Background
Te Raekaihau Point is located on the South Coast of Wellington between Lyall and Houghton Bays and is a recreational area. It is also a site of significance for mana whenua and is of interest and value for the local community, walkers/runners and recreation divers.
Following a report in late 2021 of potential exposed waste in a bank at Te Raekaihau Point, Wellington City Council completed exploratory digging to investigate the presence of waste. Following this a preliminary investigation and Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) were completed. Contamination including heavy metals, asbestos in soil and in bulk fragments, and hydrocarbons were confirmed up to 2m below ground level.
Though the risk to people, animals and the environment is considered low, the location of the site is vulnerable to storm surges and further sea level rise. It is only several meters away from the high tide mark, and low lying and starting to erode.
The Council will remove contaminated material and restore Te Raekaihau Point to make it safe and keep its rugged and natural coastal environment.
Current work
Te Raekaihau Point is currently safe for the public to visit. A temporary rock revetment has been put in place to protect the site from further erosion in the short term, but this is not a long-term solution.
Following a thorough site investigation to determine the extent of the contamination, a remediation action plan (RAP) for full restoration of the site has been completed. Physical site works will commence in May and be completed within two to three weeks.
About 1,000m3 of materials will be excavated, wrapped and removed, and deposited safely at the Southern Landfill.
The site will also require new gravel, possibly some shingle from local beaches, topsoil and some rocks to be brought in, and planting to restore the natural environment.
Mana whenua have been involved in this work as it is close to a site of significance for them. They are happy with the proposal to return the site to a natural state.