‘It’s a catastrophe’: Wellington rages as millions of litres of raw sewage pour into ocean

Abandoned beaches, public health warning signs and seagulls eating human waste are now features of the popular coastline in #NewZealand

Michelle Duff in Wellington
Wed 18 Feb 2026 22.42 EST

"A tide of anger is rising in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, as the city’s toilets continue to flush directly into the ocean more than two weeks after the catastrophic collapse of its wastewater treatment plant.

"Millions of litres of raw and partially screened sewage have been pouring into pristine #reefs and a #MarineReserve along the south coast daily since 4 February, prompting a national inquiry, as the authorities struggle to get the decimated plant operational.

"Abandoned beaches, public health warning signs and seagulls eating human waste are now features of the popular coastline, with the environmental disaster zone adjacent to the airport where thousands of international visitors alight every day.

"Fears for the safety of marine #ecosystems – including vulnerable species such as the little blue penguin, or #kororā, which nest along the shore – are mixed with concerns over the length and cost of disruption to those who depend on the coast for income, wellness, and recreation.

"As a southerly storm whipped through the lower North Island and churned up polluted seawater this week, hundreds of residents turned out to a public meeting to seek answers.

" 'They’re warning us to close our windows because a shit-laden hurricane is coming at us,' said the south coast resident and environmentalist Eugene Doyle, whose house faces the sea. 'Everyone in charge has done an appalling job, and they need to be held accountable.' "

Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/19/wellington-raw-sewage-leak-spill-water-new-zealand

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/bjF7f

#OceansAreLife #Sewage #Aotearoa #GovernmentFail #NZ

Today's good news story from NZ involves little blue penguins (kororā). I don't know what's in the water, but the Oamaru colony is having a bumper breeding season.

They'll break the previous record of 570 chicks in a season. So far 440 chicks have fledged and another 300 are ready to pop out. Penguins for everyone!

Go little kororā!

https://archive.ph/pyh9c#selection-1375.97-1375.103

#GoodNews #Korora #Penguins #Oamaru

Penguin spotted in the Christchurch CBD ‘exploring and looking for food’ | The Press

Go little bird, go!!

#BluePenguin #Kororā

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360927844/penguin-spotted-christchurch-cbd-exploring-and-looking-food

Linux Korora 25 Mate/Xfce/Cinnamon | Aperçu rapide

https://peertube.blablalinux.be/w/qAYHUu69cwP4aXRv7Ppwfh

Linux Korora 26 | Installation et aperçu de toutes les éditions !

https://peertube.blablalinux.be/w/d4ErVG21wRg4r6TvMvG1Tc

Hey #yeg … if you don’t have plans today, #Korora Choirs (formerly Kokopelli) are presenting their annual Stories concert: On With the Show. “Embrace your inner musical-theatre geek! Join us for a cavalcade of songs from shows and musicals, with plenty of movement, fun, and emotion.”

2:00 and 7:00 at West End CRC

Here’s a tiny preview, come hear the rest for yourself, you won’t regret it! Tons of Broadway hits!

Cafe Chill Episode 2024-31: Alan Ghostly, Jumpel & Adi Goldstein, Robin Sukroso & Korora and more

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Listen on PRX: https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/537857-cafe-chill-episode-2024-31
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Café Chill is Public Radio’s weekly curated chill mix, produced by KNHC National Productions (C89.5) in Seattle, and heard on noncommercial radio stations across the USA.

The latest episode of Cafe Chill includes tracks from Alan Ghostly, Jumpel & Adi Goldstein, Robin Sukroso & Korora and more. Hosted by Seth. Working in the background is me (Richard).

Playlist:

•Alan Ghostly–Last Dance
  Release: Retrofuturism Vol. 1
  Label:Alan Ghostly

•Poldoore–Celestial (A Tribute To Nujabes)
  Release: Celestial (A Tribute To Nujabes) – Single
  Label:Poldoore Music

•Treetalking–Stargazing
  Release: The Unknown
  Label:SXN

•Jumpel & Adi Goldstein–Mock State
  Release: Airth
  Label:Jumpel & Adi Goldstein

•Shigeto–Look At All the Smiling Faces
  Release: Full Circle
  Label:Ghostly International

•Leon Vynehall–Movements (Chapter III)
  Release: Nothing Is Still
  Label:Ninja Tune

•King Shi–Father’s Love
  Release: Jupiter Blues
  Label:Tekhedz, Millennium Jazz Music

•Almanacs–Coyote Blanco
  Release: Spirits of the River
  Label:Mystery Circles

•uinta–Taw
  Release: Sweetest
  Label:mind.slave

•Richard Alfaro–Alone
  Release: Refract
  Label:Richard Alfaro

•Submerse–Bake Sale
  Release: See You Soon
  Label:Project Mooncircle

•Yppah–R. Mullen
  Release: Eighty One (Bonus Track Version)
  Label:Ninja Tune

•Arms and Sleepers–Disintegrating In Your Soul
  Release: Former Kingdoms
  Label:Achillea Music

•Robin Sukroso & Korora–Deep Sea
  Release: Deep Sea – Single
  Label:Wuza Records

•Hello Meteor–South Shore Rain
  Release: The End of All Known Land
  Label:Evergreen Prefecture

You can also listen at:
https://cafechill.org

#AdiGoldstein #AlanGhostly #Almanacs #Ambient #ArmsandSleepers #C895 #C895CafeChill #cafeChill #cafechillradio #Chill #danceMusic #downtempo #elm #HelloMeteor #Jumpel #KingShi #KNHC #Korora #LeonVynehall #Poldoore #PRX #publicRadio #radio #RichardAlfaro #RobinSukroso #seattle #Shigeto #Submerse #Treetalking #Uinta #Yppah

The $2.2 billion, 14-kilometre Coffs Harbour bypass project is munching its way through the landscape now:
Blasting their way through the landscape, vegetation removal, earthwork, blasting, rock muncher and all...

Where is the mobility design to cater for fossil fuel free mobility in a climate emergency?

Images>
https://pacifichighway.nsw.gov.au/coffsharbourbypass
#Korora #BruxnerPark #CoffsHarbour #roads #highways #HostileLandscapes #FossilFuel #mobility #machinery #concrete #ClimateEmergency