Here’s a radical idea - let plumbers fix Wellington’s leaks

Friday, 2 February 2024

Master Plumbers chief executive officer Greg Wallace has a radical idea to fix the current water crisis - let plumbers loose on the leaks.

Plumbers are frustrated and angry about the number of leaks in the city and want to do more to help Wellington Water, he said.

“Wellington Water should absolutely use the private sector to fix the leaks. The current situation is absolutely ludicrous.”

Wellington Water chief executive Tonia Haskell said it “appreciates” the offer but it is not feasible to have plumbers doing the work.

“The public water network is complex and drinking water legislation requires specialist knowledge, training, and qualifications for those who work on it.”

There are 86 approved sub-contractors, a smaller number of which have the required skills to undertake leak repairs on the public network, she said.

The skills required include working with and repairing smaller diameter public water pipes and the associated fittings and connections, Haskell said.

Contractors also need to provide documented evidence of their ability to comply with both health and safety and environmental requirements, as the work involves protecting public health.

With the housing market slowing down, Wallace said his members are looking for work and fixing leaky pipes would be a good use of their knowledge and skills.

Plumbers and drainlayers are already heavily involved in fixing private leaks and clearly have the expertise, he said.

He said Wellington’s Waters suggestion that plumbers are not qualified was “absolutely ludicrous”, and noted it takes seven years and two major exams to become a certified plumber. Protecting public health is at the heart of their training and everything plumbers do.

After being asked for comment, Wallace contacted one of his members who works for Wellington Water to ask him what qualifications he had to produce.

“He said ‘nothing, they recognised my qualifications and I just had to do some health and safety paperwork’.”

Ngaire Mansfield from Straight Flush Plumbing said Wallace’s comments reflect the widespread view held by the plumbing community.

“As a private company that specialises in maintenance and as a resident here for 20 years, it is really hard walking past these leaks and all I can do is report them.”

Her company has 12 employees, who regularly fix leaks on private property.

“We are a capital city and this is just embarrassing. I am not going to stay quiet on this.”

Haskell says there is a general skill shortage across the construction industry, which also applied to Wellington Water.

“To combat this, we’re consistently proactively recruiting both skilled tradespeople, and people we can upskill.”

Master Plumbers’ Wallace believes Wellingtonians do not understand how serious the water crisis is.

Wellington Water’s current strategy of fixing leaks is not addressing the real problem - the need to renew pipes across the city.

“We could be the leakiest city in the world.”

Fixing leaks is just “a band-aid”, he said, and Wellington City should be putting all its effort into renewing pipes.

Angry posts on social media about long-running leaks undermine Wellington Water’s messaging about reducing water use, he said.

He does not accept the argument that the Wellington City Council is unable to fund Wellington Water to fix the crisis. Councillors have supported upgrading the town hall at $329 million, Let’s Get Wellington Moving and cycleways

“The plumbing community are highly frustrated because they can see the money going to the wrong places.”

The impact of running out of water, he warned, goes well beyond having to take two minute showers.

A reduction in the pressure creates a situation where there is the potential for sludge at the bottom of reservoirs and for sewage to contaminate drinking water.

Sludge could also block pipes and damage household taps.

Wallace warned it will take years to fix all the leaks. “I do not understand how we have a Green leaning council and we are just flushing the water into the harbour.”

He also warns that many of the newly installed cycleways need to be dug up as part of the long term plan to renew pipes.

“Who will pay for that? Ratepayers.”

As of January 25, there were 3260 leaks across the region needing repair, 1722 in Wellington City.