Deputy mayor estimates price of fixing Wellington's pipes at $80k per ratepayer over 25 years

Wellington's deputy mayor is warning it could cost every ratepaying household or business more than $80,000 over the next 25 years to fix the city's poor pipes alone.

Ben McNulty said figures - first highlighted by Wellington Water - that it would cost more than $6 billion to fix Wellington city's pipes over two decades, would put enormous pressure on residents - and more government support in the future would be needed to ease bills.

McNulty said taking the total cost and dividing that by 81,000 resident and business ratepaying units revealed a concerning outlook.

"It's just not affordable. It is beyond the capacity of ordinary people to pay."

Water agency Tiaki Wai declined an interview request, even as the cost figures swirled on the campaign trail with Wellington candidates discussing it.