It’s easy to find swimming water quality before you leave home. During summer, we regularly monitor the water quality at more than 100 of our region’s popular rivers, lakes and beaches. This helps us to assess conditions, trends and public health risks. The grades are based on guidelines established by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Health.
Can I swim here?
Check the LAWA website for up-to-date information so you can make informed decisions about where’s best to swim.
Our monitoring programme
Find out more about our water monitoring programme and water quality grades.
Health warnings
View temporary health warnings in Waitaha.
Land, Air, Water Aotearoa's (LAWA) online guide for water quality
Land, Air, Water Aotearoa's (LAWA) has a comprehensive online guide to help you know where’s good to swim on more than 100 swimming spots around Waitaha/Canterbury, as well as sites all around Aotearoa.
The site is updated weekly through summer, generally within 24 to 48 hours of sampling. As water quality can change, it’s best to check the LAWA website for up-to-date information so you can make informed decisions about where’s best to swim.
- Visit the Christchurch City Council website for information about recent discharges to any of the city’s major waterways
- Visit the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website for information on shellfish food safety and marine toxic algal blooms
- Read LAWA’s Factsheet: Coastal and freshwater recreation monitoring