Major pipeline renewal work starts this month

This month, the Gore District Council starts a significant infrastructure project to replace some of the oldest pipelines in Gore.

The replacement of water and wastewater mains in Wigan Street will start on Monday 16 August and will take about eight months to complete.

The $2.6 million project involves replacing approximately one kilometre of water main and 800m of wastewater main along the entire length of the street. The majority of funding for the project comes from the Government’s post COVID-19 stimulus fund.

3 Waters Asset Manager Matt Bayliss said the water and wastewater pipelines were in poor condition and at risk of ongoing failure.

“Their precarious condition was highlighted in 2020 when a large hole appeared in Wigan Street as a result of the wastewater main collapsing.”

Mr Bayliss said the existing wastewater main was an ancient egg-shaped concrete pipe and believed to be one of the oldest wastewater pipes in the Gore network. The pipeline services the majority of north and central Gore.

“At 900mm in diameter, the pipe is one of the largest and most critical pipes we have in the network, so it’s imperative we make sure it remains operational.”

There will be some significant changes to traffic flows in Wigan Street during this project, Mr Bayliss said.

“We are planning on maintaining one-way traffic for most of the time. However, the street will need to be closed for short periods. Residents in the street will have access at all times.”

Mr Bayliss said staff had started preliminary design work to replace the next section of the pipeline, extending from the intersection of Wigan and Bury streets to the junction of Eccles and Ardwick streets.

The pipe passes under two buildings, the railway tracks, State Highway 1 and the Eccles Street playground.

“Given the challenges associated with its current route, we are looking at changing the pipe’s alignment.”

Construction would begin sometime in 2023.