Board shorts had arrived with surfing sometime in the 1960s and looked good, I had to admit, when the wearer was standing on water. But those of us decently immersed had no use for them.

Jill Worrall discovers a haven for royalty and an ingenious irrigation system in the desert city of Yazd.

Play it safe in the water and know your limits this summer, says Water Safety New Zealand.

People visiting the Kerikeri Basin near the Stone Store could come face-to-face with a sign warning them the water is polluted.

New Zealand is set for a humid summer, with experts predicting a warm and wet January and February.

"We used to have regular cases of water-related disease, including diarrhoea and typhoid, but that's a thing of the past."

Warm sea temperatures are a blessing for swimmers in the western Bay of Plenty, but the warmer waters are also bringing unwanted guests closer to shore.

A local politician says a popular diving spot on Auckland's North Shore should not be closed down despite the death of a teenage diver.

We've told the Government, 'Guys, you need a bigger toolbox and you need to think about economic instruments'," says Alastair Bisley, chairman of the Land and Water Forum, talking about what is required to resolve the issue of water quality

Water is one thing NZ has plenty of. So why don't we manage it better - for the economy and the environment? Nick Smith* reports.