Up close, after it has travelled more than 300km, the Waikato River is so muddy that you cannot see your feet if you are standing just knee-deep beside its banks.

Auckland plans to spend $4.8 billion over the next 10 years on water projects as the city's population grows.

Three boaties were rescued after their vessel sank near the entrance to Wellington Harbour this afternoon.

Maritime New Zealand says it is working with the fishing industry to develop new safety systems that may make wearing lifejackets compulsory when crossing bars such as the dangerous Grey River.

Business is a bit of a struggle for Karen and Don Tanner. They have run their electroplating firm for 35 years but, faced with increased competition from cheap imports, struggled to make a $3000 profit last year.

Farms, homes and roads would be totally submerged in a massive dam lake under proposed irrigation plans for Wairarapa.

Wellington's water ban has been lifted almost four weeks since sprinklers fell silent across the capital.

Beachside is best in Sydney, finds Jo Bates.

People are committing suicide, losing their homes and suffering heart attacks and strokes, because of one bad spending decision by a group of "country bumpkin" councillors.

Almost 180 Christchurch landowners have chosen not to accept the Crown offers on their red-zoned properties.

When people like the PM talk of an orderly transition to a post-smelter environment, they are talking about the scrapping of generating capacity, writes Brian Fallow.

The first bite of autumn will be felt over much of the country in the next few days as rain sets in over the South Island.

Angry Christchurch red zone property owners are launching a legal battle to force Gerry Brownlee to change his mind over compensation, but he says it is "wishful thinking".

InTehran RTS Labs is developing a ship-based quadcopter designed to rescue people at risk of drowning.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council says a hold up in water restrictions for the region being put in place is down to the Wellington City Council.

The head of a Navy team using sonar to search for aircraft wreckage says it's possible the bodies of 2degrees' boss Eric Hertz and his wife Kathy may never be found.

The bodies of 2degrees chief executive Eric Hertz and his wife, Kathy, who died when their plane ditched off Kawhia on Saturday, may never be recovered.

Citizens of Auckland and Wellington will be surprised to learn that water fluoridation is still an issue for the rest of the country.

The mood is sombre in the South Taranaki District council chambers. Their decision-making is under scrutiny by concerned locals just a couple of metres away in the public gallery.

Danielle Wright meets young ocean swimmers competing in the 10th King of the Bays event at Takapuna Beach.

Wellington's water shortage is looking less dire after an overwhelming response to water conservation messages.

An Auckland man who gave CPR to a toddler found face down in a hot pool has played down his actions.

An $800 million pipeline from Western Springs to the Mangere Sewage Treatment plant is described as "Auckland's most expensive freshwater river" by one of the groups opposing it.