No shortage of leaks on Lambton Quay

Friday, 16 February 2024

Wellington Water crews responded to a Lambton Quay leak four days after they were notified about it.

A small spot on Lambton Quay is shaping up to be Wellington Water’s Waterloo, with crews fixing a leak only to circle back to the same spot to fix another one just metres away.

The Post reported in early January a leak on Lambton Quay had been spurting water since before Christmas, forcing tourists and commuters to hop, jump or sidestep the stream.

Wellington Water fixed the leak on January 16, but several weeks later water started to spring again just metres away. A Wellington Water spokesperson said the source of the leak was 20 metres from the previous one.

Nearby business owner Jean Jacques Nakouzy of Jean-Jacques Hair Studio notified Wellington Water about the leak on Monday. It was not until Friday afternoon that crews fixed it.

Considering it took more than a month for Wellington Water to fix the last leak, Nakouzy said he was happy the crews repaired the second leak four days after being notified, saying it showed Wellington Water was prioritising infrastructure.

The Wellington region remains at Level 2 water restrictions, which ban using sprinklers or irrigation in gardens. It dodged tougher water restrictions on Thursday, but Wellington Water warned that efforts to conserve water must continue.

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office recommended households had an emergency supply of at least 20 litres of water per person, per day for seven days, totalling 140L per person.