Work on a $115m project to upgrade wasterwater services through the midtown area of central Auckland is to begin shortly.
Part of Watercare’s $13.8 billion infrastructure plan for the next 10 years, the wastewater infrastructure upgrade is part of Auckland Council Group’s midtown regeneration programme which is designed to get the area ready for when the City Rail Link opens.
The work will be done two stages. The first involves a tunnel boring machine laying a new wastewater pipe underneath Queen Street from a shaft at the corner of Queen Street and Mayoral Drive.
A second shaft will be excavated on the corner of Wellesley Street East and Queen Street, and a third shaft will be built at the corner of Victoria Street East and Queen Street.
The work on Queen Street aims to reduce wet weather overflows into the Waitematā Harbour and to allow for growth.
“The new pipe will capture wastewater flows from the eastern side of the city to connect with the Ōrākei main sewer, which will also undergo relining as part of this project,” Watercare said.
A site compound will be set up in the Greys Ave car park.
Watercare said temporary steel barriers will soon start appearing, as construction of the Mayoral Drive and Victoria Street East shafts is due to start in December. This work is likely to take a year to complete.
“Temporary changes to Wellesley East bus stop and loading bay will be necessary whilst initial service diversion work and subsequent shaft construction takes place.”
Stage two is at the design stage will see the laying of new wastewater pipes from Vincent Street to Greys Avenue car park. The work is due to be completed in 2026.
Watercare chief programme delivery officer Shayne Cunis said “great efforts” were being made to reduce disruption during construction.
The central city has seen years of work as part of the CRL project, with road closures and disruption to business.
“Our construction partner Fulton Hogan and subcontractors are mindful of any impact on neighbours and users of Queen Street — one of Auckland’s busiest streets.
“For that reason, we are tunnelling, as opposed to digging an open trench.”
He said, however, that the work was still necessary.
“No one likes to see black flags on the Safeswim website, and this new pipework will produce a cleaner environment, improve resiliency of our network and allow for future population growth.”
