Avondale at a glance
Damper than the national average
At the 2023 Census, 4% of Avondale homes were always damp and 20.4% sometimes damp, against 2.3% and 15.8% nationally. Mould bigger than an A4 sheet was always there in 6.3% of homes, almost twice the national 3.5%.
About half don't own
51.7% of Avondale households didn't own their home or hold it in a family trust, compared with 34% across New Zealand. In the wider Whau board area, 27.8% of homes are joined dwellings.
A low, built-up catchment
Auckland Emergency Management says the Whau area is mostly low-lying and about 93% urban or industrial, so floodwater can't soak away and has to use the stormwater system. Its plan names the Avondale Stream and catchment as particularly vulnerable to flooding.
New pipes for overflows
Watercare is building new wastewater pipes to carry overflows from several areas to the Central Interceptor tunnel, to cut spills in the Avondale catchment. One link sewer runs from May Road to Miranda Reserve.
Damp walls and hidden leaks
The census doesn't say why a house is damp, and there are plenty of reasons. A slow leak is one you can test for yourself. Watercare's method: write down the meter reading, use no water at all for 4 hours or more, then read it again. If the number has moved, you probably have a leak, and our leak check tool helps you narrow it down.
Water lost on your side of the meter is still on your bill, so it pays to find it. A leak detection specialist can trace a leak you can't see.
Rain, sewage and your section
Watercare says water that can't drain away on a property is normally the owner's to deal with, with a plumber or drainlayer. Blocked public stormwater drains, flooded roads and ponds go to Auckland Council on 09 301 0101. Sewage at the gully trap, the grated drain outside where the waste pipes meet, is different again: ring Watercare first on (09) 442 2222, option 1, so it can check the public pipe.
More for Avondale homes
Across Auckland: blocked drains, drainlayers and hot water cylinders. Neighbouring suburbs: New Lynn and Mount Albert.
Our advice for Avondale
If you rent and the place is damp, look for water before blaming the weather: a drip under the sink, a wet patch near the cylinder, a toilet that keeps running. Then tell your landlord in writing, because Watercare says landlords fix leaks on their property and you're paying for the water meanwhile. If you own, do the meter test before booking anyone, so the plumber arrives to a known leak rather than a guess.