Water for Wellington, Porirua and most of the Hutt Valley comes from the headwaters of the Hutt River at Kaitoke and from the catchment east of Wainuiomata.
Quick facts
Wellington's water reticulation network includes:
- 81 reservoirs and tanks
- 1,020km of pipes
- 33 pumping stations
- more than 100,000 fittings, valves and controls.
On average, our water pipes have a life of 70 years.
Commercial users
About 7 million m³ is used for commercial / industrial purposes. Most commercial water usage is metered.
Non-commercial users
Wellington's estimated non-commercial water consumption is typically about 350 litres per person per day. This figure is based on total water supplied, less the metered commercial use, divided by resident population. Because this figure can be affected by changes in resident and Council activities, it is used when measuring water usage trends as part of managing water demand.
The non-commercial consumption estimate takes into account leaks on private properties. Non-commercial use includes:
- domestic
- leakage from both public and private pipes
- flushing of hydrants
- water used for fire-fighting
- watering of Council parks and gardens
- street cleaning
- burst mains and reservoir overflows
- water taken without permission from hydrants, ie theft of water.
Water usage data
Recent data on Wellington's water usage - Wellington Water
Seasonal changes
Water consumption figures change all the time and include water used in toilet flushes, baths and showers, washing machines and dishwashers. Actual consumption varies depending on a number of factors such as the weather - for example, consumption usually increases in a dry summer as residents water their gardens.
Water restrictions