Seven weeks’ more drilling as wood hit
A DRILLING project beneath Queenstown’s CBD has been extended by up to seven weeks after the contractor struck wood.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council has applied to itself for a consent variation to breach construction noise standards until December 18 — seven weeks after its original deadline — so the drilling can be finished.
In the latest stage of a wastewater network upgrade project that started in May, the contractor is using a specialised rig at the resort’s recreation ground to drill a horizontal borehole 20m30m beneath the surface.
The council had consent to breach noise standards until October 31 in the expectation the bore hole would be finished by then.
Council spokesman Jack Barlow said the contractor encountered ground conditions more difficult than expected, despite predrilling geotechnical investigation.
‘‘In this case, wood was encountered about 20m below ground.’’
The drilling was expected to be finished in four weeks, but a contingency period was added.
Additional costs caused by the delay were currently being determined, Mr Barlow said.
Once completed, 870m of wastewater pipe would be pulled through the borehole and connected to a new pumping station being built at the recreation ground.