
Water Safety New Zealand’s funding priorities are targeted to areas where drowning risk can be reduced – applications for Community Partnership Funding 2025/26 are now open.
Data shows us the problem. Communities show us the solution. We combine our exclusive drowning and expert research to identify high-risk areas, then work with communities to developed tailored interventions that save lives.
We support schools and communities with the tools and knowledge to teach water survival skills. By integrating water survival competence into education, we’re helping to build lifelong awareness and long-term safety practices around water.
See Water Skills for Life™ and Water Skills for Life™ – River.
For anyone interested in contributing to the broader understanding of drowning prevention, Water Safety New Zealand offers opportunities for collaborative research using DrownBase™ and research experts. This database and data science expertise provides invaluable insights into the causes and circumstances of water-related incidents, supporting councils in developing long-term safety strategies.
Water safety is an ongoing commitment, not a one-off solution. We work closely with councils to provide continued support, including follow-up assessments to evaluate how well safety measures are working and making necessary adjustments based on fresh data and changing environmental conditions.