The year's drownings were a significant decline on the 90 recorded in 2023, and fell well below the 10-year average of 82.7, according to Water Safety New Zealand's (WSNZ) 2024 Drowning Prevention Report.
It was the fifth-lowest annual total since records began in 1980 and the lowest since 2018.
WSNZ chief executive Daniel Gerrard said although the report was encouraging, it also identified areas to focus on.
"This year's deeper interrogation of the data highlights the solutions and how we can reduce drowning numbers dramatically... too many lives are still being lost to preventable tragedies," he said.
2024 National Drowning Prevention Report key insights
Under-25s account for just 12% of fatalities, despite representing 31% of the population.
Ten high-risk drowning locations accounted for 18% of all deaths.
94% of craft-related drownings involved individuals not wearing lifejackets.
Alcohol remains a factor in 30-40% of drownings, particularly among males aged 15-24.
Water-related hospitalisations from non-fatal drowning and water related injury cost New Zealand more than $150 million.
Gerrad said sustained efforts to deliver water safety education to young people were saving lives.
"We're really kind of excited about the fact that the sustained educational initiatives that have been really hitting these kids around basic aquatic skills, knowing how to float, that have been around for the last decade just seem to be starting to show some positive outcomes," he said.
The evidence showed three key areas to work on, Gerrard said.
"Scaling up that basic aquatic education, making sure that all children as part of the curriculum as part of the school learning opportunity, all children learn basic aquatic kills. Secondly is targeting in on these high risk locations. These are known locations, locations that year on year have fatalities.
"We now need to use this information and do some really deep dives into understanding what we can do as a water safety community, what we can do as local communities, landowners land managers to start to manage these sites a lot better," he said.
"And finally it is a mandate situation where we do need the government to step up and legislate lifejacket use in small vessels. We know that putting lifejacket legislation in place could save up to 20 lives a year, you factor that in with a focus around blackspots and all of a sudden this problem becomes more and more solvable."
The 10 high-risk drowning locations identified by WSNZ
1. Manukau Harbour
2. Piha (North & South)
3. Waikato River (Hamilton city limits)
4. Muriwai Beach
5. Manukau Heads
6. Wellington Harbour
7. Te Henga/Bethells Beach
8. Papanui Point
9. Mt Maunganui
10. Karioitahi Beach
WSNZ said the tragic drowning of Ian and 15-year-old Samuel Cruickshank at Coromandel's Opoutere Beach in 2023 underscored the critical importance of accessible information and resources at high-risk locations.
Donna Cruickshank reflected on the day when losing her husband and son to drowning changed her life.
"We had swum at Opoutere two days earlier and felt safe. But after the cyclone, the sea floor and current were dangerous, and we didn't know. If we'd had access to clear, updated information about the risks, we wouldn't have been near the water that day. Ian and Sam would still be with me," she said.
Cruickshank believed that better signage, more accessible local knowledge, and targeted education could save countless lives.
"New Zealanders love escaping to remote locations, but we need to make it easier for people to understand the risks they face. It's unrealistic to expect lifeguards at every beach, but we can do much more to empower people with the right tools and information," she said.
