Untreated, unscreened wastewater is being discharged into Tarakena Bay. Check LAWA.org.nz before visiting beaches.
Untreated, unscreened wastewater is being discharged into Tarakena Bay. Check LAWA.org.nz before visiting beaches.

Due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area starting at 08:12 25/06/2026, the short outfall pipe is discharging untreated wastewater into Tarakena Bay. It is likely to be travelling around the coastline.

Signs are in place along the coastline to alert water users of areas which may be impacted by this event. Water quality samples will be collected from coastal locations once improved weather conditions allow. The latest water sampling results are published here.

Please, check LAWA.org.nz before visiting beaches along the south coast. LAWA recommend avoiding swimming for 48 hours following heavy rain, regardless of the recent monitoring result or long-term grade.

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About Us / News And Media / News And Media / Media Release: Total Outdoor Water Ban In Featherston And Greytown

Published 1/03/2021

Media release: Total outdoor water ban in Featherston and Greytown

Residents of Featherston and Greytown are asked to conserve water following an interruption to supply and high water demand. 

“High demand for water and low river levels has resulted in high levels of cloudy water in one of the bores supplying Greytown and Featherston. This resulted in an unexpected interruption to the water supply on Sunday.

“This caused reservoirs to drop to low levels and, because of this, the treatment plant needs time to recover. So we are asking for the community to help by limiting water use as much as possible, and by bringing in a total outdoor water use ban until further notice.

“These measures have been taken to ensure that there is enough clean, clear, and safe drinking water for the community,” says Laurence Edwards, Chief Advisor Drinking Water, Wellington Water.”

A total outdoor water ban in Featherston and Greytown will remain in place until further notice, until network reservoir levels stabilise.

For more information, and water saving tips, please visit: watcheverydrop.nz, for inside water saving tips and outside water saving tips.

Media Enquiries

Email address:  Media@wellingtonwater.co.nz

Phone number: 021 302 259