Cornish Street Wastewater Renewal

Whether it’s in your backyard, or deep in the bush, we’re always working to protect Wellington’s waterways!

Earlier this year, one of the graduate engineers from Wellington Water’s Network Operations team together with contractor Mac Engineering completed two projects on drainage pipelines – not the most glamorous work, but critical for the health of the wastewater network and our natural environment! 
 
On a quiet suburban street in Tawa, a duct holding water, wastewater and power connections which crossed the Porirua Stream was taken out by a tree in a storm. This created risks both for local residents, who could have lost these critical services, as well as the awa which could have been contaminated by wastewater overflows. The team completed the installation of a new steel bridge in August. 

This project improves the resilience of the network and will make future maintenance easier, if required. 

Meanwhile, tucked away in Hutt City’s Korokoro bush, a wastewater pipe which was meant to run underground slipped out during a landslide. Our team completed a temporary “fix” by securing the pipe to the trees above, until the permanent repair could be completed in July. These works were rounded off with a full relining of the pipe, solidifying the longevity of the repair.

Installing these large pipe crossings in sensitive natural environments required some unique methodologies – avoiding any contact between machinery or equipment and the river, and protecting the nearby trees from being cut down. Mac Engineering assembled many of the parts in their yard, so they could be brought in and connected with minimal work required on site.

The team really showed their commitment to upholding Te Mana O Te Wai – the vital importance of our rivers and streams – while continuing to deliver a high level of service to the Wellington and Hutt communities.