Lifeline Utilities

Lifeline utilities is a term used in the Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002 to describe organisations that provide essential infrastructure to the community. The Act says that lifeline utilities must “function at the fullest possible extent, even though this may be at a reduced level, during and after an emergency".

Lifeline utilities cover:

Ports and airports
Road and rail networks
Radio and television networks
Water supply, wastewater and stormwater
Petrol and diesel
Electricity and gas
Telecommunications

Lifelines groups in the Wellington Region

Wellington Lifelines Group (WeLG)

The Wellington Lifelines Group (or WeLG) was established in 1993 to coordinate the physical risk management activities of Wellington utility and transport service providers.

What the Wellington Lifelines Group does

The Wellington Lifelines Group works with its members to:

Learn from each other and coordinate activities
Facilitate discussion, particularly on hazard understanding and risk reduction measures on the Wellington Region’s infrastructure
Identify the effects of hazards on infrastructure, and to mitigate against those effects
Facilitate increased understanding of the interdependencies between infrastructure organisations
Develop best practice approaches to risk reduction, readiness, response and recovery for lifelines
Maintain awareness of the importance of lifelines, and of reducing their vulnerabilities.

Members of the Wellington Lifelines Group

Membership of the Wellington Lifelines Group is open to all lifeline utilities and related organisations operating in the Wellington metropolitan area, subject to payment of the annual membership grant. The current members are:

Contact the Wellington Lifelines Group

Contact the Wellington Lifelines Group's Project Manager

Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association (WELA)

The Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association (or WELA) was formed in 1996 following a public meeting to discuss the risks to engineering lifelines from natural hazards, the likely impact on the local community and what was being achieved by other study groups in New Zealand.

What the Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association does:

The Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association works with its members to:

Study the Wairarapa’s engineering lifelines to assess levels of risk from natural hazards and suggest mitigation measures to reduce the level of risk
Support existing lifeline providers by updating and refining information on hazards and mitigation measures, and by participating in research on engineering lifelines.

Members of the Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association:

The current members of the Wairarapa Engineering Lifelines Association are:

Find our Lifelines Reports in our Resource Library.