Untreated water is leaking onto the south coast beaches of Wellington following a failure at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant was turned off early this morning, resulting in the release of untreated water.
Plant Damage and Sewage Spill
Nearly 80 percent of the equipment inside the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant was damaged on February 4th. Since then, megalitres of raw sewage have been spilling into the Cook Strait. Still, the spill has not been occurring through the short outfall pipe since the day following the initial failure.
Wellington Water is currently working to clean the plant, reduce odour, and assess the extent of the damage. The removal of sewage and cleaning of rooms are ongoing. An assessment of the plant’s equipment and operations is as well underway, but is expected to take some time.
Weather Concerns and Potential Discharge
Wellington Water has expressed concern that incoming weather could push raw sewage towards the shoreline. MetService has issued heavy swell warnings, strong orange wind warnings, and a heavy rain watch for parts of Wellington on Sunday and Monday.
If increased flow enters the plant, Wellington Water warns that wastewater may have to be discharged through the short outfall pipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant?
The Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant experienced a failure on February 4th, resulting in nearly 80 percent of its equipment being damaged and the release of megalitres of raw sewage into the Cook Strait.
Is the sewage still spilling into the Cook Strait?
Yes, megalitres of raw sewage have been spilling into the Cook Strait since February 4th, though not through the short outfall pipe since the following day.
What is the timeline for repairs?
Wellington Water expects there will be an extended outage at the plant, and the assessment of the damage will take some time.
As Wellington Water works to address this critical infrastructure failure, what measures do you believe are most key to prioritize for the protection of public health and the environment?
