Tauranga police area prevention manager Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said alcohol and water safety was not a safe mix.
"Drinking can affect your decision-making and we need people to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe.
"This means not drinking if you are taking part in water activities."
Mount Maunganui Surf Lifeguard Service's Kent Jarman said there was a spate of incidents last year when groups of people were lighting fires, drinking on the beach and leaving their alcohol bottles behind. But he said people had so far behaved themselves.
"It is not something we see regularly and that was possibly because of the liquor bans we have here on the beach."
The survey showed 21 per cent of those surveyed said they had sometimes entered the water under the influence of alcohol at unpatrolled beaches.
And 33 per cent of people reported they had experienced serious difficulty in the water or saw someone else in trouble and 11 per cent thought alcohol had caused the problem.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand eastern region lifesaving manager Chase Cahalane said people admitting to drinking alcohol before going in the water was a concern, especially during the holiday season.
"Generally our statistics would show that young males between the ages of 18 to 35 are the most at-risk group."
Water Safety New Zealand chief Jonty Mills said young men were "risk takers by nature".
"They tend to over-estimate their ability and underestimate the risk. Despite being only 14 per cent of the population, 15 to 34-year-old males make up nearly a third of all preventable fatal drownings."
Mills said the Swim Reaper campaign created with ACC aimed to encourage young men to think about the potentially deadly consequences of making bad decisions around water.
"Alcohol obviously impairs motor function and judgment so not only could it lead to trouble but also it could exacerbate the problem if you get into trouble in the water."
LIQUOR BAN:
The following areas operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
Tauranga city centre:
Mount Maunganui, including the main beach but excluding Pilot Bay
Memorial Park and the Fourth Ave extension
Waitaha Reserve, including the Welcome Bay Hall site
Arataki Park
Merivale shops and Surrey Grove Reserve
Public places in and around Greerton Village and Brookfield Shopping Centre
Topaz Drive Reserve and Gordon Spratt Reserve.
One of the alcohol-free zones operates between 9pm and 7am every day:
All beaches, reserves and public places on the seaward side of Papamoa Beach Rd, Taylor Rd, Motiti Rd and Karewa Parade.
During the New Year period from December 26-January 5 the alcohol-free zones in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa are extended.
An extension of the permanent alcohol-free zone for Mount Maunganui North, south to Hull Rd and Tweed St over the existing timeframe December 26 to 6am on January 6 has been put in place.
The permanent alcohol-free zone at Gordon Spratt Reserve has been extended to include Alice Way from 10am on December 31 to 6am on January 3.
ASB Baypark park and ride pick-up and drop-off locations as well as the immediate surrounding areas. Temporary alcohol-free areas will be in place from 10am on January 2 to 6am on January 3 to support police operations in response to the Bay Dreams Music Festival.
WATER SAFETY NEW ZEALAND'S TOP FIVE TIPS:
• Be prepared – check you have the right safety equipment, a fitting lifejacket, two forms of waterproof communication and always check the forecast
• Watch out for yourself and each other – always supervise children around water at all times
• Be aware of the dangers – learn about water safety
• Know your limits – always approach water with caution
• Avoid alcohol
The Swim Reaper is on Instagram at @iamtheswimreaper
