Auckland’s Tāmaki River to benefit from new wastewater pump station

Wet weather overflows into the Tāmaki River in Auckland's inner east will be few and far between, thanks to Watercare's new Dunkirk Wastewater Pump Station and the 1.4-kilometre gravity sewer main that have just gone into service.

The wastewater infrastructure has been delivered as part of Stage 1 of a $51 million joint shovel-ready programme between Watercare and Kāinga Ora, which will enable residential growth in Panmure and surrounding suburbs over the next 15 years.

Watercare project manager Jason Salmon says the Dunkirk Wastewater Pump Station - on the corner of Dunkirk Rd and Tangaroa St - can handle flows of up to 225 litres per second, 185 litres more per second than the pump station across the road.

"The pump station's increased pumping and storage of up to 700,000 litres of wastewater across its four underground storage tanks will play a significant role in reducing overflows into the Tāmaki River during wet weather.

"The 1.4km gravity main will also help to prevent most overflows into local waterways by diverting the extra flow during heavy rainfall to the new wastewater pump station.

"In the future, stage two of the works will involve construction of a new rising main from the Dunkirk Pump Station to the Eastern Interceptor - a large transmission pipe that carries the wastewater to our Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Salmon says the pump station's design, half visible to the public, is practical and sustainable.

"By working collaboratively with our construction and design partners Fulton Hogan, we landed on a design that reduces our concrete usage and includes more sustainable materials like glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) - which allowed us to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1400 tonnes.

"To make the build more sustainable, we substituted traditional steel construction fencing with weather hoardings made from a culmination of timber, plasterboard, packaging, and other recycled plastics from saveBOARD."

Salmon says with the pump station and gravity sewer main now in service, the project team's focus is to finish gardening, fencing, and cementing the driveway in and around the new pump station.

"Since the pump station looks over the Tāmaki River, the reinstatement work is a hugely important part of the project to integrate the pump station into its surrounding environment.

"We have planted 260 native plants, including Nīkau palms and Purei bushes, and installed aluminium fencing and telescopic gates to secure the site."

Salmon says Stage 1 of the shovel-ready programme has progressed at pace.

"Project success isn't only about time, budget and quality. It also includes ensuring everyone feels a sense of achievement and remains positively engaged throughout all the ups and downs along the project journey.

"I'd also like to thank the community for their patience and understanding while our crews worked hard to complete the pump station and gravity sewer."

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