Sewage Discharge
Since the catastrophic failure of Wellington’s sewage treatment plant at Moa Point on the 4th February 2026, 70 million litres of raw and untreated sewage are discharged into Wellington’s South Coast every day.
That is equivalent of approximately 28 Olympic-sized swimming pools of untreated sewage every day.
Sewage is waste from all sinks, toilets, laundries, kitchens and bathrooms. This waste flows through a sewerage network of underground pipes and pumping stations, through the damaged Moa Point Treatment Plant and into Wellington’s South Coast.
of untreated sewage discharge as at
14 May 2026… and counting!
This is now over 7 billion litres of untreated sewage that was discharged, including solid and unfiltered waste on days when the short outfall pipe was in use.
The ongoing daily discharge of raw and untreated sewage from around 180,000 Wellingtonians the largest pollution event affecting Wellington in decades. It poses serious risks to both public health and the marine ecosystems of Wellington’s South Coast.
It is critical that the ongoing discharge of 70 million litres a day of untreated sewage is stopped as quickly as possible and that the Moa Point Treatment Plant is repaired without any delays.
We expect clearer and more transparent communication from Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council about the health risks for people using the coast and the impacts on the marine environment. We also want to see clear updates on the monitoring and response underway, and a realistic timeline for completing repairs and ending the discharge.
You can read a full statement of the Trust on the Moa Point Treatment Plant failure here (28 April 2026, pdf).
