Published 17/07/2021
Media release: Wastewater burst main on SH1 Paremata
Update – 5.30pm
Our crews have been onsite all day working on a temporary fix of sending wastewater flow from the main through to an alternative path. This work has been challenging due to the continued heavy rainfall.
“We hope to have the temporary fix in place sometime this evening with the aim to implement the permanent repair tomorrow once the rain has eased,” says Sam Lister Wellington Water’s Manager Customer Planning.
Traffic is very congested currently in the affected area of SH1 (between the Aotea turnoff and Paremata, 200 meters north of Aotea lagoon).
“We’re asking people to find alternative routes or delay travelling if possible.”
“We’d also like to continue to remind people to avoid swimming in the Porirua harbour as a no swimming notice remains in place and for pedestrians to avoid any local areas with surface flooding as this could contain some wastewater overflow.”
Crews will be onsite working overnight.
“We’d like to thank the public for their continued patience while we work to fix this issue.”
Update – 3.30pm
Further investigation by Wellington Water around the burst wastewater main on SH1 in Paremata has found that the incident has also caused a wastewater man hole to overflow wastewater on to Station Road, Paremata Crescent and on some areas near the entrance of the Paremata Primary School grounds.
We are asking pedestrians to take extra care and avoid these areas.
We have a team on the ground who have cordoned off these areas with cones and people on site with signage. We also have suction trucks working in this area to control flows.
Wastewater main burst on State Highway 1 in Paremata
Public are being asked to expect delays on State Highway 1 (SH1) in Paremata and avoid swimming in the Porirua harbour due to a burst wastewater main between the Aotea turnoff and Plimmerton, 200 meters north of Aotea lagoon.
Wellington Water was called out to a burst wastewater main on SH1 around 8am today.
“This has caused wastewater to overflow across SH1 and into the Paremata harbour. State Highway 1 is currently down to one lane north bound and people should expect delays,” says Sam Lister, Wellington Water’s Manager Customer Planning.
“There are nine wastewater tanker trucks on site helping to reduce the overflow on SH1 and crews are planning to do an urgent repair.”
Works are expected to go into late evening tonight. A no swimming notice will be put up onsite near the harbour entrance which will remain in place for 48 hours after the overflow stops.
“With the heavy rainfall likely to cause more overflows, we’re also asking residents in Whitby, Paremata, Plimmerton, Pukerua Bay, and in the northern parts of Aotea to minimise water use as much as possible.
“We’d like to thank the public for their patience as we work to repair the burst.”