9 Feb 2026

Eyes on government response to Moa Point sewage meltdown

From Checkpoint, 4:44 pm on 9 February 2026

All eyes are on the government's response to the Moa Point sewage plant meltdown. Wellington Water's chief executive is warning the public the capital's south coast could be off limits for months. Meanwhile the city's mayor wants a ministerial inquiry. Crews have spent the weekend trying to clean up the wastewater plant and get to the damage after it was shut after being flooded by raw sewage. In the meantime, millions of litres of untreated sewage have been spilling out into the Cook Strait since early Wednesday. Nick James reports.