Harbour wastewater overflow

Update from Wellington Water: Posted at 11.45am

Update 11.30am

We anticipate the wastewater overflow will continue over the next few days. We continue to urge the public to stay out of the harbour, avoiding any splash zones near the waterfront. This includes no fishing or collecting shellfish. Signs are in place along the waterfront.

At 2pm today, Taranaki Whānui will be placing a rāhui at the discharge. We would like to invite all members of the public to attend this process at Whairepo Lagoon/Frank Kitts Park.

Residents and businesses in the CBD are advised to reduce water use to avoid water entering the wastewater network.

Crews at the Dixon Street site are continuing to investigate and unblock the wastewater tunnel. At this stage Dixon Street is the only road closed.

Update 10:18am

The following map indicates the sub-catchments affected by the wastewater system blockage.
Inner city residents and businesses are encouraged to use less water where you can to reduce wastewater going into sewerage system.

Update 9.55am

The site has been made safe, and we are investigating the blockage.

We can confirm that we are overflowing into the harbour at Whairepo Lagoon, and the Taranaki dive platform is also expected to overflow soon.

We are urging people to stay out of the harbour between the Port and Point Jerningham.

Please avoid any splash zones on the waterfront.

December 20 - 8.54am

A collapsed wastewater tunnel in the Wellington CBD means that the central city's wastewater will begin discharging into the harbour this morning. The likely discharge points are near the dive platform, and Whairepo lagoon. 

At this stage it is unknown how long this will last for, or the volumes of wastewater that will be discharged.

Wellington Water is asking all inner city residents and office workers to minimise their use of water, to reduce the load on the network and the size of the overflow.

The collapsed tunnel, beneath Willis and Dixon Streets in the CBD was being prepared for repair.

More updates will follow.