Our teams are out across Tāmaki Makaurau delivering Watercare’s $13.8 billion, 10-year infrastructure programme — building resilience, boosting capacity and supporting our growing city. With 110 projects underway across the region, there’s a lot happening. To give you an idea, here’s a snapshot of five projects.

Waiwera and Hatfields Beach

Designed to support long-term growth and protect the Waiwera Estuary, a $45 million programme is underway to upgrade wastewater and water networks in Waiwera.

Work includes desludging the two oxidation ponds at the Waiwera Wastewater Treatment Plant. These are being repurposed as storage ponds for a new pump station, enabling wastewater to be transferred to the Army Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant for a higher standard of treatment.

Together, the upgrades will improve water quality and help protect this valued coastal environment as the area grows. The Waiwera water and wastewater upgrades are on track for completion by the end of this year.
Read more here

Herne Bay

Enabling works are underway for the Herne Bay Collector, a 1.5-kilometre, 2.1-metrediameter tunnel that will divert wastewater and stormwater to the Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant via the Central Interceptor.

Part of our wider network improvement programme, the Herne Bay Collector will significantly reduce overflows into the environment once it is operational. That will mean cleaner urban streams and waterways, and better water quality at beaches around Herne Bay.

The project will also provide extra capacity to support growth across the western isthmus. Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2028, with the Central Interceptor due to be completed later this year.

Read more here

West and Upper Harbour

North Harbour 2 is a 33‑kilometre pipeline between Titirangi and Albany, designed to transport treated drinking water from Auckland’s western supply area to reservoirs in Upper Harbour and Albany.

The project will add a second watermain alongside North Harbour 1, which is nearing capacity and offers limited flexibility for maintenance. Once complete, North Harbour 2 will provide an additional supply route, supporting housing growth and strengthening the resilience of Auckland’s water network and environment.

Although the full pipeline is not expected to be operational until 2034, early works are underway at the project’s most critical section—the Upper Harbour (Greenhithe) Bridge. Investigative drilling has been completed to prepare for installation, with pipeline and valve chamber works planned for later this year. These early works are progressing well, with a strong focus on minimising disruption to the local community and adjacent cycleway.

Panmure and Mt Wellington

In the first half of 2026 we’re completing upgrades to the electrical systems and pipework at the Panmure Basin Pump Station, along with bringing a new wastewater pipeline into service that will divert flows directly to the Eastern Interceptor at Ireland Road in Panmure.

This $4.2 million investment replaces ageing infrastructure that had reached the end of its working life. When the upgrades come online in May, they’ll improve network resilience and help reduce wet weather overflows into the Panmure Basin and surrounding environment.

The upgraded pump station is expected to be operational next month, delivering immediate environmental and maintenance benefits.

Pukekohe and Paerata

In south Auckland, a $98 million project is in its early stages to strengthen wastewater infrastructure for future growth in Pukekohe and Paerata.

The project includes a new pump station on Isabella Drive and a four-kilometre pipeline running through Franklin Road, Stadium Drive and Station Road.

Scheduled for completion in 2028, the new pump station and pipeline will divert flows away from the existing Cape Hill and Isabella pump stations, allowing both to be safely decommissioned.