Search all sites near me now
Search your favourite swimming spots

Akatarawa River at Hutt Confluence

The Akatarawa River at Hutt Confluence is located in the lower reaches of the Akatarawa River just before it joins with the Hutt River. The Akatarawa River is a popular for swimming because of the deep pools found there. 

This site is monitored as a part of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Recreational Water Quality Programme, which is specifically designed to inform the public about the suitability of various sites across the region for swimming and other recreational activities.

The safety of water for swimming is determined by measuring ‘faecal indicator bacteria’ (E. coli) which indicates the likely levels of pathogens in the water. Monitoring is conducted on a regular basis over the summer months (December to March).

Monitoring of the variables that affect the environmental health of the river is carried out monthly. This involves the assessment of water claritynitrogen and phosphorus concentration, dissolved oxygenpH and the concentration of the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli). The Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) classifies the site based on the number of and different types of macroinvertebrates living there and is measured annually.

Overall, water quality and macroinvertebrate health is generally good at this site. This is a reflection of the surrounding land cover (which is dominated by indigenous forest) and the fact that it is hard-bottomed, (made up of cobbles and gravel). In contrast, sites that have poor water quality tend to be soft-bottomed, meaning that the stream or riverbed is sandy or silty, and surrounded by pastoral or urban land.

For the latest recreational water quality information, please go to the GWRC website, or check out the latest recreational water quality reports. For more information on Greater Wellington Regional Council's environmental monitoring programmes, check out the latest water quality reports.

Can I Swim Here?