Taupo water and wastewater renewals
Project overview
| Location: | Taupō |
| Project status: | Stage two in progress |
| Start date: | February 2020 |
| Completion date: | June 2021 (Stage one was completed in August 2020) |
| Project budget: | $2.94 million |
A two year work programme is underway to renew water mains and wastewater rising mains in parts of Taupō. The areas selected for renewal were primarily based on the age and material of the infrastructure, with both the water and wastewater pipes coming to their end of their life. Renewing these pipelines will greatly improve resilience to the network.
The project includes phased works along parts of Tauhara Road, Puia Street, Rifle Range Road, Konini Street, Taharepa Road, Crown Road, Miro St, Chad Street, Mere Road, Titiraupenga St in Taupo and Caroline Drive in Bonshaw Park.
We’ve grouped the renewals into specific areas to streamline the work and minimise disruption to the community and this means the road will only have to be dug once. Affected residents and businesses will be notified prior to any work taking place.
The project is expected to cost $2.94 million and is budgeted for within the 2018-28 long term plan. Phase one of the renewals started in February 2020 on Miro Street.
Project updates
FEBRUARY 12, 2021
The ongoing work of renewing water mains in Taupō is progressing well with the successful installation of new pipelines on Taharepa Road and Rifle Range Road.
Work will continue for around two weeks to decommission the old mains surrounding the Paetiki Shops and contractors have now started working toward Tauhara shops and Tauhara Primary School, working along Crown Road and Taharepa Road (between Miro St and Kiddle Drive) before continuing the renewals down to Ngamotu Road.
Infrastructure manager Denis Lewis said the renewals in this area began last year and are being undertaken to replace some ageing pipes.
“The team will be moving through this area progressively replacing the older concrete pipes with a much more modern material that can stand up to the heat we have in the ground here in the Taupō District,” he said.
“The modern pipes also have a longer lifespan and we’ll be installing new lateral connections to each property and working to install the valves and hydrants to the new main over the coming weeks to make the system more resilient.”
AUGUST 12, 2020
With new water mains installed on Miro Street, Caroline Drive and in Bonshaw Park, the ongoing infrastructure renewals programme has now shifted to Taharepa, Tauhara, and Rifle Range Roads.
Infrastructure manager Denis Lewis said the renewals are needed to replace some ageing pipes and make the system more resilient.
“We’re replacing the older concrete pipes with a much more modern material that has an increased lifespan. They are also more able to stand up to the heat we have in the ground here in the Taupō District,” he said.
“Over the coming months our contractor will be drilling out new passageways for the new pipes, inserting those pipes and then making new connections. We’ll also be replacing all the valves and hydrants as we go.”
Once the work on Tauhara and Rifle Range Roads is complete the renewals will continue along Taharepa Road towards the lake.
JUNE 26, 2020
A major works programme to renew water pipes and residential connections in Miro Street and Caroline Drive is nearing completion after being interrupted by COVID-19 alert levels.
The work was carried out to replace aging pipes with the new system expected to be connected by the end of this week.
The work is part of council's ongoing maintenance programme which includes replacing pipes that are nearing the end of their working life.
The drilling team is already working on the next set of renewals, which will encompass Tauhara Road, Riffle Range Road and Taharepa Road, and later in the year we’ll be looking to install the new valves, hydrants and new service connections in those areas.
The work in Miro Street is scheduled to be complete by mid July 2020.
Media release February 7, 2018: Water mains and wastewater renewals get the green light
