Water
This term Wellington has made a record investment in our critical water network.
$1.8b
will be spent on three waters over the next decade in Wellington City
We’ve almost doubled our freshwater supply with the upgrade of Te Mārua treatment plant
$680m
will be spent on reactive works and leak repairs
Over $1 billion in upgrades and renewals across Wellington City
Looking after our wai
We’ve fixed a record number of leaks. The backlog of leaks in Wellington has reduced from 936 in January 2024 to 206 at the beginning of January 2025. In 2025 we fixed a record 4115 leaks across the Wellington City area.
Wellington has provided more than $25.5m in additional operational funding to Wellington Water over and above what was planned for by the last Council including $5.5m for targeted leak repairs across the Wellington City area.
Te Whare Wai Para Nuku (the Moa Point Sludge Minimisation Facility) is a new addition to the water network which will reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, extending its lifetime.
This new addition to our network will reduce emissions from treating sludge by 60% and the plant will be powered by the biogas it produces during the processing.
Over the long term this plant will also save Wellingtonians money by reducing the amount of waste we have to store in the landfill.
Building for the future
We’ve started construction on a massive new wastewater rising main in the heart of our city. The Taranaki Street Riser enables thousands of new developments in the central city, completing a much needed replacement and upgrade of our existing wastewater network. The Taranaki Street Riser also adds resilience to our network meaning less pollution in our harbours.
1.
We’ve nearly doubled the capacity of Te Mārua treatment plant from 80 million to 140 million litres per day. The Te Mārua treatment plant provides approximately 45% of the Wellington region's water, and this much needed upgrade also provides for our future growth.
2.
Completion of the 35 million litre Omaroro reservoir significantly improves the resilience of our water network. While we were at it we also renewed local water supplies, stormwater pipes and wastewater pipes in the area.
3.
Creating a modern and resilient water network
Planning for the future requires rethinking the way we do things. As a region we’re working towards a model for delivering water that is based on te mana o te wai acknowledging the significance role water has in our lives providing us with life, sustenance, and recreation.
Wellington is also leading the way with funding secured for a blue network plan. Using nature, instead of working against it is not only good for the environment but it can lead to cost savings of up to 28% and reduce on site preparation and earthworks by up to 35%.
28%
Nature Based Solutions are: