Funding approved to improve Whangārei Heads wastewater system
Published on 06 May 2026
Whangārei Heads Ward Councillor Tangiwai Baker says the funding provides a practical way forward.
Funding has been approved to tackle current pressures on the Whangārei Heads wastewater network and to plan for longer‑term solutions.
At a Council meeting on Tuesday 28 April 2026, councillors confirmed $2.2 million in existing capital funding for new wastewater pump stations and supporting network upgrades, scheduled for the 2026/27 financial year.
The funding comes following a notice of motion put forward by Ward Councillor for Whangārei Heads Tangiwai Baker.
“This investment gives us a practical way forward while the longer‑term options are properly worked through,” said Councillor Baker.
“The Whangārei Heads community sees the impacts of the wastewater system every day, whether that’s tankers on the road or an odour in the air.”
This work will focus on areas of the network where equipment is struggling to keep flows moving through the system, adding to Council’s ongoing efforts to reduce stormwater entering the network through low-lying gully traps and downpipes on private properties.
At present, pump stations in the area should only need to operate for around 10 to 18 hours a day in dry weather.
However, the pump station at the bottom of Solomon’s Point is running 24/7 and still can’t fully empty the Parua Bay storage tank, leading to frequent use of sucker trucks transporting wastewater from the storage tank to the Whangārei Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Technical assessments show the issue is more about pump capacity, rather than pipe size.
Council also approved $300,000 to investigate long‑term wastewater treatment and disposal options for Whangārei Heads. This work will help inform future decisions under the new water services council‑controlled organisation.
Together, these steps aim to improve how the current system operates while making sure Whangārei Heads has a more sustainable wastewater solution for the future.