Ben Espiner: Holier Than Thou - A very bad look for Wellington Water

A very bad look for Wellington Water.

It’s the end of our first week on air for 2024 and Friday tradition demands that I attempt to wrap the week with at least some degree of thought or insight. This is typically delivered in the form of the on-air segment known as Holier than Thou – the segment where I try in endless vanity to spur on some public accountability from those in roles where it is often utterly vacant.

That segment is now also available here in written form to read at your convenience:

Eric Crampton: Time to restructure Wellington water to to fix the regions creaking pipes

When Wellington Airport installed licence plate readers to streamline parking and passenger pickup and drop-off, it did not have to beg Wellington City Council to find room in the council’s 10-year plan for funding.

Though partially council-owned, the Airport funds its own operations out of its own revenues and makes its own decisions. The structure imposes a commercial discipline and provides better outcomes.

It provides a sharp contrast to the city’s water system.

Matthew Birchall: Wellington's water woes

The Bucket Fountain in Wellington’s Cuba Mall has long been the capital city’s iconic water feature. However, it seems that new competition is emerging.

Burst pipes and leaks have become a regular part of life in the world’s leakiest little capital. Around 44% of the region’s water supply is currently lost to leaks. That’s the equivalent of 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools down the drain each day.