Chlorination of Lower Hutt's drinking water will continue permanently
This follows a decision made by Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) this morning. The decision was based on an investigation by Wellington Water which you can read on our website where there's also links to more information about the decision: www.huttcity.govt.nz...
Our Mayor Ray Wallace says about the decision by GWRC: "no chances should ever be taken when it comes to drinking water quality.
“No one wants a repeat of the Havelock North experience. Public safety has always been our number one priority, and we must continue to listen to the experts who tell us that a combination of chlorination and UV treatment for our network is the best long-term approach.
“It’s fantastic that we’re also able to offer an un-chlorinated solution in Lower Hutt for those that prefer it at the Buick Street and Dowse Square fountains. These fountains are now both open and treated with a UV filter and filtration. At the flow-rate of water from the fountains, the UV and filtration provides effective barriers against possible contaminants and means the water complies with the Drinking Water Standards of New Zealand.While it is sad that this has happened and investigations have not found a single root cause, it is something we must accept and I am confident that the best possible solution has been found for our city.”
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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