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Kōrero: Wellington places

Building the Wainuiomata reservoir

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Building the Wainuiomata reservoir

The pristine headwaters of the Orongorongo and Wainuiomata rivers are a vital part of Wellington’s water supply. In the late 19th century a dam to supply Wellington was built on the upper Wainuiomata. By 1918 this was inadequate. To increase the supply, the headwaters of the Orongorongo were tunnelled to the Wainuiomata dam.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Wellington City Archives

Reference: 00148:0:40

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Chris Maclean, Wellington places – Eastern ranges, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/13494/building-the-wainuiomata-reservoir (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Chris Maclean, i tāngia i te 3 March 2009, updated 1 March 2016.