Work begins on pipe duplication project

Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui Director of Culture Kaanihi Butler-Hare, Wellington Water Group Manager Network Development & Delivery Tonia Haskell, Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy, Lower Hutt Mayor and Water Committee Chair Campbell Barry and McConnell Dowell Alliance Director Hugh Milliken.

The project will duplicate an old wastewater main that will reduce the risk of wastewater entering Te Awa Kairangi and the Waiwhetu stream in an earthquake.

Lower Hutt Mayor and Water Committee Chair Campbell Barry says he is delighted to see work starting on the pipe, and is looking forward to seeing this, and projects like it, start this year.

“This new pipe is a critical addition towards strengthening our core infrastructure and protecting our waterways.

“With pipes like these nearing the end of their useful lives, coupled with the growth we’ve been experiencing, our infrastructure is under pressure and it’s crucial we invest.

“This project builds resilience into our network, and alongside other projects being completed in Lower Hutt, ultimately protects our environment and our aquifer now and into the future.”

Upper Hutt City Council Mayor Wayne Guppy said he is looking forward to seeing the project completed this year.

“Projects like this demonstrate our commitment to investing in key infrastructure—and that is what our residents expect us to do.”

“This project is an important part in future proofing the Hutt Valley and taking steps to protect the environment.”

Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui Director of Culture Kaanihi Butler-Hare said the work being done to protect the environment is of utmost importance to iwi.

“Caring for our moana is not just a job to us, it’s our responsibility as kaitiaki for our future generations.

“This project, and others like it, protect the health and wellbeing of our community and our moana.”

Wellington Water, design company Stantec and construction company McConnell Dowell, will be installing a new 1.2km long by 1m diameter, pressurised wastewater pipeline from the Barber Grove Pump Station to the Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant in February 2022.

The pipe will be laid by a mixture of trenchless technology (55 per cent) using a micro tunnel boring machine, and open trenches.

“This method of construction has been chosen as it will cause the least amount of disruption to the road network, businesses and residents,” said Wellington Water Project Lead Linda Fairbrother.

“There is a possibility that there will be traffic congestion when work is taking place, but we will do our best to manage this.

“We’ll also need to remove the Lightwing sculpture in the middle of the Seaview roundabout, this will be temporary, and we’ll reinstall it as soon as the project is completed.

“The project will be completed in early 2023 and the final product will serve 90 per cent of the residents in Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt.”