 millilitres of water sampled (Ministry for the Environment and Ministry of Health, 2003).
(3) Some councils did not sample sites in the 2006–2007 summer because they rotate their monitoring programmes (for example, Environment Waikato samples sites on alternate years) or were undertaking targeted water quality investigations (for example, Tasman District Council).
Source: Regional, city, and district councils. Data was collated by Ministry for the Environment in 2007.
Text description of figure
Figure showing (1) map of locations of swimming spot monitoring sites colour coded according to the category of bacterial water quality (4 categories from “more than 95% of samples comply with guidelines” to “less than 75% of samples comply with guidelines”), and (2) a stacked bar graph showing numbers of monitoring sites in each category for each year between 2003 and 2007 (see source data). The map shows that sites are distributed throughout the country with good and poor sites appearing in every region. The poorest sites generally appear close to the coast (i.e. they are downstream sites in lowland areas).
% of beaches compliant
|
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between 95% and 100% of samples taken over the bathing season complied with guidelines. Sites in this category have typically good water quality and are generally safe for recreation. | 41% | 52% | 49% | 60% |
| Between 90% and 95% of samples taken over the bathing season complied with guidelines. | 22% | 16% | 22% | 13% |
| Between 75% and 90% of samples taken over the bathing season complied with guidelines. | 24% | 20% | 15% | 17% |
| More than 25% of samples taken over the bathing season did not comply with guidelines. Sites in this category have typically poor water quality and are often not safe for recreation. | 14% | 12% | 14% | 10% |
| Sum | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Figure 10.7: Bacterial water quality at monitored freshwater swimming spots, 2003–2007
March 2021
© Ministry for the Environment