Water safety

New Zealand had its lowest drowning death toll in six years last year - but the number of powerboat-related drownings is increasing.

The rescue of two men stranded in the fast-flowing Kawarau River yesterday was yet another "lesson for everyone" on the waterways to wear a life jacket, Queenstown Lakes District Harbour Master Marty Black says.

Sport Otago hopes to expand its learn-to-swim primary school programme to Central Otago and Queenstown, in a bid to target areas of the region which account for almost half of Otago's drownings.

Fraser Waters (12, right) leads Mathew Leach (11) around a buoy, with Kendall Brook (10) in the background, during the Otago Yachting Association-Water Safety New Zealand holiday sailing programme on Otago Harbour yesterday.

The Dunedin City Council will consider costly improvements to Dunedin's water infrastructure to address fears chemicals leaching from former industrial sites are contributing to the contamination of Otago Harbour.

The "beauty" of Lake Dunstan is the seemingly endless beaches, lake harbourmaster Shayne Hitchcock says.

Shane Hildred is used to having his occupation blamed for all the problems with New Zealand's waterways.

Changes afoot in regulations governing water use in Otago will influence the region's prosperity for years to come, the Otago Regional Council says. Rebecca Fox looks at the council's sometimes controversial approach to water quality and quantity.

The Safe Boating Family Open Day was held at Frankton Marina yesterday. Together with free boat safety check-ups, sausage sizzle and a bouncy castle for the kids, each station emphasised safety messages including life-jacket use, marine fire safety and the need for good communications on the water.

A new Wakatipu water safety public awareness campaign has been launched, urging people who see danger on the water to call 111.