Wellington's summer heat results in record number of leaks in drinking-water pipes

It was a cracking summer in Wellington – so much so that it cracked a record number of water pipes.

Wellington City Council documents show a "record-breaking" 2140 leaks were reported in drinking-water pipes across the region in December – 762 more than in the same month the previous year.

The council's quarterly report, ending December 31, states old and brittle drinking water pipes were particularly vulnerable to cracking as the ground around them dried out. Read more