Wellington Water board chair steps down after Moa Point failure

Sunday, 15 February 2026

A catastrophic failure at Wellington’s Moa Point wastewater plant sent a large spill of raw sewage into the sea, sparking anger from surfers and residents. Mayor Andrew Little says the cause is still unknown and an investigation is underway.

Wellington Water board chair Nick Leggett will step down from his role following the failure at Moa Point, saying leadership must accept responsibility for the “deeply serious” event.

Leggett said the incident had environmental, public health and community impacts “that none of us should take lightly”.

“While the operational causes of this event will be independently examined by a government review, leadership carries responsibility,” he said.

Leggett said crises such as the one at Moa Point, which saw untreated sewage discharged into the sea, undermined public trust in institutions and that trust would not be restored until leaders accepted responsibility “in actions as well as words”.

“As Chair of Wellington Water, I believe therefore it is appropriate that I step aside.”

Leggett said there had been “a great deal of commentary and blame circulating” over the incident and his decision was intended to remove distraction so the focus could remain on remediation, transparency and learning.

Officials clean up at Tarakina Bay in Wellington after the Moa Point waste water facility broke down.

“Wellingtonians deserve clarity as the Mayor and council, and other responsible organisations, navigate this difficult period ahead.”

A Government-run independent review will examine the root causes of the incident. Leggett said he would contribute as required and looked forward to the findings “so we can all understand how this occurred”.

“Strong organisations improve when those in leadership roles are prepared to stand up in difficult moments. That is what I am doing.”

His last day in the role will be Monday, February 16.

Wellington Water’s deputy board chair Bill Bayfield will act as interim chair until the board confirms a replacement.