July 21st 2026: Code brown

More than eight years ago, we wrote a story here in Box of Light about a February flood event that saw Dunedin City Council trip a switch to divert 10,680 cubic metres of stormwater-diluted sewage into the Pacific Ocean at Lawyers Head. That floored me at the time, but the more I researched the issue, the more destitute I became. 

It's a complex issue with more than 1200km of aging and failing pipe infrastructure at its core. One spokesperson from DCC suggested it might be a 30-plus-year fix and could cost as much as $130 million. 

At the start of July, we had another rain event that looked certain to flood homes in the low-lying areas of South Dunedin. Thankfully, pre-event mitigation in the form of sump clearing minimised the fallout. But there is another lever the DCC can pull: bypassing the Tahuna Wastewater Treatment Plant and opening the pipes at Lawyers Head. It's an ugly scenario either way, but for now, it seems like the only option. 

I've seen first-hand what happens when they open those pipes. It starts with the flood waters rising steadily as locals desperately try to sandbag their homes and garages. Several streets begin filling with a slurry of sewage and stormwater. As the high tide looms, the conditions look unstoppable, then the call comes. It is like a plug has been pulled – the floodwaters recede. Lawyers Head spews its contents into the sea and spares many homes spread across the reclaimed swampland, and surfers are forced out of the sea until the monitoring suggests it's safe again. 

We dive a bit deeper into the issue with DCC's 3 Waters lead, John McAndrew, here on NZ Surf Journal. 

See you at the beach, Derek

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