Tiaki Wai to spend $150m on Seaview odour issues
Friday 9 October 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Tiaki Wai
Tiaki Wai is investing $150 million to address a long-standing stench in a Lower Hutt community. The water agency is currently replacing sludge dryers at the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant. Residents have been warned to expect increased odours over the next two weeks while these works continue.
Key facts
4 facts
- Tiaki Wai is spending $150 million on the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant project
- Odour warnings are in place for 9 to 18 October
- The project is scheduled for completion by December 2027
- An $8m odour treatment project was completed in 2025
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
Tiaki Wai is investing $150 million to resolve a long-standing foul odour at the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant in Lower Hutt. The water agency has warned that residents may experience more smell between 9 and 18 October during replacement works.
The project involves replacing old sludge dryers, which are large machines that remove water from sludge before it is sent to landfill. Jeremy McKibbin, Tiaki Wai operations manager for treatment and control systems, said that when dryers break down, the biological process becomes unbalanced and stinks.
The $150 million works include constructing a new building, installing new conveyor belts and boilers, and adding 3000 stone columns for seismic strengthening. Two new electric dryers being manufactured in Germany will feature built-in odour management systems.
Lower Hutt Mayor Ken Laban described the previous stench as "unacceptable" and at times "almost unliveable". The project, which involves 19 local businesses, is expected to be completed by December 2027.
Where reports differ
- One report states the project is on track to be finished by December next year, while the other states December 2027
Compiled from reports by RNZ and Otago Daily Times.
