Today's inspection showed the damage was "as bad as we feared", he said. Wellington Water said a rāhui (ban) is in place and covers anything the water can touch with the high or low tides. Cameras would be sent down the beginning of the long outfall pipe and divers would then check the end of it underwater. The worst part was not knowing when the water would be safe, he said, and wants clear communication from Wellington Water about that. McCaskill worried it would be a return to decades prior before the long outfall pipe was built.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 05, 2026 13:26 UTC