$11 million pipeline required to fix Lower Hutt drinking water

The cost of treating Lower Hutt's contaminated water supply has escalated to $11 million, with a 1.5-kilometre pipeline needed to divert water away from the Waterloo treatment plant.

E-coli had been found in water drawn from the Waiwhetu Aquifer, which goes to the plant, on three occasions since late last year, and an increase in coliform bacteria was also detected.

With an investigation unable to determine the cause of the problem, Greater Wellington Regional Council agreed to continue permanent chlorination and ultra-violet (UV) treatment of the water, at an up-front cost of $4.6m. See more