Wellington pipe repairs could cost ratepayers $80,000 over 25 years

Wellington's deputy mayor has warned that fixing the city's poor pipes could cost every ratepaying household or business more than $80,000 over the next 25 years. Ben McNulty stated that figures originally highlighted by Wellington Water suggest it will cost more than $6 billion to repair Wellington city's pipes over two decades. Dividing this total by 81,000 resident and business ratepaying units reveals a concerning financial outlook.

McNulty noted that these costs only cover repairing infrastructure in poor or very poor condition and do not include maintenance, leak repairs, or water storage needs. He said, "It's just not affordable. It is beyond the capacity of ordinary people to pay". The deputy mayor also highlighted that the region must address stormwater infrastructure for floods and ensure safe drinking water.

Tiaki Wai chief executive Michael Brewster said that collecting revenue is vital to fix ageing networks following decades of under-investment. Brewster added, "We understand people in Wellington are facing cost-of-living challenges, so we're offering flexible options for those in hardship". The water agency previously indicated that fixing failing infrastructure across the entire region could cost up to $25 billion over 30 years.

McNulty has called for the government to co-invest in major water projects and for the Commerce Commission to have price-quality control over the agency. He suggested the Crown should help secure water-sector debt to reduce borrowing costs. Meanwhile, Wellington Bays candidates have expressed support for various forms of Crown funding for the city's water infrastructure.

Compiled from reports by RNZ and Otago Daily Times.