![\"More](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4JT37VC_Moa_hui_jfif.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nMore than 300 people attended a public meeting about the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant disaster.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Lauren Crimp\n<\/p>\n
Tempers flared at a packed public meeting on Monday night about the meltdown at Wellington’s Moa Point sewage treatment plant.<\/p>\n
Officials fronted the crowd of more than 300, but many left disappointed by a lack of clear answers about the disaster that has been sending sewage onto Wellington’s south coast for nearly two weeks.<\/p>\n
The event, organised by Rongotai MP Julie-Anne Genter and Wellington Central MP Tamatha Paul, was billed as an opportunity to ask questions and speak directly with experts.<\/p>\n
Wellington Water chief operating officer Charles Barker – standing in for his boss<\/a>, whose flight was cancelled – said up front there was only so much he could say with a Crown review imminent<\/a>, and insurance processes underway.<\/p>\n “So if at times I appear guarded, or I’m taking a bit longer to think, that’s because I’m probably getting close to that point where I have to be careful not to jeapordise any future inquiry, and especially everyone’s insurance,” he said.<\/p>\n That came into play when the big question was asked: what happened?<\/p>\n “Again, I just have to be careful talking about causality,” he said.<\/p>\n All Barker could say was that divers had inspected 300 metres of the 1.8 kilometre pipe that sends wastewater into the Cook Srtait, and it appeared to be intact – but something was stopping “optimal flow”.<\/p>\n Mayor Andrew Little also could not say who would pay for the fallout or fix.<\/p>\n “There’s a whole bunch of insurance claims being made by all sorts of parties.<\/p>\n “I suspect insurance companies don’t want to do anything until they have a fair idea about what the possible cause is.”<\/p>\n \nWellington Mayor Andrew Little. The question and answer session was heated at times, peppered with yelling and interruptions.<\/p>\n “What are you going to do to improve that so we don’t face this damn catastrophe again?” cried one man.<\/p>\n Acting Wellington Water chair Bill Bayfield replied: “That will be the subject of the review.”<\/p>\n Former Taranaki Wh\u0101nui trustee Benjamin Wynyard-Terry said he did not trust officials’ assurances, and wanted more transparency.<\/p>\n “Pull your heads together, and put your tent up on the beach where this has occurred, and … have a two-day w\u0101nanga, and you come up with a real solution so this will never happen again.”<\/p>\n Some had solutions of their own, which included composting or incinerating toilets for every ratepayer “for less than we paid for the sludge plant”.<\/p>\n Te Papa fish expert, Andrew Stewart, had good news for those with environmental fears. He said the weather, and the Cook Strait, massively diluted the sewage<\/a>.<\/p>\n Had it happened in Wellington Harbour, it would have been an “unmitigated disaster”, Stewart said.<\/p>\n “It is ghastly what’s happened, but I don’t believe it’s going to have a long-term damaging effect.”<\/p>\n The crowd was pleased officials and experts had fronted, but frustrated that they left with only a little more clarity than they walked in with.<\/p>\n “Because of the investigation that is taking place, it feels like a really welcome safety blanket to not be able to provide any further information,” one woman said.<\/p>\n “I got the reassurance in terms of the ecological stuff … that was answered clearly,” said another.<\/p>\n “There was no apology whatsoever and it felt as if they were sort of trying to almost avoid any sort of blame,” one man said.<\/p>\n Wellington Water planned to hold more public meetings.<\/p>\n![\"Wellington](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4JTC4H5_Andrew_Little_12_02_26_1_2_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Mark Papalii\n<\/p>\n