Work on one of Invercargill City Council’s major infrastructure investments is on the home stretch. The Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade will ensure that water is able to get to Invercargill and Bluff without disruption, and the community continues to enjoy access to clean, safe drinking water.
The project will see more than 10 kilometres of pipeline – connecting the Ōreti River, at the Branxholme Water Treatment Plant, and the water tower in Gala St – replaced.
Physical work on the $27 million project began in August 2022. It is scheduled to be completed in mid-2025.
Invercargill City Council Programme Director Lee Butcher said the project was now highly visible, with work in Gala St in full swing.
“As the project has progressed, it has passed through a number of semi-rural and residential areas, but since early this year the installation of the pipeline has progressed to parts of the city where its impact is more noticeable to a greater number of people within the community,” he said.
“We are really in the thick of things now, and the work we need to undertake in order to get the water from the treatment plant at Branxholme to the water tower on Gala St means our contractors have to access key streets in the heart of the city.
“The nature of the work means it is inevitable that we have to introduce measures such as road closures and traffic restrictions, so we encourage the community to keep an eye on all of our communications channels to ensure they’re up-to-speed with where we are and when,” Butcher said.
The pipeline installation on Gala St will progress west until the end of February, with traffic management continuing to maintain two-way access on the road, before eventually reaching Kelvin St. Work there would head north towards Herbert St, with traffic management set to be implemented.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum, but the reality is that this work needs to be done to ensure our city’s infrastructure continues to function well. It’s a bit of short-term pain for long-term gain, and we really appreciate everybody’s patience as this significant project keeps cracking on,” Butcher said.
Additional work would also be undertaken on River St, while minor works would also be carried out at Myers Reserve and Thomsons Bush, as well as along the ridermain from Pomona Rd West to McIvor Rd, before the project was officially completed, he said.
“There is still plenty of mahi ahead, but we have ticked off some pretty major milestones, and the project is on track to be completed both on time, and within budget.
“We’re looking forward to the completion of the project, which is essential in maintaining our city’s critical water infrastructure.”
About the Branxholme Pipeline Project
The Branxholme Pipeline Project is a significant infrastructure initiative by the Invercargill City Council, to update the city’s water supply system to meet modern standards. The new 10km pipeline replaces infrastructure originally installed in 1958 with a durable and reliable infrastructure asset delivering a clean and safe water supply. The upgraded pipeline will stretch from the Ōreti River at the Branxholme Water Treatment Plant to the Water Tower on Gala Street, bolstering water supply to Invercargill and Bluff. For more information on the Branxholme Pipeline Project, visit the Invercargill City Council Branxholme page here
