Watercare invests $95 million to boost Ōtara wastewater capacity and reduce overflows

Watercare is investing $95 million in upgrading Ōtara’s wastewater network to support growth and reduce wet-weather overflows to the environment.

The project will increase network capacity and take pressure off the area’s existing wastewater network, which is reaching capacity and can be overwhelmed in heavy rain, causing overflows.

“This investment is great news for Ōtara,” says Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina.

“As our community continues to grow, it's important that our infrastructure keeps pace. These upgrades will help improve the resilience of the wastewater network, reduce the risk of wet-weather overflows, and support a cleaner environment for local residents, now and in the future.”

Watercare will build a new pump station on Hannah Road and install seven underground storage tanks at the existing Ōtara pump station in Billington Reserve.

The two pump stations will be connected by a new wastewater pipeline that will take wastewater flows from the new Sandbrook pump station in Hannah Road to the underground storage at Billington Reserve.

Watercare general manager of capital delivery Mike Marsden says building new infrastructure needed to support growth is a key part of the organisation’s $15.2 billion, 10-year capital investment programme.

“This project is a great example of how we’re delivering the infrastructure Auckland needs today while planning for future generations and helping to protect the environment.”

Watercare has set up its main construction site behind George Weston Foods on Great South Road, with smaller construction sites at both pump station locations.

A 2.5km section of the new wastewater pipeline will be created by relining a decommissioned section of the Hunua 1 watermain that is already in the ground, which will minimise disruption to the community.

Marsden says open trenching will be used to install a shorter section of pipeline that will connect the relined section to the new Sandbrook pump station at Hannah Street.

At the Billington Reserve site, trenchless drilling will be used to install a section of pipeline that will travel under the Tāmaki Estuary and connect the relined section to the new storage tanks.

“We’ll be using trenchless methods wherever possible to make sure we keep community disruption to a minimum. We appreciate everyone’s patience while we do this work.”

The project is expected to be completed in late 2028.