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Confirming we will have three people from Wellington Water at our meeting tomorrow night to provide updates and take questions regarding the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant incident. This is your chance to hear from and talk to Wellington Water directly about what happened and what is being … View moreConfirming we will have three people from Wellington Water at our meeting tomorrow night to provide updates and take questions regarding the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant incident. This is your chance to hear from and talk to Wellington Water directly about what happened and what is being done, so please join us at Te Tuhunga Rau Strathmore Park Community Centre at 7:30pm tomorrow night!
UPDATE 16 18:00 - 10/02/2026: WASTEWATER TREAMENT PLANT - Moa Point - Discharge
Incident Controller: Sam Lister/Garry Butler
Operations Lead: Dave Neru (Veolia)
Technical Advisor: Steve Hutchison / Amy Smith
Environmental Lead: Jude Chittock
Stakeholder Comms: Glenis Bruin
External Comms: Stephanie Rodgers / Molly Callanan-Bartlett
Iwi Liaison: Talia Rei
Response: Level 5
Kia ora Koutou,
Current situation
Work is continuing at Moa Point Treatment Plant today to clean the plant and minimise the impacts of odour.
Moa Point Treatment Plant is continuing to discharge screened wastewater through the long outfall pipe. This means solid items like wipes and sanitary products have been removed, but it has not gone through biological or ultraviolet treatment.
No wastewater has been discharged through the short outfall pipe since 9pm Thursday 5 February. However, it could be required at short notice if there is increased flow into the plant. We are investigating options to increase the capacity of screened wastewater through the long outfall pipe to reduce the risk of needing to use of the short outfall pipe during higher flows.
Removing biological material from the plant and cleaning out affected rooms is a significant task. Approximately 90% of this has been completed and this work has continued today. Fresh water is being flushed through the biological treatment areas of the plant to reduce levels of hydrogen sulphide, which makes the interior of the plant hazardous to enter.
We are continuing to ascertain the full impact of the flooding on the plant’s equipment and operations. This assessment will take some time, and we still expect that this will be an extended outage at the plant.
Odour complaints have been received, and odour levels will be more noticeable while the plant odour and ventilation equipment is offline and screening is working in a temporary configuration. Odour neutralising equipment is being deployed to reduce the amount of odour around the plant, and we have odour monitors measuring the impact at sites surrounding the plant.
We thank the Wellington community for their support and understanding. This is a complex and changeable situation, and we appreciate that it creates a lot of uncertainty and concern for our natural environment, which we share.
Sampling
Water sampling results have been released for Sunday 8 February, between 10:30am and 2:00pm, around the Moa Point treatment plant short outfall pipe and southern coast beaches.
There has been no discharge from the short outfall pipe since 9pm, Thursday 5 February.
We will continue to sample and publish results daily until further notice.
Key points:
Results indicate that the untreated wastewater initially discharged from the short outfall has dispersed from the area around Tarakena Bay.
Rainfall is forecast for the end of this week, which is likely to result in a discharge from the short outfall.
Public health officials strongly advise against gathering shellfish or kai moana on the south coast beaches. Shellfish remain contaminated for weeks after exposure to wastewater.
Public health officials continue to caution people against visiting the south coast beaches, swimming, kayaking, or otherwise coming into contact with sea water or spray.
Water sampling results are only one component used to assess the overall public health risk. Wellington Water is working with Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Health NZ and technical experts to regularly review this guidance.
Tides, rain and other weather conditions can all significantly impact the results, and changes can occur quickly. The weather conditions over the past week (no rain and absence of a strong southerly) were very favourable in terms of limiting the impact of the discharge outside the immediately affected area.
While Moa Point Treatment Plant continues to discharge untreated wastewater to the ocean, and there is a high probability of the short outfall being used in wet weather, the risk to public health remains high.
There is no evidence to suggest the discharge from Moa Point Treatment Plant is reaching the inner harbour.
LAWA remains the best source of information for safe swimming at beaches outside the rāhui area: www.lawa.org.nz....
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Wellington’s Te Awe Library on Brandon St will be closing its doors for good at 5 pm on March 1. It’s been the city’s largest temporary library, and now it’s making way for the exciting return of Te Matapihi Central Library!
We want to know: Are you as excited as we are for Te … View moreWellington’s Te Awe Library on Brandon St will be closing its doors for good at 5 pm on March 1. It’s been the city’s largest temporary library, and now it’s making way for the exciting return of Te Matapihi Central Library!
We want to know: Are you as excited as we are for Te Matapihi’s grand reopening?
Want all the details? The Post has everything you need to know.
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New Zealand’s home-grown Tap Dance show, Tap Fusion, will be opening the Wellington Fringe Festival at the Hannah Theatre this weekend. The show is a unique collaboration of New Zealand’s top Tap dancers performing alongside artists of Street Dance, Swing Dance and live musicians. This will … View moreNew Zealand’s home-grown Tap Dance show, Tap Fusion, will be opening the Wellington Fringe Festival at the Hannah Theatre this weekend. The show is a unique collaboration of New Zealand’s top Tap dancers performing alongside artists of Street Dance, Swing Dance and live musicians. This will be the first time a Tap show has been seen at the Fringe Festival.
Tap Fusion is the work of former New Zealand Dance Champion brothers Brandon and Cameron Carter-Chan. They say the show is designed to expose the diversity of New Zealand artists through Tap Dance by inspiring, uplifting, and promoting the idea of creative collaboration, encouraging people to work with artists outside their social circle, and to increase opportunity and strengthen the arts community as a whole.
Tap Fusion is on at The Hannah Theatre, 12 Cambridge Terrace, Wellington on 13th & 14th February.
We hope to have a Wellington Water representative at our meeting on Wednesday evening to provide the latest information. In the meantime, here's this morning's update from Wellington Water about the incident:
UPDATE 11 11:20 - 08/02/2026: WASTEWATER TREAMENT PLANT - Moa Point – … View moreWe hope to have a Wellington Water representative at our meeting on Wednesday evening to provide the latest information. In the meantime, here's this morning's update from Wellington Water about the incident:
UPDATE 11 11:20 - 08/02/2026: WASTEWATER TREAMENT PLANT - Moa Point – Discharge
Response: Level 5
Incident Controller: Sam Lister/Garry Butler
Operations Lead: Dave Neru (Veolia)
Technical Advisor: Steve Hutchison /Amy Smith
Environmental Lead: Jude Chittock
Stakeholder Comms: Glenis Bruin
External Comms: Stephanie Rodgers / Helen Jansen
Iwi Liaison: Talia Rei
Kia Ora Koutou
Moa Point Treatment Plant is continuing to discharge screened wastewater through the long outfall pipe. This means solid items like wipes and sanitary products have been removed, but it has not gone through biological or ultraviolet treatment.
No wastewater has been discharged through the short outfall pipe since 9pm Thursday 5 February. However, it could be required at short notice if there is increased flow into the plant.
The plant clarifiers have been drained down overnight, with most biological material being removed. There is an increased risk of odour in the vicinity of the plant, depending on weather conditions. We are proactively exploring options to minimize odour, including flushing water through the clarifiers, and using odour neutralising sprays.
We have people on the ground doing regular clean-ups of the shoreline and advising the public of the warning, including attendees at the Island Bay Festival.
We are continuing to do daily water sampling to assess impacts on the southern beaches. Those results will be released later this morning.
We are working with public health authorities to inform their guidance for south coast beaches.
For more information, please view the FAQs on our website.
(refer link below)
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UPDATE 4 - 11.30AM, 5/2
Staff remain onsite at the impacted areas, distributing fliers and speaking with the local community. This will continue throughout the day.
Crews are working to ascertain the full impact of the flooding on the plant’s equipment and operations. This assessment will … View moreUPDATE 4 - 11.30AM, 5/2
Staff remain onsite at the impacted areas, distributing fliers and speaking with the local community. This will continue throughout the day.
Crews are working to ascertain the full impact of the flooding on the plant’s equipment and operations. This assessment will take some time, and we expect that this will be an extended outage at the plant.
We are undertaking work to check the condition of the long outfall pipe by sending cameras down the beginning of the pipe and having divers check the end of the long outfall underwater.
Shoreline inspections and clean-up of debris on the coastline around the short outfall continue three times daily, with a focus on completing these at low tide.
All untreated wastewater is still being discharged through the short outfall pipe. We are working to divert as much as possible to the long outfall, as quickly as possible, and to put screening in place to remove items like sanitary pads from the wastewater being discharged. We do not have a timeframe for when this will take place at this stage. Discharging partially screened wastewater out to sea via the 1.8km long outfall pipe will allow for greater dilution of the wastewater in the Cook Strait, rather than untreated wastewater flowing around the coastline.
Even with this diversion, untreated wastewater will still need to be discharged via the short outfall. This is because the temporary arrangement can only accommodate dry weather flow.
To reduce the impact of odour and stop the process going septic, we are working to empty the clarifiers and Primary Settling Tanks. We estimate that this will continue for up to a week. During this time, we expect to see some discolouration around the coastline.
The sludge in the plant’s sludge holding tanks will be taken to Carey’s Gully as soon as possible. We estimate that this will continue for approximately a week/few days and will advise the local community as further plans are made. During this time, it is likely that there will be an increase in odour due to the plant being offline and the work taking place onsite. We will do all that we can to mitigate the impacts of odour.
The rāhui is still in place and covers anything the water touches/can touch with the high or low tides. While it is in effect, no public activities should be undertaken on or around the beaches on the southern coastline.
Health NZ advises the public to stay off the beach and avoid all contact with the water of the south coast. Check our map in our pinned posts for information on affected areas.
Do not collect or eat shellfish / kai moana from the affected coastal waters.
If you have been exposed to the water and develop symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, cough, rash, irritation of the ears, nose or throat, seek medical attention and inform the healthcare provider of your possible contact with sewage. Healthline is a free over-the phone health service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0800 611 116.
Further updates will be provided.
-------------------------------------------
UPDATE 3 - 9AM, 5/2
Staff are onsite at the impacted areas, distributing fliers and speaking with the local community. This will continue throughout the day.
Crews will be back onsite today, working to ascertain the full impact of the flooding on the plant’s equipment and operations. This assessment will take some time, and we expect that this will be an extended outage at the plant.
We are prioritising an investigation into diverting partially screened wastewater to the long outfall pipe.
Discharging partially screened wastewater out to sea via the 1.8km long outfall pipe will allow for greater dilution of the wastewater in the Cook Strait, rather than untreated wastewater flowing around the coastline.
A further update will be provided at approximately 11:30am, following the next emergency management meeting.
REMINDER: A rāhui is in place from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay. Please be aware that untreated sewage poses a high risk to public health. Due to the ongoing discharge of untreated wastewater via the short outfall pipe’s discharge point at Tarakena Bay, we strongly advise that people avoid the coastal area along the south of Wellington until further notice. Do not enter the water or collect kaimoana from this area.
-------------------------------------------
UPDATE 2 - 7:30PM, 4/2
- With power cut off at the plant and significant health and safety hazards present, it is unsafe for our teams to work onsite through the night.
- Tomorrow morning, staff will be at the areas impacted by the wastewater discharge, distributing fliers to the local community.
- Out of an abundance of caution, the sampling area has been increased to stretch from Breaker Bay to Seatoun. While we understand the risk of wastewater reaching from Tarakena Bay around to Seatoun to be very low, we are erring on the side of caution and completing sampling at these sites every 24 hours. The rahui extends to Breaker Bay, and does not cover the area of coastline through to Seatoun. However, we note LAWAs existing advice following the recent heavy rain. LAWA advises to not swim for 2-3 days following heavy rain.
This will be the final update for this evening. We’ll provide a brief update tomorrow morning, and a more fulsome update will be provided following tomorrow morning’s emergency management meeting at approximately 11:30am.
--------------------------------------------
UPDATE 1, 4:30PM, 4/2
Work continues at Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, with all hands on deck to help with this issue. Teams will continue responding through the long weekend.
Our top priority is to protect public health and safety. Please be aware that untreated sewage poses a high risk to public health. Due to the ongoing discharge of untreated wastewater via the short outfall pipe’s discharge point at Tarakena Bay, we strongly advise that people avoid the coastal area along the south of Wellington until further notice. Do not enter the water or collect kaimoana from this area.
A rāhui has been placed from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay, and will remain in place until further notice. Signage is being placed around all impacted areas, and teams are continuing to door-knock local residents and businesses.
Sampling is occurring along the coast, and we are also assessing ocean currents to understand if wider sampling is needed.
We are working to ascertain the full impact of the flooding on the plant’s equipment and operations. This assessment will take some time, and we expect that this will be an extended outage at the plant. We are prioritising an investigation into diverting partially screened wastewater to the long outfall pipe. Discharging partially screened wastewater out to sea via the 1.8km long outfall pipe will allow for greater dilution of the wastewater in the Cook Strait, rather than untreated wastewater flowing around the coastline.
We have observed odour around the short outfall pipe’s discharge point. We are assessing options to mitigate odour in the short term, and protect the health and balance of the plant’s biological process to reduce the risk of any longer-term odour.
There are no impacts to the wider wastewater network or drinking water network. Drinking water remains safe to drink.
Please note that due to recent heavy rain, LAWA has designated areas around Wellington Harbour and the Eastern Bays in Lower Hutt as unsuitable for swimming. This is not related to the issue at Moa Point.
We’ll continue to keep you updated as work progresses.
--------------------------------------------
There is an ongoing discharge of untreated wastewater from Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, that is impacting Wellington’s South Coast (Island Bay, Lyall Bay, Tarakena Bay).
Following an equipment failure, the plant has been shut down.
Our immediate focus is restoring power to the plant, resuming service, and diverting wastewater to the long outfall pipe, which will improve dispersion of the untreated wastewater and reduce impact on the coastline.
We strongly advise the community to stay away from the south coast beaches. There is currently untreated wastewater being discharged into the water and this may occur for some time.
- Public health signage is being erected at Lyall Bay and the south coast beaches. Untreated sewage poses a high risk to public health. We strongly advise that people avoid the coastal area along the south of Wellington until further notice. Do not enter the water or collect kaimoana from this area.
- A rāhui will be placed over the affected area.
- We have teams on the ground distributing information to the local areas about public health.
Wellington Water acknowledges that this is unacceptable and we apologise to the public, local community and our iwi partners for the public health and environmental impact caused.
2 for 1 ticket offer
Get all those new year jobs sorted with a visit to the Show! It’s all about idea’s, inspiration and exclusive show specials at the Rotorua Home and Garden Show on from the 20th - 22nd of February at Energy Events Centre. Join the fun with our 2 for 1 Adult Ticket Offer… View more2 for 1 ticket offer
Get all those new year jobs sorted with a visit to the Show! It’s all about idea’s, inspiration and exclusive show specials at the Rotorua Home and Garden Show on from the 20th - 22nd of February at Energy Events Centre. Join the fun with our 2 for 1 Adult Ticket Offer
There’ll be a huge variety Home and Garden Exhibitors, featuring everything from Kitchens, Artists, Builders, Landscaping, Heating, Spas, Flooring, Heatlh & Well-being and more! Add to that good food, great coffee and you have the perfect day out. Get your to-do list ready and we'll see you at the Show.
Save the date in your diaries: 20 - 22 February
Fri & Sat 10 – 5, Sun 10 – 4
Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Adults $6
Gold Card Friday $3
Under 16 free
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop … View moreOnce again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or … View moreWANTED WANTED WANTED:
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The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or similar items then our specialist buyers would like to make an offer.
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The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or … View moreWANTED WANTED WANTED:
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The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or similar items then our specialist buyers would like to make an offer.
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Some people with stable, long-term health conditions may be able to get prescriptions that last up to 12 months.
People with a 12 month prescription will still collect three months’ supply of medicine at a time, from the pharmacy.
Ask your doctor if 12 month prescriptions are right for you.
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We specialise in interior/exterior painting, roof painting, house washing, decking, fencing, wallpapering, and cedar weatherboards. We’re tidy, punctual, and perfect for busy families, non-DIYers, and retirees.
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