Wellington Water crews continue to respond to the heavy rain event and network impacts

Wellington Water crews are continuing to respond to a band of heavy rain causing surface flooding and network impacts across the Wellington and South Wairarapa regions today.

With bad weather expected for the wider Wellington region from this afternoon until tomorrow night, crews are proactively checking hotspots and vulnerable sites, and clearing out stormwater intakes as it is safe to do so.

Crews are working as quickly as they can, but we are asking residents to be patient with us as response times in some locations are impacted by access limits and road closures. 

UPDATE 3.30PM, 21 April 

Wellington
• Crews are continuing to unblock the stormwater main on Balfour Street.
• We have identified a slip-on McColl Street that has damaged the wastewater main that is currently discharging and collecting in the stormwater main. Signage will be placed at the points of overflow, with water quality sampling to be taken as the weather conditions improve. The current weather conditions and nature of the slip make it unsafe to access the site. A Geotech has been engaged and a risk assessment being issued shortly to advise of the next steps. This incident will be managed separately with further communications to follow. 
• We have identified damage to wastewater laterals at 277 Happy Valley Road that has resulted in a discharge into a nearby stream. 
• Crews are working to clear the Papawai Stream. 
• We have assessed the slip sites on Adelaide Road and Todman Street and found no damage to the public network.
• Rugby Street reinstatement has been rescheduled for tomorrow due to the ongoing water main incident. 
Hutt Valley
• There have been no issues identified in Upper Hutt. 
• We have inspected Black Creek in Wainuiomata and have identified an area of wastewater main which could be vulnerable. We will continue to monitor this section of the network. 
• Flood debris and further clearing is underway in Stokes Valley. 
• All penstock valves are currently open. 
• We are aware the Silverstream and Wainuiomata storage tanks are full and are currently overflowing into the constructed outlet pipes.

Porirua
• There have been no issues identified across the Porirua region. 

South Wairarapa
• There have been no network faults identified across the Wairarapa 

Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Moa Point - The Short Outfall continues to discharge following the event on 20 April.
• Western - The teams have visited the treatment plant, and advised the plant is operating normally. Excess flows of screened wastewater are continuing to discharge into the Karori Stream. 
• Porirua - The plant ran without concerns overnight, and there are currently no discharges.
• Seaview - Discharges to the Waiwhetu Stream continue, as per the notification sent on 18 April.

Rainfall is anticipated to ease from 6pm. We'll continue to monitor the rain warnings from MetService and adjust our response as required. 

We will provide a further update around midday tomorrow. 

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UPDATE 11.30AM, 21 April

Wellington
• Rugby Street has been exposed to complete the reinstatement following yesterdays repair to the stormwater manhole. 
• A burst water main near the excavation site has been assessed by our crews. This is being treated as a separate non weather-related incident.
• Crews are working to clear the Papawai Stream. 
• We are continuing to monitor slip sites as advised by the Council. 

Hutt Valley
• We are currently checking known hotspots in Eastbourne.
• Minor clearing works are underway across the Hutt Valley.
• A visual inspection of Black Creek will be undertaken this afternoon.  
• Temporary stormwater pumps stationed around the Hutt Valley yesterday are being removed. 
• All penstock valves are now open.

Porirua
• We are continuing to check known hotspots. 
• There have been no issues identified across the Porirua region. 

South Wairarapa
•There have been no network faults identified across the Wairarapa.
• The Remutaka Hill is currently closed.

Wastewater Treatment Plants

• Moa Point - The Short Outfall continues to discharge following the event on 20 April.

• Western - The site has had power overnight and is continuing to operate normally (although there is a comms fault). Due to high volumes, there have been discharges of partially treated wastewater at the Karori Stream. 4WD access is now available, with the team attending the site this morning.

• Porirua - The plant ran without concerns overnight, and there are currently no discharges.

• Seaview - Discharges to the Waiwhetu Stream continue, as per the notification sent on 18 April.

There has been an increase in slip risk due to the ground saturation. We encourage customers to be vigilant and report any risks or land movement to their local council. 

Rain warnings in the Wellington region have been downgraded from red to orange.

A further update will be provided later this afternoon.

UPDATE 9.30AM, 21 April

Crews continue response support throughout the region as the active rain band makes its way across the lower North Island. Increased resource remains as crews continue monitoring, maintenance and checks of stormwater intakes and known hot spots across the region.  

Our teams remain in communication with councils, iocal iwi, WREMO and Emergency Services. 

Hutt Valley
• Hutt River levels appear to be stabilising; we will continue to monitor closely.
• Crews continue monitoring, maintenance and checks of Stormwater Intakes and known hot spots across the region.  
• Pumps installed in the identified high-risk locations will remain in place while the red weather warning is active.

Porirua
• Karehana Bay monitored with pump support in place as required.
• Crews continue monitoring, maintenance and checks of stormwater intakes and known hot spots across the region.   

South Wairarapa
• One overflow callout overnight attended and resolved by crew.
• Crews continue monitoring, maintenance and checks of stormwater intakes and known hot spots across the region.  

Wellington 
• Basin Reserve Manhole repairs completed, with final reinstatement works on Rugby Street to follow once weather conditions allow, traffic management will remain in place until this is completed. 
• Crews continue monitoring, maintenance and checks of stormwater intakes and known hot spots across the region.  

Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Moa Point continues discharging to the short outfall due to significant rainfall in the catchment.
• Western continues discharging to Karori Stream due to significant rainfall in the catchment, crew assessing for access update. 
• Seaview continues discharging to the Waiwhetu Stream due to significant rainfall in the catchment. 
• Porirua operating as normal, no discharges overnight. 

A further update will be provided at midday. 

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UPDATE 9PM, 20 April

Hutt Valley
• We are monitoring the Hutt River levels
• We are liaising with WREMO around the Hutt River levels and the likelihood of having to close the penstocks to prevent inundation from high river levels. This increases the risk of localised stormwater flooding. We are prepositioning pumps at known risk areas.

Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Western Wastewater Treatment Plant is not currently accessible with road crews working to clear South Karori Road. The plant is currently running on stand by generator due to a loss of power. We do not have communications from this site through our remote monitoring equipment.
• There's been a discharge of partially treated wastewater from the Western WWTP since 4 am this morning at Karori Stream, which flows into the sea on the South Coast.
• Moa Point has been discharging throughout the day at the short outfall into Tarakena Bay
• Seaview plant continues to discharge fully treated wastewater into the Waiwhetu Stream as of Saturday

Please note a number of our wastewater pump stations are currently overflowing at constructed outlet pipes due to high inflows into the wastewater network. We are closely monitoring these sites. Stormwater pump stations are performing well currently. 

Resources have been allocated to enable teams to assess and report issues as they are reported over the afterhours period.

Further updates will be provided throughout the night should the situation change.

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UPDATE 7PM, 20 April 

Wellington
• Crews will continue to work to clear a blockage at Balfour Street.
• Other known sites have been inspected and cleared throughout the day.

Porirua
• Crews have attended Jackson Street, Ranui and it has been resolved.

Hutt Valley
• We are monitoring the Hutt River levels
• Known hot spot areas have been assessed and cleared throughout the day.

South Wairarapa
• We have assessed all known hotspots in the region and found no notable faults.

Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Western Wastewater Treatment Plant is not currently accessible with road crews working to clear South Karori Road. The plant is currently running on stand by generator due to a loss of power. We do not have communications from this site through our remote monitoring equipment. There's been a discharge of partially treated wastewater from the Western WWTP since 4 am this morning at Karori Stream, which flows into the sea on the South Coast.
• Moa Point has been discharging throughout the day at the short outfall into Tarakena Bay
• Seaview plant continues to discharge fully treated wastewater into the Waiwhetu Stream as of Saturday

Please note a number of our wastewater pump stations are currently overflowing at constructed outlet pipes due to high inflows into the wastewater network. We are closely monitoring these sites.

Stormwater pump stations are performing well currently.

We will provide a further update at 9PM and will issue other updates if required through the night.

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UPDATE 5PM, 20 April

We're contiuing to respond to network impacts across the region as a result of heavy rain.

Wellington
• We have completed the carriage way reinstatement on Kent Terrace. A lane closure remains in place on Rugby Street until weather conditions permit our reinstatement.
• Additional slip sites identified at Moffitt Street and Ohiro Road have been assessed. Moffitt has had sandbags put in place to divert flow and Ohiro Road has not shown any damage to networks.
• Damage to Stormwater manhole at Clyde Street has been temporarily coned off and will be assessed tomorrow.
• Crews will be heading to Papawai Terrace to further assess.

Porirua
• The stormwater intake near Rangituhi Park intake is clear
• Intakes at Mungavin Avenue and EOC Raiha Street have been inspected and cleared
• Crews on-route to respond to the call out for Jackson Street, Ranui

Hutt Valley
• The blocked culvert at Hebden Crescent will require an excavator which is en-route. 
• Crews inspected the dams on Mulberry Street and Stanhope Street and there are no issues.
• Crews are en-route to Oxford Terrace and Copeland Street to assess the sumps.
• Reports of slips potentially affecting Pinehaven Stream.
• We are monitoring the Hutt River levels.

South Wairarapa
• We have assessed all known hotspots in the region and found no notable issues.

Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Western Wastewater Treatment Plant is not currently accessible with road crews working to clear South Karori Road. The plant is currently running on stand by generator due to a loss of power. We do not have communications from this site through our remote monitoring equipment.
• There's been a discharge of partially treated wastewater from the Western WWTP since 4 am this morning at Karori Stream, which flows into the sea on the South Coast.
• Moa Point has been discharging throughout the day at the short outfall into Tarakena Bay.

We'll continue to provide updates every 2 hours into this evening.

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UPDATE 3.30PM, 20 April 

Porirua

• The stormwater intake near Rangituhi Park is blocked, causing surface level flooding on Raiha Street. Necessary remedial work will be undertaken to clear the intake as soon as possible.

• Surface level flooding has been identified around Porirua City Centre and on Onepoto Road.

• Stormwater intake assessments and remedial works in the Plimmerton area have been completed.

Hutt Valley

• A blocked culvert has been identified at Hebden Crescent, with crews enroute to clear.

• Crews have been dispatched to assess the dams on Mulberry Street and Stanhope Street.

• The intake on John Street is currently being cleared.

• Inlets located on Parkway in Wainuiomata are overwhelmed by the heavy influx into the network.

South Wairarapa

• We have assessed all known hotspots in the region and found no notable faults.

Please note a number of our wastewater pump stations are currently overflowing at constructed outlet pipes due to high inflows into the wastewater network. We are closely monitoring these sites. 

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UPDATE 2.15 pm, 20 April 

Below is the latest on our response across the region.

Wellington

• Repairs to the manholes near the Basin Reserve have been completed. We are unable to complete a full asphalt reinstatement under the current weather conditions. Traffic Management will remain in place to safely redirect traffic until the weather eases allowing for the permeant reinstatement to take place.  

• All known slip sites have been assessed, with risk assessments of each site being issued later this afternoon.

• We have assessed the habitable floor flooding at Stanley Street. The stormwater inlets in this area have been checked and are clear.

• We have checked the known hotspots and allocated the necessary resources to the sites that require urgent attention.

• There are a significant number of known stormwater faults on the network, and we are working through these systematically.

• The Papawai Stream has burst its bank and is overflowing across Prince of Wales Park. The stormwater intake has been checked and is clear.   

Hutt Valley 

• Stormwater inlets along Lowry Crescent and Tawhai Street have been cleared. 

• 20 out of 30 hotspots across Hutt VAlley have been checked, with 6 requiring non-urgent works.These works are anticipated to take place from tomorrow when it is safe to do so as weather conditions ease. 

• We are continuing to monitor the water levels of the Hutt River and adjust our response as required.

Porirua 

• We have checked all key hotspots and are conducting necessary clearing operations.

South Wairarapa 

• We are continuing to check known hotspots and allocate resources as necessary.

We are actively monitoring the forecast and responding to service requests as quickly as possible.

We continue to keep the public and impacted communities updated via our website and social media channels. For the latest update, please check the Wellington Water Facebook page.