Beaches are likely to continue to become unsafe to swim in during major weather events the water networks are changed.

Over the weekend many Auckland beaches were placed out of bounds after heavy downpours caused wastewater overflow.

Vice president Stuart Crosby says the solution is to separate the stormwater and wastewater networks but council's don't have the capacity to fix it.

"The ratepayer cannot, in my view, fund this on their own. It is the responsibility, of course, of local government and regional government but in terms of the funding there will need to be a system in some areas."

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Crosby says and is a problem throughout the country and that the current system is not sustainable long term.

"It's very urgent, already councils are spending tens of millions of dollars to try and build their way out of climate change events and natural hazards, that's probably not sustainable moving forward."

Several beaches were closed earlier in the year during previous storms.