Source: Radio New Zealand
Faecal spray on a home on the Esplanade in Wellington. RNZ/Charlotte Cook
A film of toxic poo spray has coated homes around Wellington’s south coast after nearly a billion litres of raw sewerage have been dumped in the marine reserve.
Strong winds and severe weather have made an already feral problem worse, forcing locals to clean faecal spray off their homes, fearing a public health hazard.
“It’s been an absolute shit show,” resident Roger Young said.
“Sorry about the pun, but it’s been disgusting.”
Roger Young. RNZ/Charlotte Cook
Roger Young has lived in Houghton Bay for decades. His house is 100 metres back from the shore and was still tainted by Monday’s storm.
“The swell was seven metres rolling in on Monday morning, and the sea foam is carrying right across Houghton Bay, Princess Bay, Lyall Bay, probably Island Bay as well, and probably contaminated faeces all the way through it.”
He said his windows were filthy with what’s likely to be more than just salt and sand.
Island Bay resident Chris owns a house on the Esplanade. It was once cream, but despite three attempts with the hose, a brown smear remains.
“It’s slimy grime. When you run your finger along it, you get these brown marks of this residue that’s on there and that’s certainly not from salt.”
So what is it?
“Poo”, he said.
Despite three attempts with the hose, a brown smear remains on Chris’ house. RNZ/Charlotte Cook
“It’s residue from all that sewage that’s floating up and down the coast.
“I’m going to have to fully scaffold the house and wash it down. It’s now a health hazard to my tenants.
“It’s totally unacceptable that we’ve got to put up with this.”
Residents weren’t the only ones taking a hit. Popular Lyall Bay food stop Puku Pies was seeing the effects too.
Manager Rylee said most mornings, the windows are covered with a gritty, smelly sludge.
“The other day, when the Monday storm happened… we couldn’t even see out of the windows,” Rylee said.
“So we had to do that as soon as we got here in the morning and clean them off and yeah. We’re having to do it like at least every second day. It’s disgusting.”
Popular Lyall Bay food stop Puku Pies was seeing the effects too. RNZ/Charlotte Cook
Young is furious that in the midst of it all, Wellington Water chair Nick Leggett has legged it and resigned, leaving apologies unsaid.
“How can this happen in 2026? And how can we have the head of Wellington Water, Nick Leggett, just resign and think he’s just going to walk away from this?” Young said.
“People need to be held accountable and heads need to roll, seriously.”
Young said his son broke down crying because he couldn’t use the water for a couple of months.
“I just started crying, too. I’m going holy hell, this is our backyard and this has happened.”
Chris said he would be billing Wellington Water for his time washing the houses if the toxic seaspray continues to plague the coast.
The alternative was a $900 quote to have it professionally washed.
“Perhaps the chief executive might want to get out of his comfortable chair and come and have a look at what’s really happening around the district,” he said.
“I’m absolutely pissed off.”
A health warning sign on a beach in Wellington after the sewage spill. RNZ/Charlotte Cook
Wellington Water was still unsure what caused the Moa Point failure and how long the plant would be out of action.
It was not conducting sampling on private properties, but is instead conducting sampling in the sea around Wellington’s south coast to understand the impacts of the Moa Point discharge on the area. It was the National Public Health Service’s role to assess whether any public-health risks arise from environmental conditions and to provide health advice where required.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand