Wellington Chamber of Commerce
Media Statement
Tuesday 27th June 2017
Chamber welcomes Government announcement to improve region's water supply and resilience

Today's post-Budget announcement to improve the water resilience of the Wellington region is much welcomed news, says John Milford, Chief Executive of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

"We've been on the record for quite some time concerned about the city and the region's water access. Currently, Wellington City is connected to just three water supply plants. Comparatively, Christchurch has access to 55 water sources for a similar-sized area.

"In the event of a large earthquake, parts of the Wellington region risk losing water for up to 100 days, the effects of which would bring the community to a halt and prevent many businesses from operating. We've got to ensure supply, and furthermore that we can get back to ‘business as usual’ as quickly as possible.

"This announcement means a total project investment of $12 million investment, shared between both central and local government, to fund 22 new community water stations throughout the four cities. This funding will go a long way to addressing the current situation and improving resilience.

"We commend both central and local government for working together to secure, strengthen and safeguard our region’s resilience."

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