Wastewater upgrade to be done in two stages

Work to provide a wastewater system to service growth areas north of Warkworth is still under investigation.

Watercare senior project manager Jacob Whitford says that following community feedback on initial options for the pipeline, Watercare has expanded its investigation to consider alternative approaches.

Whitford says the two options currently being explored are a pumped wastewater solution with a wastewater rising main or a drilled underground pipeline.

“While these options would take different routes, we anticipate both options would minimise the disruption to the Warkworth town centre,” he says.

Originally, Watercare had been looking at four options including running the pipeline down Queen Street.
Whitford says that to ensure Watercare is able to work in partnership with other proposed works in the area, and to minimise delays, the overall project has been split in two.

The first stage will involve the establishment of a wastewater network extending from the Warkworth Showgrounds to Hill Street. Ground investigations are expected to begin later this year with construction likely to start mid-to-late next year.

“We are proposing a combination of a drilled and trenched pipeline installation along Great North Road through to Shoesmith Reserve and are working with Auckland Transport to coordinate works around the Hill Street intersection upgrade to minimise the overall community impact. This section of works will take about a year.”

The two route options for the second stage, from Hill Street to the new pump station in Lucy Moore Memorial Park, are still being investigated.

Whitford says he expects to be able to share more with the community and key stakeholders in the next few months.

“Until investigations are complete, and an option finalised, we are unable to advise details of time and construction methodology for this stage of the project.”