{"id":285765,"date":"2026-02-15T21:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T21:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/285765\/"},"modified":"2026-02-15T21:00:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T21:00:22","slug":"wellington-water-boss-resigns-over-sewage-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/285765\/","title":{"rendered":"Wellington Water boss resigns over sewage disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nick<\/p>\n

Nick Leggett says stepping aside would allow Wellington Water to focus on fixing the problems and restoring public trust. Photo: RNZ <\/p>\n

The chair of Wellington Water has resigned following a ‘disastrous’ fault at the Moa Point treatment plant.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0failure at the plant on the capital’s south coast\u00a0earlier this month has been spilling 70 million litres of untreated sewage a day into Cook Strait.<\/p>\n

Nick Leggett said\u00a0the failure of the plant\u00a0was deeply serious and had affected the environment, public health and the community.<\/p>\n

Labelled an\u00a0environmental disaster\u00a0by Mayor Andrew Little, Wellington Water has warned it\u00a0could be months\u00a0before the plant is operating again and people could swim in the water.<\/p>\n

Leggett said leadership carried responsibility and stepping aside would allow Wellington Water to focus on fixing the problems and restoring public trust.<\/p>\n

An independent government review would examine the causes of the failure.<\/p>\n

Leggett said he would fully cooperate with that process.<\/p>\n

His last day will be Monday. Deputy chair Bill Bayfield will take over as interim chair.<\/p>\n

Leggett had been in the role since 2023.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/ <\/p>\n

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