Living in Kumeū: what the sources say
Homes doubled in the township
Stats NZ's Kumeū-Huapai urban area went from 1,134 occupied homes at the 2018 Census to 2,280 in 2023. The wider Kumeū statistical area grew from 2,265 to 3,498.
On the flood vulnerability list
Auckland Emergency Management's Rodney plan says Auckland's climate plan treats Kumeū and Waimauku as vulnerable to flooding, and that the 2023 storms brought flooding, slips, power cuts and ruined homes to parts of Rodney.
Separate houses, few renters
Across Rodney, 89.5% of occupied homes were separate houses at the 2023 Census, second only to Waiheke, and just 22.4% of households paid rent.
Off the network? Your own water and wastewater
- If you're not connected to the public supply, Auckland Emergency Management is blunt: the water is your responsibility.
- Fit a leaf filter or screen at least over the downpipes feeding the tank, and inspect the tank every year.
- Make sure you can draw tank water during a power cut, by gravity or with a tap that doesn't need the pump.
- Have the septic system checked and serviced every three years, and the sludge pumped out as needed.
- Higher-tech treatment systems with pumps, aeration or filters need a service every six months, and stop in a power cut once their spare capacity runs out.
Kumeū homes on Watercare
Connected to town water? Watercare's line is the outlet of your meter: past it, the pipes and fittings belong to you, and leaks there are your plumber's job. For a blocked sewer drain or overflow, ring Watercare on (09) 442 2222, option 1, first. Work on underground drains, including the pipes to a septic tank, is drainlaying and needs an authorised drainlayer.
See also drainlayers in Auckland, septic tanks, pumps and tanks, emergency plumbers, and nearby Helensville and Henderson.
What we would do
On a lifestyle block, plan for the power going off before it does. Find out whether your house can get tank water without the pump, and how long your wastewater system copes without power; then fix whichever answer worries you. A Kumeū plumber who works with pumps and tanks, or a drainlayer for the septic side, can set it up properly.