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Greater Wellington Regional Council
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TypeAgencyParallel NameGWRCOther NamesWRCWellington Regional CouncilDate Range1980-DescriptionThe Wellington Regional Council was established by the Wellington Region Constitution Order 1980. Clause 7 of the order transferred the functions, rights, powers and duties of the Wellington Regional Water Board to the Wellington Regional Council. In practice, GWRC is responsible for sourcing, storing, treating and delivering potable water to the Councils. It continues to operate a ‘wholesale’ water supply - set out under the WRWB Act 1972 - and supplies water to Wellington, Porirua, Hutt City and Upper Hutt, levying each for its share of the total supply GWRS owns the Stuarts Macaskill storage lakes, treatments plants, pumping stations and the bulk water pipe network.
The Councils are GWRC’s direct customer but the ultimate customer of the bulk water services and all other water services are the end-users or recipients of water in the Wellington region. In 1987, 7 years after the establishment of the Wellington Regional Council, the Te Marua Te Marua storage lakes and treatment plant were opened, and the now redundant Morton Dam was decommissioned a year later due to earthquake risk. In 1992 the Upper Karori Reservoir was closed due to the same concerns. The Wainuiomata Treatment Plant was opened in 1993. In 1998 the Karori reservoirs, no longer in use as a water supply, were turned into Zealandia - Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. The water in the dams is still kept as a water supply in the case of an emergency.
In 2003 Wellington Regional Council changed its name into the Greater Wellington Regional Council. This name change was part of a whole new branding for the Regional Council, a brand the council decided upon to with the aim to better reflect its strategic direction towards a sustainable region and its role in safeguarding the environment. Central to the new brand was the name Greater Wellington and a logo that reflected the elements of water, land, air and energy. The logo was underpinned by the catch line “Quality for Life”. The name Greater Wellington emphasised that the area of responsibility spanned not only Wellington city, but also the greater Wellington region including Upper and Lower Hutt, Porirua, Wairarapa and Kapiti. With the word “greater” the Regional Council also wanted to say something about its region – that it is a wonderful and thriving place within which to live and work. The Greater Wellington Regional Council took over the function of the Wellington Regional Council, being: Environment Management Regional Transport Regional Water Supply Land Management Flood Protection Parks and Forests Investment in Democracy Investments Stadium
The Councils are GWRC’s direct customer but the ultimate customer of the bulk water services and all other water services are the end-users or recipients of water in the Wellington region. In 1987, 7 years after the establishment of the Wellington Regional Council, the Te Marua Te Marua storage lakes and treatment plant were opened, and the now redundant Morton Dam was decommissioned a year later due to earthquake risk. In 1992 the Upper Karori Reservoir was closed due to the same concerns. The Wainuiomata Treatment Plant was opened in 1993. In 1998 the Karori reservoirs, no longer in use as a water supply, were turned into Zealandia - Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. The water in the dams is still kept as a water supply in the case of an emergency.
In 2003 Wellington Regional Council changed its name into the Greater Wellington Regional Council. This name change was part of a whole new branding for the Regional Council, a brand the council decided upon to with the aim to better reflect its strategic direction towards a sustainable region and its role in safeguarding the environment. Central to the new brand was the name Greater Wellington and a logo that reflected the elements of water, land, air and energy. The logo was underpinned by the catch line “Quality for Life”. The name Greater Wellington emphasised that the area of responsibility spanned not only Wellington city, but also the greater Wellington region including Upper and Lower Hutt, Porirua, Wairarapa and Kapiti. With the word “greater” the Regional Council also wanted to say something about its region – that it is a wonderful and thriving place within which to live and work. The Greater Wellington Regional Council took over the function of the Wellington Regional Council, being: Environment Management Regional Transport Regional Water Supply Land Management Flood Protection Parks and Forests Investment in Democracy Investments Stadium
Greater Wellington Regional Council. Archives Online, accessed 14/08/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/7763