The glorious thing about a New Zealand summer is that just as the official holiday fortnight ends, the best has yet to come.

The talk around the nation's water coolers is that it is colder and wetter than usual this summer. But the grumblings don't stack up with the stats.

Emergency services are responding to reports of a person found unconscious in water in Northland.

The warning follows reports of two near-drownings in Australia from using the popular Christmas gifts in the water.

Alpine Pure last year renewed its consents with the West Coast Regional Council, and has applied to do the same with the Westland District Council.

A fire fighting helicopter pilot had an unexpected passenger hitch a ride in his monsoon bucket on Monday.

It is an uncontroversial fact that the state of the country's freshwater resources has for decades been moving towards ecological collapse.

Almost a third of Northland dairy farms are significantly non-compliant when it comes to effluent discharges and the region's top

This week, the Herald takes a look at Kiwis who are dedicated to helping our animals. Today Jamie Morton talks to Project Jonah's Daren Glover.

A Melbourne landlord has been blasted after a tenant revealed he had installed a coin-operated toilet, requiring tenants to pay per flush.

Creating "designer" ecosystems for degraded waterways could boost river restoration efforts around the country.

It is the second year in a row that the canals have completely dried out.

Uncle tells of the moment he found his 4-year-old autistic nephew floating in his neighbour's pool.

Any of the drunken teens who partied on a Wanaka island yesterday could have drowned, say despairing authorities.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are the New Zealand Herald's athletes of the year. Andrew Alderson explains why.

How narcissistic are Kiwis?

Aimee Spicer had been waiting for an engagement ring for three years - but when she was finally given one, it wasn't what she expected.

COMMENT: As we head into another sweltering Kiwi summer, the water quality of our lakes, rivers and streams will continue to disappoint and enrage.

As summer starts to heat up, Kiwis are getting creative in a bid to stay cool.

A large leopard seal seems to have made its home in the waters of Auckland harbour.

A grassroots environment group is ramping up a lobbying campaign for more stringent "bottom line" rules around freshwater quality.

Scientists are still trying to understand the strange tsunami activity that occurred in last month's 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake - and have called upon people to help them.

The man in his mid 20s disappeared near Lion Rock just after 6pm last night.

A Lord of the Rings actor who now works as a tour guide operator has slammed New Zealand's "clean, green" image.

China is to return a US Navy underwater drone after its military scooped up the submersible in the South China Sea.

A man came close to drowning before being rescued by members of the public in what has been a dramatic day at the country's beaches.

A stunning summer's day in Wellington has attracted some aquatic visitors to the coastline, with locals spotting orcas and dolphins.

A woman in her early twenties has drowned and two children have been rescued after getting into trouble in the water on Ninety Mile Beach.

Changes taking place in Antarctica are significant another to influence those on the other side of the planet, new research co-authored by a Kiwi scientist has found.

Rotorua farmer Alison Bentley has been awarded $50,000 to trial two new hazelnut varieties not currently grown commercially in New