Clean drinking water is now flowing through the newly commissioned northern section of the Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade.
Last month, engineers gave the green light to activating the section of new pipeline between Pomona Road and Myers Reserve, linking in to the Waikiwi Reservoir. It is a significant step forward for the project, which will provide secure and clean drinking water for Bluff and Invercargill.
With the Waikiwi Reservoir link-in now complete, traffic management and road closures on Pomona Road West have concluded.
Invercargill City Council Programme Director Lee Butcher said the link-in was a significant milestone for the once-in-a-generation infrastructure project for the city.
“With this link-in, we have now effectively ensured a resilient water supply to the Waikiwi Reservoir, and as the project progresses all the way to the central water reservoirs, we will continue to strengthen that resilience,” he said.
“When the project is done, we will have decommissioned the older, failure-prone pipeline and significantly mitigated the risk of water disruptions.”
Butcher said the project team had worked exceptionally well to keep the project running to plan despite some challenges.
“We have encountered some challenges, such as the soft ground conditions,” Butcher said.
“The depth of trenches is typically around two metres, however, there are often challenges with this, particularly when we have to navigate underground obstacles. In some sections, we have had to dig significantly deeper or make trenches wider to combat the poor soil conditions and keep workers safe. The project team has successfully dealt with many challenges such as these to keep the project on track.”
With 7.6km of the planned 10km pipeline now laid, the project is on a clear path to completion.
As the northern section of the pipeline becomes operational, work will continue on the southern sections, with current efforts focused on completing Gimblett Street, Thomsons Bush, Myers Reserve, River Street and Russel Street areas. In the coming weeks, work will also commence at Gala Street to connect the pipeline to the main reservoirs at the water tower.
“We’re doing this preliminary work now to take advantage of lower water demands during spring, thus avoiding disruptions during the higher water demand of summer,” Butcher said.
This ongoing work is expected to take around two weeks, with traffic management in place to reduce disruption.
“We would like to express gratitude to all residents for their patience and cooperation during this crucial work.”
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
