Media release

18 April 2013

See Where Wellington’s Water Comes From

Ever wondered where our drinking water came from? What makes it safe to drink?

Greater Wellington Regional Council is offering a rare opportunity to see first-hand how the bulk water supply system works, by offering guided tours at the Te Marua Water Treatment Plant on Sunday 12 May.

Members of the public can book in for a free tour to learn about where drinking water comes from, how water is treated and to explore the water treatment plant. Tours will start every half hour from 10am to 3.30pm and will take around an hour.

Water Supply General Manager Chris Laidlow says Wellington’s recent drought has drawn attention to water resources in the region and increased public interest in the bulk water supply network.

“We would like to take advantage of this increased awareness by giving people an opportunity to learn more about their water supply. We’ve held open days at Te Marua in the past but not for a few years,” says Mr Laidlow. “We’re hoping that the public will be interested in what we do and will come along to find out how their water supply network works.”

Mr Laidlow says highlights of the tour will be the video which shows Wellington’s development and growing water requirements over the years, and seeing some of the water treatment processes that are used to remove minute particles and dissolved organics.

“Crowd favourites are usually the flocculation chambers and clarifier tanks, where clumps of particles and organic material ‘flocs’ are formed and then separated out from the water.”

The water treatment plant, pumping station and storage lakes at Te Marua were built between 1980 and 1987 to treat water taken from the Hutt River at Kaitoke. The plant treats around 60 million litres per day on average, most of this going to Upper Hutt, Manor Park, Stokes Valley, Porirua and the western suburbs of Wellington, as far south as Karori. Production from Te Marua accounts for just over 40 percent of our total supply volume in a typical year.

The regional council provides water in bulk to our customers, the four city councils of Lower Hutt, Porirua, Wellington, and Upper Hutt.

The water treatment plant at Te Marua also hosts school groups.

Each tour is limited to 20 people so bookings are essential.

Te Marua Water Treatment Plant – guided tours

Sunday 12 May 2013, 10am – 3.30pm

Te Marua Water Treatment Plant, Upper Hutt

Free, but bookings essential.

Maximum 20 people per tour.

Sorry, not suitable for people of limited mobility. Not recommended for children under 7, close parental supervision of children is required.

Bookings essential.

P 04 830 4381

E watertour@gw.govt.nz

ENDS

TON REGIONAL COUNCIL

Te Pane Matua Taiao

www.gw.govt.nz | www.facebook.com/greaterwellington | www.twitter.com/greaterwgtn

ENDS

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