Photo: Trish Bailey
As Kiwis head to Rotorua's lakes, streams and waterways to cool off this summer, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is reminding people to stay safe.
Coastal and tidal waterways remain New Zealand's most deadly. Water Safety NZ reported that 50 percent of the nation's 72 drowning deaths last year were in these blackspots.
However, 17 people drowned in lakes and rivers, including three in the Bay of Plenty.
That's from a total of seven water-related deaths in the region, on par with its 10-year average.
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