Media release
11 February 2008
-Metrowater capital works project to help reduce an estimated 70 million litres of polluted water entering Waitemata Harbour-
Metrowater Chief Executive Jim Bentley today welcomed the beginning of construction on a $50 million sewer separation project in Kingsland that will improve water quality at Auckland City beaches and harbour waterways.
Chris Dempsey, Chairman of the Eden/Albert Community Board, handed over a green spade to Clear Harbour Alliance Project Manager Bernard Hough at the groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the environmental benefits of the project which will help reduce an estimated 70 million litres of polluted water overflowing every year into the Waitemata harbour around the Western Bays by 2011.
Mr Bentley says this project is part of a 20-year investment by Metrowater and Auckland City Council to modernise the city’s aging combined drainage systems (meaning wastewater and stormwater flowing through the same pipe) and to support future population and economic growth.
“As the city continues to grow, we need to consider the future sustainability of our water and wastewater services. This is a vital investment in reducing Auckland City’s environmental footprint.”
The Clear Harbour Alliance was formed in June 2007 by Metrowater, engineering companies GHD, Opus International Consultants and contractor Downer EDI Works to more effectively share resources and increase innovation within the three-year capital works project.
For the past nine months, the Clear Harbour Alliance project team have worked together to investigate the number of properties in Kingsland, Eden Terrace, parts of Mt Eden and Morningside that are currently served by combined pipes. With investigative work complete, the project team today commenced construction that will separate 935 properties from the combined drainage system.
With about 15% of Auckland City’s drainage system currently combined, Mr Bentley says a ‘do nothing’ approach – based on current 20-year growth projections – would see more than 2 billion litres of polluted water overflow into the harbour annually.
Mr Bentley says the combined pipe network is already unable to cope at times of heavy rain, resulting in overflows including diluted raw sewage into open waterways, streams and harbour waters. The Clear Harbour Alliance sewer separation work is expected to close 30 of these overflow points.
Metrowater has already invested more than $65 million over the past decade in capital works to reduce overflows – including $16.9 million on completing sewer separation works in the Pt Chevalier, Orakei Basin and Upland areas last year.
The completion of a Drainage Strategic Plan by Metrowater, Auckland City and bulk water supplier Watercare in December 2005, highlighted how the increasing areas of non-permeable surfaces such as roads, pavement, roof and concrete surfaces were contributing to higher flows in the city’s stormwater system.
“This is putting increasing pressure on the city’s stormwater and combined drainage systems. This reinforces the need to progress sewer separation works, giving further impetus to the work being undertaken by Clear Harbour Alliance,” says Mr Bentley.
-Ends-
For more information, please contact:
Bernard Hough, Clear Harbour Alliance Project Manager. Tel +64 9 6244993, +64 27 4944045
Linda Danen, Head of Strategy & Marketing, Metrowater. Tel +64 9 6244804, +64 21 448863