Piha North Beach

Piha, New Zealand
Managed by Pulse Energy
SafeSwim now uses predictive tools to help protect your health at beach.Click here for model results
Photo by: Dylan Neild

The waves at North Piha Beach are a bit more friendly and hospitable to swimmers and new surfers than those on the South Beach. Lions Rock, a 16 million year old volcanic neck, divides the North and South beaches. The rock is named after it's shape, which resembles a male lion laying down. Public toilets and change rooms are located close to Lions Rock and a picnic area is located close to the carpark. Dogs have been banned from the beach as the area is home to blue penguins, pippits and oyster catchers.

Piha is the birth place of New Zealand surfing and one of the worlds most famous surfing beaches. The black, iron stained sands are patrolled by 2 Surf and Life Saving Clubs, the Piha Surf Life Saving Club patrols this beach and United North Piha Lifeguard Service patrols the north beach. Boarding in Piha began in the 1930's and in 1958 Malibu board riding arrived. Piha is home to New Zealand's national and international surfing champions. The powerful rips that make it ideal for boarding makes it dangerous for swimmers and have been known to snap canoes in half. The south beach is where the reality show "Piha Rescue" is filmed. Please stay in the designated swimming area marked with red and yellow flags.

WATER QUALITY
  • No data available
  • Current Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on . Pulse Energy updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on at
For water quality icon legend, click:   
  • Report Pollution
MONITORING FREQUENCY

Piha North Beach is sampled weekly from January 1st to March 31st

SOURCE INFORMATION

Auckland Council’s Safeswim program monitors water quality throughout Auckland's Coastal and Freshwater beaches. The monitoring season starts the first week of November until the end of March. Sampling takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and results are expected in time for the weekend.

Marine Water standards are measured by enterococci levels unless the beach is located near a waste treatment plant, in which case E.coli levels are also be tested.

Safeswim issues an amber alert if a single sample level of enterococci are greater than 140 units / 100 ml of water. Daily testing would occur to determine if the problem is ongoing. When two consecutive results show Enterococci levels higher than 280 units / 100ml of water warnings are posted. Signs will also be posted at beaches and until water levels return to a safe level.

Pulse Energy checks for the latest information daily, Monday - Friday during the swimming season. Results are also available on the latest monitoring pages for beaches and lakes and via 0800 723 379.

A beach has a GREEN current status in Swim Guide when it has met the water quality standard of 140 enterococci/100 mL and has a rank of GREEN.

A beach has a RED current status in Swim Guide when samples exceed the water quality criteria of 140 enterococci/100 mL and there is an AMBER or RED alert.

A beach is marked Grey in Swim Guide when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.

Swimming is not recommended within 48 hours after a heavy rainfall or around storm water outfalls and at stream mouths.

You can report pollution concerns by calling 09 377 3107 and by using our Report Pollution tool on Swim Guide.

WATER QUALITY GRAPH

Piha North Beach

Piha, New Zealand
Managed by Pulse Energy
WATER QUALITY
  • No data available
  • Current Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on . Pulse Energy updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on at
For water quality icon legend, click:   
SafeSwim now uses predictive tools to help protect your health at beach.Click here for model results
Photo by: Dylan Neild

The waves at North Piha Beach are a bit more friendly and hospitable to swimmers and new surfers than those on the South Beach. Lions Rock, a 16 million year old volcanic neck, divides the North and South beaches. The rock is named after it's shape, which resembles a male lion laying down. Public toilets and change rooms are located close to Lions Rock and a picnic area is located close to the carpark. Dogs have been banned from the beach as the area is home to blue penguins, pippits and oyster catchers.

Piha is the birth place of New Zealand surfing and one of the worlds most famous surfing beaches. The black, iron stained sands are patrolled by 2 Surf and Life Saving Clubs, the Piha Surf Life Saving Club patrols this beach and United North Piha Lifeguard Service patrols the north beach. Boarding in Piha began in the 1930's and in 1958 Malibu board riding arrived. Piha is home to New Zealand's national and international surfing champions. The powerful rips that make it ideal for boarding makes it dangerous for swimmers and have been known to snap canoes in half. The south beach is where the reality show "Piha Rescue" is filmed. Please stay in the designated swimming area marked with red and yellow flags.

  • Report Pollution
MONITORING FREQUENCY

Piha North Beach is sampled weekly from January 1st to March 31st

SOURCE INFORMATION

Auckland Council’s Safeswim program monitors water quality throughout Auckland's Coastal and Freshwater beaches. The monitoring season starts the first week of November until the end of March. Sampling takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and results are expected in time for the weekend.

Marine Water standards are measured by enterococci levels unless the beach is located near a waste treatment plant, in which case E.coli levels are also be tested.

Safeswim issues an amber alert if a single sample level of enterococci are greater than 140 units / 100 ml of water. Daily testing would occur to determine if the problem is ongoing. When two consecutive results show Enterococci levels higher than 280 units / 100ml of water warnings are posted. Signs will also be posted at beaches and until water levels return to a safe level.

Pulse Energy checks for the latest information daily, Monday - Friday during the swimming season. Results are also available on the latest monitoring pages for beaches and lakes and via 0800 723 379.

A beach has a GREEN current status in Swim Guide when it has met the water quality standard of 140 enterococci/100 mL and has a rank of GREEN.

A beach has a RED current status in Swim Guide when samples exceed the water quality criteria of 140 enterococci/100 mL and there is an AMBER or RED alert.

A beach is marked Grey in Swim Guide when there is no current or reliable monitoring information available.

Swimming is not recommended within 48 hours after a heavy rainfall or around storm water outfalls and at stream mouths.

You can report pollution concerns by calling 09 377 3107 and by using our Report Pollution tool on Swim Guide.

WATER QUALITY GRAPH



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