'Pipes, politics and pandemics': Wellington Mayor reflects on 'tough' year

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster has reflected on a tough year dominated by a pandemic and broken pipes. (File photo)

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster has described 2020 as a year of “pipes, politics, and pandemics”, but avoided any mention of councillor conflicts, during an end-of-year address to elected members.

Foster made the comments as the council sat down for its final meeting of the year on Wednesday, taking the opportunity to trumpet some “pretty significant” achievements, and thank councillors for their dedication.

“It would be fair to say 2020 has been a tough year. I’ve sort of put it as a ‘PPP’ – pipes, politics, and pandemics,” Foster said.

The mayor, who organised for a facilitator to be brought in to help manage conflicts among councillors in April, went on to thank staff and councillors for their hard work during the year.

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Wellington Water contractors had to transport sludge from the Moa Point Treatment Plant to the Southern Landfill for several months after wastewater pipes broke under Mt Albert. (File photo)

“We’ve got some pretty significant things done,” he said.

Having been sidetracked in March by the development of a pandemic response and recovery plan, the council had ticked off some major milestones, Foster said.

They included reducing central city speed limits, starting construction on the 35-litre Omāroro water reservoir, implementing the Te Atakura climate change action plan, beginning detailed planning on the central library earthquake-strengthening project, and settling a $38 million insurance claim for the quake-damaged Civic Administration Building.

Foster addressed the city’s collapsing water pipe network by highlighting successful repairs of the Moa Point interceptor plant, and broken pipes on Dixon St and under Mt Albert.

The city has recorded a total of 2096 sewage spills in the past 12 months, despite setting a target of no more than 100 spills.

The two pipes burst in a tunnel beneath Mt Albert in January, resulting in trucks having to transport sludge for several months along Wellington’s south coast between Moa Point and the Southern Landfill, costing millions of dollars.

Foster also noted the Cobham Drive cycleway and first section of the Evans Bay cycleway were nearing completion.

Opening of the Cobham Drive cycleway was delayed until January next year, while consultation on the second section of the Evans Bay cycleway – between Greta Point and Cobham Drive – is scheduled for early 2021.

The council had attempted to get the second section under way as a temporary Covid-19 response, but backed down following a threat of legal action.

Looking towards 2021, Foster said finalising the council’s 10-year long-term plan would be “exceptionally challenging”, and the council would need to make some “significant and hard tradeoffs”.

Earthquake-strengthening of the St James Theatre would be completed next year, while construction of the central library would get under way.