Source: Whangarei District Council
Updated: 31/08/2020 3:14 p.m.
Work is underway to install a new $1.1 million Hātea River pumping watermain as part of drought resilience projects.
The new watermain will allow Council to pump more water from the Hātea River during dry weather, saving dam water.
Contractors Forte Civil are installing the 1.5km watermain this month along Whareora Road from AH Reed Park to the Hātea River bridge.
To reduce delays for people using the road, the work will be done in short sections using Stop and Go signs rather than temporary traffic lights, which caused traffic delays along Whareora Road during works last month.
Council Distribution Engineer David Drummond thanks the locals in the area for their patience during these works. He says the watermain will be installed using a technique called pipe cracking.
“Pipe cracking uses a high strength hydraulic ram and a hardened steel cone – the new watermain is pulled into the old watermain which is cracked apart.”
“The advantage of using this technique is the road surface is opened in a small pit every 100m along the pipeline route and the road surface is not disturbed in between the pits – this saves money and reduces traffic delays for the public.”
Mr Drummond says the old 300mm diameter watermain will be replaced with a 350mm diameter high pressure rating watermain.
There are also plans for a second phase of works to replace a drinking watermain in Whareora Road that has been breaking frequently due to its age.
