Bay of Plenty residents are being asked by the Green Party if they think they have the best river in New Zealand in an attempt to highlight the country's declining water quality.

Green Party water spokesperson Eugenie Sage is launching an online competition to determine which is New Zealand's best-loved river.

The Kaituna River, pictured is one of many rivers nationwide being judged for beauty and cleanliness.

But the competition's other agenda is to inform the public of the declining water quality in many rivers that the Green party believes could be prevented with Government intervention.

'Go to: www.bestrivers.org.nz to vote for your favourite river and tell the National Government that all our rivers should be safe for swimming,” says Eugenie.

The Green Party website states more than half of monitored rivers in New Zealand are unsafe for swimming, with one-third of the lakes are unhealthy, and two-thirds of native freshwater fish being at risk or threatened with extinction.

'I think that many Kiwis would be dismayed to learn that 50 per cent of monitored river sites in the Bay of Plenty were found to be unsafe for swimming due to unacceptable levels of E. Coli,[Escherichia coli], which is a marker of faecal contamination,” says Eugenie.

'Kiwis heading down to their local swimming hole this summer should not have to worry about faecal contamination.

The National Government has recently announced guidelines prohibiting stronger regulations to protect the rivers, says Eugenie.

'Under the Government's proposals, so long as some rivers in a region are improving, the local council can let others get more polluted so they become too dirty to swim in.

Eugenie and the Green Party want to send a clear message to the Government that New Zealanders want to be able to swim in their rivers.

'The Green Party is committed to strong rules for clean water so that our rivers are clean enough for swimming, fishing, and collecting kai.”

As of Friday afternoon, www.bestrivers.org.nz had the Waikato River sitting in top place, with 154 votes. Second is Whanganui River with 120 votes, and Hawke's Bay Tukituki River coming third with 94.

The first mention of a Bay of Plenty river in 18^th equal place, is the Tarawera River, along with Motueka and Manawatu rivers, having 34 votes.

The next Bay river is the Kaituna River, coming in 23^rd equal with 32 votes, with Rakaia River, Canterbury, and Mokihinui River, West Coast.

To learn more, visit: www.bestrivers.org.nz