Description: The water quality of bathing beaches in the Hauraki Gulf is generally good and meets New Zealand health guidelines. In order to ensure it remains safe to swim, microbiological water quality monitoring can be undertaken to assess water quality. The indicator used in marine waters is the number of enterococci per 100mL of water. Results are based on the number of tests that were below the amber action level of the Ministry for the Environment marine bathing water quality guidelines (i.e. tests that were below 140 enterococci/100ml) as a proportion of the total number of tests conducted at a single site to achieve the following grades; Excellent (>90%), Good (75-89.9%), fair (60-74.9), Poor (0-59.9%).In the Auckland region, monitoring is undertaken as part of the Safeswim programme. Data in this layer shows the results from the Safeswim programme in the Auckland region for 2012/13 summer period. Microbiological monitoring data from the Waikato region is from 2008.Please refer to the following websites for the most up to date information.Aucklandhttp://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/researchmonitoring/beach_water_quality_safeswim/Pages/safeswim.aspx
Copyright Text: Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council