Published 9/09/2026
From vision to action: Te Awarua o Porirua Action Plan released
A major milestone has been reached in the restoration of the health and mauri of Te Awarua o Porirua harbour and catchment, with the recent launch of the Te Awarua o Porirua Action Plan by Te Wai Ora o Parirua – Porirua Harbour Accord.
Tiaki Wai is a proud a partner of the Accord, working to restore what is the largest estuary in the lower North Island alongside Greater Wellington, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Porirua City Council, and Wellington City Council.
The action plan turns a shared vision for the harbour into 20 priorities across four areas: reducing sediment, improving water quality, restoring habitats, and strengthening community connection and stewardship. Its mauri ora framework also aims to uphold and nourish iwi aspirations.
Chief Strategy and Planning Officer David Ward says, “Tiaki Wai is contributing to improving water quality through a combination of major infrastructure projects, including the wastewater holding facility in Porirua City and the Paremata wastewater pipe renewal. We’re also working hard to identify and repair public wastewater leaks.”
The Accord also manages the Te Awarua o Porirua Community Environment Fund. While Tiaki Wai is a partner in the Accord, it does not provide funding to the Community Environment Fund.
The fund enables local community groups, schools, and rōpū kaitiaki to bring environmental projects to life across the catchment and surrounding area, from Johnsonville to Pukerua Bay and inland from Pāuatahanui.
Projects may include planting native trees, restoring streams and wetlands, protecting biodiversity, or getting the community involved in caring for the streams and harbour. Applications for the current funding round close on Sunday 13 September 2026.
Editor notes
Tiaki Wai is the water services provider delivering safe, reliable, and sustainable drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services to around 155,000 homes and businesses across Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt.
We are responsible for over 6,800 km of pipelines, four drinking water treatment plants, four wastewater treatment plants, 140 drinking water storage reservoirs, and 354 pump stations across the region we serve.
Tiaki Wai took over from local councils on 1 July 2026 as the region-wide, publicly owned water services provider.
We are jointly owned by Wellington City Council, Porirua City Council, Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council as our shareholding councils, with mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika.
We are governed by a Board of Directors and accountable to our community through the Tiaki Wai Partners Committee of representatives from our shareholding councils and Mana Whenua Partners.