- Wellington, New Zealand , experienced significant wastewater overflows, including raw sewage and sanitary products, after an overnight storm overwhelmed its already compromised system, affecting five properties in the suburb of Island Bay.
- The severe weather event, which saw 25.7mm of rainfall in two hours, caused a blocked main to overflow, leading to sewage backing up into homes and washing down streets, forcing the closure of a local daycare.
- This incident exacerbated an ongoing crisis at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant, which has been operating at reduced capacity since a catastrophic breakdown on 4 February, discharging approximately 70 million litres of untreated wastewater into the sea daily.
- Wellington Water confirmed crews were on site to remove waste and disinfect affected homes, while advising residents to avoid Wellington's south coast due to continued discharge of untreated wastewater until the plant is fully operational in November.
- The recurring sewage issues are attributed to decades of underinvestment and neglect in Wellington's infrastructure, with a 2020 taskforce highlighting that 20 per cent of the city's wastewater networks had exceeded their useful life, leaving residents anxious about future heavy rain.
IN FULL
