Published 6/02/2026
Update on Moa Point untreated wastewater discharge
Late yesterday evening staff were able to get the long outfall pipe partially operating and the screens at the treatment plant working. These screens remove items like sanitary pads and wet wipes from the wastewater, before it is discharged.
“While the situation remains serious, it’s good to see this progress,’ says Wellington Water Board Chair Nick Leggett. “However, we are currently only able to pump 900 litres per second of wastewater through the long outfall pipe which is most of the wastewater during an average day, but during peak flows throughout the day we will need to use the short outfall pipe. For this reason, our advice to the public remains the same: 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. Do not walk your dog along the beach.”
Discharging screened wastewater out to sea via the 1.8km long outfall pipe allows for greater dilution of the wastewater in the Cook Strait. This reduces the amount of untreated wastewater flowing around the coastline – however the risk to public health still remains.
“The team are working carefully throughout the weekend to increase the volume of flow through the long outfall pipe as much as possible, to reduce the use of the short outfall pipe,” adds Nick. “However, the situation remains complex and at this stage we are unable to provide a timeframe of when this may be.”
Another focus for Wellington Water today is work to drain the clarifier tanks. There is some biological material that settles in the clarifier tanks that cannot be trucked, and the plan is to drain this via the long outfall pipe, where it is diluted. It is important to remove this material as soon as possible before it has a chance to become anaerobic and septic. This would cause an odour problem and pose a significant health and safety risk to workers onsite. While we drain this through the long outfall pipe people may see an increase of murky water in the area 1.8km out to sea.
Divers are inspecting diffusers at the end of the outfall pipe today. 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. 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.
For questions or comment, please reach out directly to Wellington Water's media team via 021 302 259 or media@wellingtonwater.co.nz
Editor notes
Wellington Water is owned and fully funded by Wellington City Council, Hutt City Council, Porirua City Council, and Upper Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and South Wairarapa District Council. All six councils are equal shareholders.
Our councils own the water infrastructure in the region, and they task us to manage the infrastructure and deliver water services to our communities.
Wellington Water is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board and our organisation receive overall leadership and direction from the Wellington Water Committee, which are also responsible for appointing members to the Board.
The Wellington Water Committee is made up of representatives from our council owners and mana whenua.