Keeping water flowing when an earthquake stops the taps
Today we hosted a special event at Truscott park in Johnsonville to open the first of 22 community water stations, which form the foundation of our above ground emergency water supply network.
The Minister of Civil Defence, Hon Kris Faafoi, mayors and representatives from the four councils, (Wellington City Council, Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Porirua City Council) were in attendance to help open the first of the community water stations, and learn more about how they'll operate.
Wellington's drinking water supply network is vulnerable. Underground pipes and reservoirs could be badly damaged in a significant earthquake and as a result some suburbs could be without drinking water for more than 100 days.
Over the past 12 months we have been working with central and local government to develop an above ground emergency water network that will supply the more than 400,000 people across Wellington from day eight following a disaster.
It’s important to remember that following a major earthquake, the first thing people rely on is themselves and their families, so storing water is a must for every household.
You should have 20 litres of stored water for every person, every day, for at least seven days. That’s 560 litres for a four-person household. You may need to store more if you have unwell people, or small children in your home.
200 litre tanks (which are easy to install) can be purchased from your local council for $105.
For more information check out wellingtonwater.co.nz...
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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