Pat Dougherty says it could take months before it is safe to swim on Wellington's South Coast. Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. By RNZWellington Water is concerned wild weather could increase the likelihood of raw sewage being pushed towards the shoreline. Progress is being made at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant to clean it, mitigate the odour, and inspect the damage. Mega-litres of raw sewage have spilled into Cook Strait since, but not through the short outfall pipe since the following day.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 14, 2026 22:04 UTC