Media Release
25 June 2007
$50M SEWER SEPARATION WORKS KICK OFF IN WEST AUCKLAND
– Metrowater and Auckland City funded project part of 20-year investment programme to meet city growth and improve harbour water quality –
Auckland City’s water and wastewater company, Metrowater, today announced an alliance partnership with infrastructure development companies Works Infrastructure, GHD Limited and Opus International Consultants Limited to deliver a three-year $50 million capital works project to improve the water quality at city beaches and harbour waters.
Metrowater Chief Executive, Jim Bentley, says the project to be known as the ‘Clear Harbour Alliance’ is part of a 20-year investment by Metrowater and the Auckland City Council to modernise the city’s ageing combined drainage systems and cope with future population and economic growth.
The Clear Harbour Alliance project, which will completely separate the current combined pipes serving about 1800 commercial and residential properties in Kingsland and Mount Eden, is expected to reduce the annual volume of pollution entering the Waitemata harbour around Westmere and Saint Mary’s Bay by 70,000 cubic metres by 2011.
“This vitally-needed investment will have a generous payback in environmental benefits for all Aucklanders. We simply cannot afford to stand still – we need to keep up the momentum as our city continues to grow.”
With about 15% of Auckland City’s drainage system currently combined (meaning wastewater and stormwater flows through the same pipe), Mr Bentley says a ‘do nothing’ approach – based on current 20-year growth projections – would see more than 2 million cubic metres of polluted overflows into the harbour annually.
Mr Bentley says the combined pipe network is already unable to cope at times of heavy rain, resulting in overflows including diluted sewage to open waterways, streams and harbour waters.
Metrowater has already invested more than $65 million over the past decade in capital works to cut overflows – including $16.9 million on completing sewer separation works in the Pt Chevalier, Orakei Basin and Upland areas last year.
The completion of a Drainage Strategic Plan by Metrowater, Auckland City and bulk water supplier Watercare in December 2005 highlighted how the increasing areas of non-permeable surfaces such as roads, pavement, roof and concrete surfaces were contributing to higher flows in the city’s stormwater system.
“This work, which came from an integrated catchment study of Auckland City, has reinforced the need for investment and given further impetus to our capital works programme.”
Mr Bentley says the Clear Harbour Alliance project, beginning this month with investigative works in the catchment area (between New North Road and the Northwestern Motorway), will be managed under an alliance structure – with the four partners Metrowater, Works Infrastructure, GHD Limited and Opus International Consultants Limited collectively responsible for achieving the project targets. This includes managing the costs of the project and completing all works by 2011.
Physical construction is expected to get underway in January 2008, following completion of the investigative and development work and confirmation of the project costs.
Mr Bentley says the alliance approach is well-proven within the water industry overseas and in other industries in New Zealand; and will provide an incentive for innovation and the effective delivery of the outcomes. The alliance partnership will also improve co-ordination of resources and is expected to lessen the impact on local residents and the business community.
GHD’s National Water Business Manager and Clear Harbour Alliance Leadership Team member, Steve Carne, comments: “We are very proud to be part of this key industry-leading project with our Alliance partners. In line with our sustainability principles, our team will be striving to improve the water quality at city beaches and harbour waters throughout this project. We look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead and what it means for our business in New Zealand”.
Opus International Consultants National Water and Environmental Market Sector Leader, Luke Meys, describes the project as both iconic and exciting. He says the combined approach to designing and building infrastructure fits well with Opus’ over-arching focus of providing the right design solution and achieving successful long-lasting relationships with its clients.
“Our team will bring together innovative skills and expertise in technical design and construction for this important project,” he says. “We are looking forward to working within this alliance partnership for the betterment of the water quality of the cities beaches and harbours.”
Works Infrastructure Chief Operating Officer, Peter Reidy says: “Works Infrastructure is delighted to be part of the alliance team for this important and high profile project which will bring real benefit to Auckland and the harbour environment. We commit to applying our expertise, technology and resources in a manner which ensures the success of the project with the minimum of inconvenience to the local communities where we will be working.”
For more information, please contact:
Linda Danen, Head of Strategy & Marketing, Metrowater. Tel +64 9 6244804
ABOUT GHD
GHD is an employee-owned, multidisciplinary professional services consultancy that employs nearly 5000 people in a network of offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, UK and the Americas. Globally and also in New Zealand, about 25% of their people work in the water industry sector of the business. There are 360 GHD people in New Zealand located across 13 offices in both the North and South Islands. They serve the global market sectors of Infrastructure, Mining & Industry, Defence, Property & Buildings and the Environment. GHD embraces the values that have sustained the company since its inception in 1928 – Teamwork, Respect and Integrity.
Today GHD is ranked in the world’s top 30 engineering and architecture companies. They are committed to finding solutions to their clients’ and their stakeholders’ needs, being a responsible corporate citizen and improving the quality of life around the globe.
Contact: Steve Carne, Manager, Water Business Stream, GHD New Zealand. Tel +64 9 261 1487, Mobile +64 27 280 2273
ABOUT OPUS INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS
Opus International Consultants (OPUS) is New Zealand’s largest engineering, architectural, water asset and environmental planning consultancy. The company works from a geographical spread of offices for a wide range of local authorities, and public and private sector clients throughout New Zealand. Opus recently won the Supreme Exporter of the Year Award for ‘exporting’ their expertise and niche service capabilities to Australia, Canada and the UK, where they also have a number of integrated offices working closely with their clients in these countries.
Contact: Luke Meys, Sector Leader – Water Sector, Opus International Consultants Ltd. Tel +64 7 571 5720, Mobile +64 27 436 7758
ABOUT WORKS INFRASTRUCTURE
Works Infrastructure (Works) is a leading infrastructure provider delivering engineering solutions in the transport and water sectors. The company employs more than 2,400 staff in New Zealand and has annual sales in excess of NZ$620 million. Works has significant representation in almost every New Zealand community and a proud history stretching back to 1870 of building, managing and maintaining essential infrastructure assets across the country. Works is wholly-owned by Downer EDI, one of Australasia's largest listed engineering, infrastructure and resource services companies.
Contact: Mark Malcolm, General Manager – Water Sector, Business Development & Strategy, Works Infrastructure. Tel +64 9 2564867, Mobile +64 27 205 9103.