Where’s your favourite swimming spot?

Information from a survey about where people swim, boat and collect seafood will provide useful insight into recreational water sites in the region.

Scientists at Environment Southland are looking forward to analysing the results of the recreational water users survey which finishes next Tuesday (31 March).

Coastal scientist Nick Ward says even at a quick glance, some interesting information is being provided by the public about the areas they use for a variety of activities, but the full picture won’t be known until the results are analysed.

The information gathered will assist the science team to establish whether they are monitoring the appropriate high-use areas and identify what things concern people about water quality and what discourages them from enjoying different sites.

“Where people used to go to enjoy our waters may have changed over the years and we need to know whether we are monitoring the right areas and also what sort of problems discourage people from using certain areas,” Nick says.

The information will also tie in well to a number of other programmes currently underway, including the Water and Land 2020 & Beyond project and some work around faecal source tracking.

“The faecal source tracking is all about working out what is causing problems in our water and further defining where those contaminants are coming from.

“All the information we are gathering from these different work streams, including the survey, helps us make decisions about our monitoring programme, so we can get information that we can use to plan for the future.”

The survey is a joint venture by Environment Southland and members of the Recreational Bathing Group and will remain open until March 31.

All those who complete the survey will go into the draw to win one of five $100 vouchers.

The survey can be completed online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/waterusers and hard copies can also be picked up at Southland District Council, Gore District Council and Invercargill City Council offices around the region, Public Health South or Environment Southland.

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