February 8, 2026 • 7 mins
Nick Leggett is the Chair of Wellington Water. He joins the show to talk through the latest updates on the Moa Point sewage leak, including how the response is progressing, how long we will have to wait till its safe again and what it means for Wellington’s coastline and local communities going forward.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News TALKSB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Going to go straight to Nick Gleggett Wearllington Water chair
person and get the latest update. Good morning Nick, Ci. Nick,
give us our listeners and our people are Wontington the
absolute latest of what's going on right now.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Well, the latest is that ninety percent of the material
has been cleared from the from More Point plant. That's
obviously taken a significant amount of time. We are anticipating
though that what lester is going to start smelling, so
we are saying be prepared for some odor in that area,
(00:51):
but we're working hard to clean that out. Obviously, that
long that's important that that happens because then the teams
can start assessing exactly what's been damaged in the plant
and then that will help us skip to the point
where well they'll know what can be rehabilitated and what
needs to be fixed. That long full type is very important.
(01:15):
That's operating, it's been operating since Thursday night. That pushes
the waste once it's been had that initial screening to
take all the plastics out and the non biological waste
that's been pushed out into the cook straight and the
tides and the depths there obviously allow a greater dispersement.
(01:37):
We are saying please continue to stay away from the
beaches because it is going to be We need several
days of testing to actually understand what's happening, and different
tides and different winds are going to influence what the
water testing looks like.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Green MP Julie Angentyre suggesting that the concerns are over
the private operator of the plant. I didn't realize this,
and I don't know whether the people are Willington realize this,
but we have via LOLA. They're an independent group. What
give us the background of that?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Well, yes, the Olia is contracted to manage the wastewater
treatment plants in the region. It's obviously an international company
and you know the people who are working in those
plants are locals. So I think it's important to just
balance that out. And obviously you know these are quite
(02:35):
these are plants that have some deferred maintenance and they
are they are on our They've always been very high
on Well into Water's risk register because unfortunately the risk
of this happening, which has now become a reality, has
(02:56):
sits there for wastewater treatment plants in the region.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
It's just reality.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So can I ask this question, with it being an
international company that's managing this, do we do you have
any recourse for getting compensation back to the city and
back to the people.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
I think that normal. I think that normal.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You know, this is why we need this inquiry that
mayor Little has called for. It sounds as though that's
going to be a government inquiry, which is.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
I think important.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
It needs to be independent and that needs to be
far sighted and look at all of those root causes.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And then we just have to we have to.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
See what the coming weeks and months bring us on.
Where sort of things fall.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
What sort of costs are we talking? Are we talking
tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Look, I don't know, I don't I'd be very surprised
if it's hundreds of millions, given the cost of that
would be a full replacement plant from what this is
why getting getting the plant cleaned out, assessing what's gone wrong,
what's failed, what can still operate is just so important
and we'll be in a better position to know that
(04:10):
in a week or two.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Hopefully you know the sludge. Yes, situation that we keep
talking about, and how much money that's costing, how far
is this before that comes in, and would that have
alleviated this.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Issue that there are two very separate projects obviously, and
also you've got a wastewater treatment plant and then a
sludge minimization plant sitting next door that's obviously been constructed
by Wellington City. Look, we don't know what's caused this yet,
so it would be premature to say, but my sentence
(04:42):
is no, I mean, I think we've got to look
at these very separately.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So when will I be able to walk take my
dog for a walk down Lyle Bay and go for
a swim.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Look, we don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
That's why we're testing every day to see what the
impact is on the water quality in different parts of
the South Coast and a few days we'll have a
better picture. But the truth is, if there is there
is only so much.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Volume of waste that long fall pipe can take.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
If if we get significant rain, or even if we
get some rain, we're probably they're probably still going to
need to push to divert overflow out that short pipe,
and that means that it will once again impact water
quality closer to the shore. And that's that's the this
is the this is the delicate balancing here.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
People public health have said, nobody in the water.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We'll just keep testing and listening to that advice and
and then and then decisions can be made.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Are we talking weeks or months?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Well, I think that this is going to go on
for months.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So you think it's going to be months before people
can take their dog for a walk and swim in labay.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Let's let's let's look.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I just think we should be cautious at this point
and assume the worst case scenario. That's why we're obviously
testing every day to try and build up a picture
over time of what different weather brings in terms of
water quality and conditions. That way, we'll get to a
point where we're understanding a bit more about what's happening
when different when the waste is going out of different pipes.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Will we have as a city council or as an organization,
have to pay and get all this up and running
by the time that transfers over to the new water
entity or do we give it to them half cocked?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Well, that that is a very good question. I think what's.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Important about the water entity to know is that the
it's going to take the assets from the councils and
the region, the water assets and then so it's going
to be so Tiaki wise it's called is going to
then be able to manage the assets and fund the
assets because it will be able to build water consumers directly,
(06:58):
which is the job.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
That counts us do at the moment. And so it's
all going to be under one roof. And I think
that's you know, this, this.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Disaster that we have had happen here in Wellington, you
know is over time, hopefully.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Going the risk of it happening again.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
The ability to better maintain our assets and better renew
our assets will be you know, it will be improved
because Tiaki why will have will be a one stop shot.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
And that's not much.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Of a commiseration for those of us in Wellington, but
exactly what's happened to Wellington is the reason why water
reform has been driven by the last government and by
this government with local water done well.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Thanks Nick, appreciate you coming on. I know you're under
stress and so I appreciated Nick Legg.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks. There'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News TALKSB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Going to go straight to Nick Gleggett Wearllington Water chair
person and get the latest update. Good morning Nick, Ci. Nick,
give us our listeners and our people are Wontington the
absolute latest of what's going on right now.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Well, the latest is that ninety percent of the material
has been cleared from the from More Point plant. That's
obviously taken a significant amount of time. We are anticipating
though that what lester is going to start smelling, so
we are saying be prepared for some odor in that area,
(00:51):
but we're working hard to clean that out. Obviously, that
long that's important that that happens because then the teams
can start assessing exactly what's been damaged in the plant
and then that will help us skip to the point
where well they'll know what can be rehabilitated and what
needs to be fixed. That long full type is very important.
(01:15):
That's operating, it's been operating since Thursday night. That pushes
the waste once it's been had that initial screening to
take all the plastics out and the non biological waste
that's been pushed out into the cook straight and the
tides and the depths there obviously allow a greater dispersement.
(01:37):
We are saying please continue to stay away from the
beaches because it is going to be We need several
days of testing to actually understand what's happening, and different
tides and different winds are going to influence what the
water testing looks like.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Green MP Julie Angentyre suggesting that the concerns are over
the private operator of the plant. I didn't realize this,
and I don't know whether the people are Willington realize this,
but we have via LOLA. They're an independent group. What
give us the background of that?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Well, yes, the Olia is contracted to manage the wastewater
treatment plants in the region. It's obviously an international company
and you know the people who are working in those
plants are locals. So I think it's important to just
balance that out. And obviously you know these are quite
(02:35):
these are plants that have some deferred maintenance and they
are they are on our They've always been very high
on Well into Water's risk register because unfortunately the risk
of this happening, which has now become a reality, has
(02:56):
sits there for wastewater treatment plants in the region.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
It's just reality.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
So can I ask this question, with it being an
international company that's managing this, do we do you have
any recourse for getting compensation back to the city and
back to the people.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
I think that normal. I think that normal.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You know, this is why we need this inquiry that
mayor Little has called for. It sounds as though that's
going to be a government inquiry, which is.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
I think important.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
It needs to be independent and that needs to be
far sighted and look at all of those root causes.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And then we just have to we have to.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
See what the coming weeks and months bring us on.
Where sort of things fall.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
What sort of costs are we talking? Are we talking
tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Look, I don't know, I don't I'd be very surprised
if it's hundreds of millions, given the cost of that
would be a full replacement plant from what this is
why getting getting the plant cleaned out, assessing what's gone wrong,
what's failed, what can still operate is just so important
and we'll be in a better position to know that
(04:10):
in a week or two.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Hopefully you know the sludge. Yes, situation that we keep
talking about, and how much money that's costing, how far
is this before that comes in, and would that have
alleviated this.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Issue that there are two very separate projects obviously, and
also you've got a wastewater treatment plant and then a
sludge minimization plant sitting next door that's obviously been constructed
by Wellington City. Look, we don't know what's caused this yet,
so it would be premature to say, but my sentence
(04:42):
is no, I mean, I think we've got to look
at these very separately.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So when will I be able to walk take my
dog for a walk down Lyle Bay and go for
a swim.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Look, we don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
That's why we're testing every day to see what the
impact is on the water quality in different parts of
the South Coast and a few days we'll have a
better picture. But the truth is, if there is there
is only so much.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
Volume of waste that long fall pipe can take.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
If if we get significant rain, or even if we
get some rain, we're probably they're probably still going to
need to push to divert overflow out that short pipe,
and that means that it will once again impact water
quality closer to the shore. And that's that's the this
is the this is the delicate balancing here.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
People public health have said, nobody in the water.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We'll just keep testing and listening to that advice and
and then and then decisions can be made.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Are we talking weeks or months?
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Well, I think that this is going to go on
for months.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So you think it's going to be months before people
can take their dog for a walk and swim in labay.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Let's let's let's look.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I just think we should be cautious at this point
and assume the worst case scenario. That's why we're obviously
testing every day to try and build up a picture
over time of what different weather brings in terms of
water quality and conditions. That way, we'll get to a
point where we're understanding a bit more about what's happening
when different when the waste is going out of different pipes.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Will we have as a city council or as an organization,
have to pay and get all this up and running
by the time that transfers over to the new water
entity or do we give it to them half cocked?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Well, that that is a very good question. I think what's.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Important about the water entity to know is that the
it's going to take the assets from the councils and
the region, the water assets and then so it's going
to be so Tiaki wise it's called is going to
then be able to manage the assets and fund the
assets because it will be able to build water consumers directly,
(06:58):
which is the job.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
That counts us do at the moment. And so it's
all going to be under one roof. And I think
that's you know, this, this.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Disaster that we have had happen here in Wellington, you
know is over time, hopefully.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Going the risk of it happening again.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
The ability to better maintain our assets and better renew
our assets will be you know, it will be improved
because Tiaki why will have will be a one stop shot.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
And that's not much.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Of a commiseration for those of us in Wellington, but
exactly what's happened to Wellington is the reason why water
reform has been driven by the last government and by
this government with local water done well.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Thanks Nick, appreciate you coming on. I know you're under
stress and so I appreciated Nick Legg.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks. There'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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