Published 28/08/2023
Kaitoke Pipe Bridge upgrade marks major milestone
Wellington Water, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Stantec, Holmes Consulting and Brian Perry Civil are pleased to mark a major milestone with the installation of the new bridge. It was no small feat – the bridge comes in at 52 metres long, weighs 24 tonnes, and had to be lifted into place by a tower crane.
The Kaitoke Pipe Bridge is a key regional project, as the current flume bridge is aging, and a significant portion of Wellington’s drinking water supply runs across it - approx. 140 million litres per day.
Wellington Water Project Director Gareth Penhale shared “After a 5-year development programme and a huge amount of input from the design and contractor teams it is fantastic to see the bridge being installed today. Once the final fit out of the new pipe is completed, we expect to be diverting water across the bridge in March 2024.”
Stantec Project Manager Mark Wollina explains, “The new bridge will support a 1.5m diameter ductile iron pipe, designed and built in Japan and the largest of its type installed in Aotearoa. It’s been specifically designed to flex in a significant earthquake event and ensure water flow to the downstream water treatment plant at Te Mārua.”
Due to health and safety requirements and space limitations, members of the public weren’t able to view the bridge lift in person.