Aucklanders will have more swim spots covered by real-time advice this summer, with the council’s Safeswim programme adding 16 sites and lifting its network to 163 beaches, lagoons, streams and lakes.

Safeswim provides water quality forecasts updated every 15 minutes and brings together safety information such as lifeguard patrol times, hazard alerts for rips and dangerous waves, and beach conditions including tides, weather and water temperature. Last summer, Auckland beaches were suitable for swimming 84.5 percent of the time, and the Safeswim model recorded 93 percent accuracy.

New water quality locations this season include Campbells Bay on the North Shore, Enclosure Bay on Waiheke, Wattle Bay on the Āwhitu Peninsula, Karekare Falls in the Waitākere Ranges, Medlands Beach North and South on Aotea Great Barrier, Brook Beach and Te Toro in Franklin, Lake Rototoa and Maukatia Bay in Rodney, and Sullivans Bay at Mahurangi Regional Park. The council says these sites have undergone multi‑year sampling to meet international performance standards.

Two beaches that previously showed patrol information only — Te Arai Point (Rodney) and Karioitahi Beach (Franklin) — will now also display water quality forecasts after monitoring found consistently very good conditions.

Long‑term public health warnings remain in place at Awana Stream on Aotea Great Barrier and Jenkins Bay near Titirangi due to persistent contamination. Investigations into the sources of contamination are under way.

Auckland Council Principal Safeswim Holly Foreman said the wider network means more swimmers can check their local spot before they go. “Safeswim gives people trustworthy, up-to-date information so they can enjoy the water with confidence,” she said. “Water quality and conditions can change quickly, and those shifts aren’t always visible from the shore. Checking Safeswim before you head out is the best way to stay informed throughout summer.”

Safeswim also issues wastewater overflow alerts when they occur and shares reports of hazards such as jellyfish or shark sightings at Surf Life Saving New Zealand patrolled beaches.

Information is available on the Safeswim website and via the Safeswim app.