Our proposal and projects
By investing in our environment and strengthening our infrastructure, we can help create more resilient communities. We're putting forward a proposal for consultation, and we also want your feedback on a range of projects that are at different stages of development.
For a full description, read our consultation document (2MB PDF) | text version (118KB TXT) | accessible PDF (979KB PDF) | text version (1.4MB Word).
Rates impact and financial information
There are two options. Supporting our proposal means an increase in our levels of service. Not supporting it means keeping our current levels of service.
Our proposal
Water storage capacity and network improvements
Expand- Central city: We propose to increase the water storage capacity and resilience of the central city by constructing the Prince of Wales/Omāroro Reservoir ($32.2 million), strengthening existing reservoirs ($21.6 million) and upgrading our water pipe network ($39.6 million).
- Upper Stebbings: We propose to invest $12.4 million of capital expenditure in years 4 to 7 to develop more water storage to meet the growth and resilience needs of the northern suburbs.
- Horokiwi: We propose to invest $12.7 million of capital expenditure for water storage from years 5 to 8.
Site of the proposed Prince of Wales/Omāroro Reservoir.
Further reading
Wastewater network improvements
ExpandWe propose to upgrade parts of the central city wastewater network to make it more resilient and able to accommodate population growth.
- $8.9 million to upgrade parts of the central city wastewater network to make it more resilient and able to accommodate population growth
- $3.4 million to upgrade the wastewater network in Miramar
- $13 million to increase network capacity in other parts of the network
- Inclusion of a provisional amount of $34.6 million to address sewage sludge disposal
Parts of the central city wastewater network need to be upgraded.
Tawa and Miramar Peninsula stormwater network improvements
Expand- $10.8 million to upgrade the capacity of Tawa’s stormwater network to cope with storms and flooding
- $3.4 million of capital expenditure to upgrade the Miramar Peninsula stormwater network from years 3 to 6
- $10 million of capital expenditure for core infrastructure at Shelly Bay
- $32.4 million to upgrade capacity and resilience as we undertake the renewal of parts of our stormwater network.
We want to keep upgrading our stormwater network so it can cope better with extreme weather.
Other projects
Building accelerometers
ExpandInstalling accelerometers in buildings across the city would provide us with better information immediately after an earthquake and improve our responses. We would not own the hardware, but some resourcing would be needed for us to monitor and analyse data. We’re developing a detailed business case in the coming year.
Funding implications have not yet been determined and will likely be confirmed in 2019/20.
We will consult further on this proposal at that time, through the annual plan process.
An accelerometer is a device that can measure the movement of buildings, and would help us decide if a building was safe to enter after a major earthquake.
Resilience of the transport corridor
ExpandWellington has an extensive transport network. Much of it is on steep hills that need substantial retaining walls below and above the road. A number of these, including some tunnels and bridges, need to be strengthened in the coming years.
We've strengthened Karori Tunnel and will continue to strengthen other tunnels and bridges.
Strengthening Council buildings
ExpandDuring the first years of the plan, we propose to strengthen a number of Council facilities such as the Town Hall, Wellington Museum and the St James Theatre.
Council staff are moving to a temporary office on The Terrace to allow for strengthening work to happen. This will make sure we occupy accommodation that can function after a significant natural event like an earthquake.
We're proposing to earthquake strengthen Council facilities, including the Town Hall.
Further reading
Built Heritage Incentive Fund (BHIF)
ExpandThis fund helps owners maintain their heritage buildings.
In 2015, the fund was allocated $3 million over 3 years.
We have allocated $450,000 towards this fund and $1 million of funding to support the repair of unreinforced masonry in the city.
The Council will consider bringing the BHIF back up to $1 million per year subject to finding equivalent expenditure reductions elsewhere so as to retain the proposed 2018/19 rates increase to 3.9 percent.
A grant from the Built Heritage Incentive Fund helped the owners of the Mibar Building to earthquake strengthen their property.
Further reading
Security of water supply
ExpandPlans to make the regional network more resilient and improve the security of Wellington’s supply means the cost of bulk water is expected to rise.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is planning to invest in additional water sources from the aquifer under Wellington Harbour and/or cross-harbour pipeline as a backup to the existing supply pipe network.
The operational costs resulting from this work will be passed on to Wellington City Council. This means the cost of supplying water to Wellington homes and businesses is proposed to rise from $17.4 million in year 1 to $31.9 million by year 10. Overall, we expect to spend $248.2 million over the 10 years for the supply of water to the city.
We would like your feedback on the resilience programme for the water network and encourage you to also make a submission on Greater Wellington Regional Council’s long-term plan (consultation closes 5pm, 29 April).
Backup sources will make sure we can keep the water flowing, but will also increase costs.
Further reading
Waste management and minimisation
ExpandThrough the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan, all councils in the Wellington region have pledged to reduce the volume of waste disposed of in landfills by one-third over the next 9 years.
Wellington City Council plans to use existing waste minimisation funding to investigate the strategic future of landfills, better resource recovery, and options to divert household kitchen waste from the landfill. There are no additional costs for this work at this time.
Along with other regional councils, we've pledged to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by one-third over the next 9 years.
Further reading
Storm clean-up
ExpandThe climate is changing and this means more frequent and severe weather events.
We've put a $2 million capital fund aside for year 1 to address the impact of significant weather events on our parks, reserves and other network infrastructure.
Altogether, $400,000 of capital expenditure will be allocated over the next 2 years to reduce the impact of erosion from last year’s storms. Around $100,000 of operational funding per year (from year 4) will support storm clean-ups for our roading team, starting in 2021/22.
A further $300,000 of capital expenditure is proposed for coastal resilience work in Worser Bay, Seatoun Beach and Evans Bay in the coming year.
With more severe storms expected, we're allocating funding to support clean-ups.
Predator Free Wellington
ExpandThis project aims to gradually eradicate predators across the city and create the world’s first predator-free capital city.
The programme starts on the Miramar Peninsula.
It is proposed that we fund the project in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council, the NEXT Foundation and central government, as well as other partners and contributors, via the Predator Free 2050 Fund. Our proposed contribution is $2.6 million over the next 10 years.
Getting rid of predators like rats and possums will help native wildlife, like kākā, to thrive in our city.
Further reading
Community-led trapping
ExpandWe propose to increase our support for community groups active in predator control, and provide compost subsidies to manage the impact of poor food waste management (including home composting) on rat populations.
We would provide $89,000 per year to support community groups installing and managing traps in our city’s reserves, and $22,000 a year in compost subsidies. This investment is needed to support the goals of Predator Free Wellington.
Community trapping groups play an important role in getting rid of rats.
Further reading
Adding land to the Wellington Town Belt
ExpandIn 2017, the Council acquired a 4221 square metre vegetated gully between Aro Street and Devon Street to add to the Wellington Town Belt. The land has ecological connections to nearby Zealandia and provides habitat for a wide range of native birds. A track will be built through the area connecting Abel Smith Street and Devon Street. It was identified as a priority for acquisition in the Wellington Town Belt Management Plan 2017 (page 110).
The Council proposes to formally gazette this land as Wellington Town Belt and is seeking feedback, as required under the Wellington Town Belt Act 2016.
We propose to formally make this gully between Aro and Devon streets part of Wellington Town Belt.
Further reading
Rates impact and financial information
This financial information relates specifically to the initiatives listed as part of our proposal. It does not consider the costs of the other projects because these are at different stages of development.
For water storage projects, by year 10 this would add:
- 22.7 percent or $109.9 million additional borrowings (after $5.2 million of anticipated Prince of Wales/Omāroro Reservoir funding from Greater Wellington Regional Council and $3.4 million of debt repayment)
- $171 (7.1 percent) to the average annual rates bill (equivalent to an average increase of $17.11 per year over the 10 years).
For wastewater projects, by year 10 this would add:
- 10.9 percent or $55.1 million additional borrowings (after $4.8 million of debt repayment)
- $28 (2.0 percent) to the average annual rates bill (equivalent to an average increase of $2.82 per year over the 10 years).
For stormwater projects, by year 10 this would add:
- 10.8 percent or $54.8 million additional borrowings (after 1.8 million of debt repayment)
- $27 (1.1 percent) to the average annual rates bill (equivalent to an average increase of $2.74 per year over the 10 years).