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Waikeria wastewater pipeline

Council are working with Department of Corrections to build a brand new wastewater connection for the Waikeria Prison, including a 10km wastewater pipeline from the Prison through to Kihikihi.

The new connection will allow wastewater from Waikeria Prison to be treated at the Te Awamutu waste water treatment plant. At the plant, it will be treated to modern resource consent standards prior to being discharged to the Pūniu River catchment rather than the Mangatutu Stream where is currently is being discharged to.

As part of the Waikeria wastewater pipeline, we'll also be making improvements to the overall wastewater network to improve capacity and efficiency to cater for future growth. The project includes upgrades to Albert Park wastewater pump station, installing a rising main between State Highway 3 through Kihikihi to Rolleston Road and a gravity main between Rolleston and Flat Road where it will join the Te Awamutu wastewater infrastructure.

Progress Update

December 2020

Albert Park pump station is now operational and we have started preparing the old facility and storage tanks for demolition in the new year. Our contractor is also preparing the Waikeria site for the Christmas/New Year shutdown and will restart works mid-January.

November 2020

This month, we connected the Waikeria wastewater pipeline with the existing pipes at Mangapiko Street, Churchilll and Mutu Streets which required work overnight while our wastewater flows were at their lowest. The Spartan crew did a fantastic job with no interruption to services as this took place. We also finished the Kihikihi township installation and pipes are now connected in to the Te Awamutu wastewater network along Flat Road. The last part of Kihikihi is a review of the road by the Council’s transport team for the final tick of approval – this is expected to take place before Christmas. The Waikeria Project is now sitting at 80 percent completion.

October 2020

This month, we completed the pipeline connection alongside the Puniu bridge, which marked the end of the Waikeria to Kihikihi section of wastewater pipeline. At Albert Park Pump Station, the new tanks were fully covered, with visible manholes the only visible sign of the 180,000L tanks beneath. Two 'green domes' were also installed which contain carbon-filtering odour control technology to help reduce unpleasant odours occurring - a first for Waipa district. Landscaping of the area is due to take place in Autumn 2021 when planting is optimal.

​Albert Park Pump Station's three large underground tanks are now fully covered, with manholes the only visible sign of the large infrastructure beneath.

Albert Park Pump Station's three large underground tanks are now fully covered, with manholes the only visible sign of the large infrastructure beneath.

September 2020

The Waikeria pipeline project has reached a major milestone with all main infrastructure onsite at each work site. At Albert Park, Spartan are back-filling the underground storage tanks, which, when complete, will have only a few manholes indicating the large tanks beneath. In Kihikihi, most of the new wastewater pipelines have been installed, with reinstatement and commissioning (getting the pipes ready for use) now the focus. Up at Waikeria, the large above-ground structures are taking shape. We are on track to be finished at Albert Park by the end of 2020 and the project delivered in its entirety in March 2021.

August 2020

Work continues on site at Albert Pump Station and Waikeria Pump Station and the installation of the new pipeline along State Highway 3 towards Kihikihi continues. The new wastewater pipeline has been laid under the Flat Road, Herbert Street and Rolleston Road intersection with a detour in place. The detour was lifted on the last day of August.

Preparation for the new wastewater pipe continues with hydro-excavating ongoing at the southern end of Kihikihi along the new pathway.

July 2020

The wet-well for the new Albert Park pump station was installed after a small weather delay and work continues on site. The new pipeline is due to be installed through Kihikihi between August and October, and preparation is taking place. This involves some investigative work such as checking the locations of power lines, fibre cables and existing three-waters pipelines to forward plan where drilling should occur.

June 2020

A milestone was achieved towards the end of June, with three 26 metre long by 3 metre wide underground emergency storage tanks installed at Albert Park Pump Station in Te Awamutu. These tanks can store a combined total of 540,000L of wastewater and were an impressive sight being craned into place.

Underground storage tank installation at Albert Park Pump Station, Te Awamutu for the Waikeria pipeline infrastructure project

At Waikeria Pump Station, we are now above ground with the new portal frame under construction, storage tank foundations laid and work continuing on the wet well. We have also finished laying the pipeline along Waikeria Road and we have now moved onto State Highway 3.

Here’s the progress we’ve made so far at the Waikeria Pump Station:

In Kihikihi, contractors are spray-painting areas along Rolleston, Galloway, Moule, Church Streets and Flat Road in Kihiki, in preparation for the pipeline to be installed through the town. This will take place in the coming months.

We will be installing the Waikeria pipeline through some streets in Kihikihi so we can transfer wastewater from Waikeria through to Te Awamutu for treatment.

This may mean some noise disruption to residents and detours in place at times as we make progress through the town but we’ll try to keep it to a minimum.

In Te Awamutu, work continues on installing the new pipeline down Paterangi, Daphne and Mangapiko Streets. These will connect between Albert Park Pump Station and the Te Awamutu Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is also being upgraded to cope with increased flows.

May 2020

Work has recommenced at Albert Park Pump Station, Waikeria Pump Station, Waikeria Road and Mangapiko Street. It is being undertaken under strict guidelines to enforce physical distancing, contact tracing and increased hygiene measures.

“The majority of work taking place using machinery is manned with one person. Where this isn’t possible, work “bubbles” have been established with strict contact tracing to ensure people can be stood down quickly if someone is confirmed with Covid-19.

Once Waikeria Road pipeline has been laid, work will move to the State Highway 3 section towards Kihikihi.

Separate teams are in place at the Waikeria Pump Station, each with a separate focus area on the wet well, amenity building and inlet works.

March - April 2020

Waikeria Pipeline project works have been put on hold during the COVID-19 Level Four Lockdown.

February 2020

Work on the wastewater pipeline between Albert Park and the Rose Gardens has progressed with the arrival of a drilling rig on site earlier this month and works underway. The rig is used for directional drilling to tunnel underground before the new pipes are pulled through. This creates less interruption to traffic and pedestrians.

The directional drilling will take place along Selwyn Lane, outside the Rose Garden area, as well as in a number of other streets between Albert Park Pump Station and the Te Awamutu Wastewater Treatment Plant indicated below. Where directional drilling is not possible, an open cut method will take place.

Albert Park Pump Station continues to take shape, with a large excavation on site. Once complete, three 3m x 24m storage tanks will be installed underground which will provide emergency storage for the pump station. The storage tanks will arrive on-site at end of April to be installed.

At the Waikeria Pump Station, concrete foundations have been poured in preparation for storage tanks to be installed. Roadworks along Waikeria Road have reached the halfway point with the SH3 to Kihikihi section planned next.

January 2020

Work resumed in mid-January on the Albert Park Pump Station and preparation has started for the upcoming rising main that will go through Te Awamutu to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Waikeria Pump Station is also progressing well on the wet well construction and associated earthworks and the pipeline installation on Waikeria Road will be starting in the coming weeks.

December 2019

The main structure of the Waikeria Pump Station wet well has been completed, with over 1,000m3 of concrete poured and work has also been completed on the ground improvement works for the above ground tanks. Over 300 soil/concrete mixed piles have been installed.

Preparation has begun for the Waikeria to Kihikihi Rising Main with the first delivery of pipe being prepared ready for installation to start in the new year. The first section between the pump station and the Waikeria Road bridge is all within the prison grounds.

Great progress has been made at Albert Park with foundations progressing at the site with the establishment of the crane and drilling rig. Foundation work has now been completed and Pioneer Walkway is open to the public over the holiday break.

Further works will be started in the new year on the pump station and the storage tanks.

November 2019

Work continues on the Waikeria Pump Station with piling rigs excavating 16m underground to create the foundations for the wet well. This involves placing concrete into steel casings which have been manoeuvred into place by a 50 tonne crane. Once filled with concrete, the cranes remove the casings and place reinforcing cages in. The wet well holds the pumps for wastewater to be transferred on for processing.

Earthworks are also continuing on-site to prepare the new pump station foundations.

Further along the pipeline, Albert Park Pump Station in Te Awamutu was blessed on 21 November 2019 by representatives from local iwi prior to the start of construction of the new pump station.

The Pioneer Walkway will be temporarily detoured while works take place with a marked path heading along the Hot Rod Club building further towards the Te Awamutu Rugby Sports Ground. Access to the off-leash dog exercise area in the Sculpture Park near the sports grounds will be available at all times. The Albert Park Pump Station is expected to be completed mid-2020.

October 2019:

Spartan Construction have begun the project, starting with earthworks and other founding activities (relocation of power lines, temporary relocation of underground services, etc) at the Waikeria Wastewater pump station site which is located within the Waikeria Prison grounds. The Waikeria Wastewater Pump Station is the largest single package of work and construction at this site and will run for the full duration of the project.

Preparation has also begun for the first sections of the Waikeria to Kihikihi rising main to be laid. The first section of the rising main will be installed in late 2019 with all work contained within the Waikeria Prison grounds prior to Christmas.

Spartan Construction undertaking preparatory works on site for the Waikeria Wastewater Pump Station with new correctional facility in background.

Preparation also continues for the Albert Park Pump Station to be upgraded. Work will commence at this location in late 2019.

Key milestones:

  • Waikeria Wastewater Pump Station completion – 3 October to mid-February 2021
  • Waikeria pipeline (Waikeria Road to Flat Road):
  • Waikeria Rd Section – Complete
  • SH3 – underway to early November 2020)
  • Kihikihi Residential Area – July 2020 to Late November 2020
  • Albert Park pump station: November 2019 – November 2020
  • Albert Park Rising Main (Albert Park PS to Paterangi Road) – February 2020 to November 2020
  • Completion of full project: March 2021

Background

In June 2018, the Government announced it will increase the capacity of the existing Waikeria Prison site. A new facility accommodating 500 prisoners and a new mental health facility accommodating a further 100 prisoners are due to be completed by 2022.

Corrections and Council have agreed to transfer the wastewater from the Prison to Council's wastewater treatment plant in Te Awamutu.

The project involves expanding the Te Awamutu treatment plant, constructing a new pumped pressure system from the Prison to Kihikihi and upgrading the existing wastewater network in Te Awamutu between the Albert Park pump station and the treatment plant to cater for growth.

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