Nick Smith has called for NZ to improve its fresh water management after a report found almost a third of lakes have poor water quality.

While the weather is predicted to be perfect for taking to the water this long weekend, people are being warned that the sea can be particularly dangerous at this time of year.

Alcohol has become so affordable that it is cheaper than bottled water and approaching the price of milk, says a study made public today.

Hundreds of thousands of households have been charged the higher rate of GST for goods supplied before the GST rise took place.

Tests revealing faultlines along the proposed route of a hydro-electric tunnel on Canterbury's Waitaki River have sparked a redesign of the power project.

E. Coli has been found in water from Kaiapoi, reinforcing the need for residents to boil their water after last week's earthquake.

Environment Waikato is worried about the danger of rapidly rising streams and rivers in the next few days.

Thousands of Canterbury residents will probably have to keep boiling water until the end of the week to minimise the risk of disease after Saturday's earthquake.

Aucklanders on the whole are set to pay less for their water under the new Super City council, Rodney Hide says.

The region's only warm water therapy pool has closed down and the trust that runs it is facing a half-million dollar repair bill.