Pipe work helps clean up beach

‘‘This is another significant project which will help improve water quality of one of our most popular beaches.’’

Richard Hills

Good news for those hardy beachgoers wanting to dip their toes in before the colder months truly set in.

The waters along Takapuna Beach are on their way to becoming healthier thanks to the $5.44m recent relining and rehabilitation works undertaken by Watercare along the Takapuna Foreshore Beach Pipeline.

Watercare and Healthy Waters have been working together to sample stormwater outlets and complete drainage inspections to help improve water quality of Takapuna Beach since 2019.

Watercare project manager Johan Gerritsen says work to reline the 81-year-old pipeline – which runs the entire length of Takapuna Beach – began in May last year and was completed in March.

‘‘We achieved the relining work using trenchless technology that allowed our construction partner March Cato to rehabilitate the pipeline, reducing the amount of groundwater getting into and leaking out of the pipe as well as increasing its life expectancy.

‘‘Using this trenchless technique, we were able to complete the relining work and rehabilitate the 36 manholes along the pipeline with minimal impact on the community and without taking the pipe out of service.’’

Healthy Waters principal environmental scientist Patricia Burford says to test water quality they collect samples from the stormwater discharge points along the beach.

From these samples, they test for the presence of E coli, enterococci, and some samples are also tested to determine the sources of faecal contamination like human, bird or dog.

‘‘Since the sewer pipe relining was completed, preliminary results of stormwater sampling are encouraging. However, it is too early to make any strong conclusions about changes in water quality.

‘‘More data needs to be collected and analysed over an extended time to confirm any stormwater or beach water quality trends.’’

Auckland councillor Richard Hills supports the work Watercare and Healthy Waters are doing to build resiliency in the wastewater network and improve the water quality in North Shore.

‘‘The approach Watercare took to renew rather than replace the pipeline strikes the right balance by delivering projects that benefit the community, are cost effective and have good environmental outcomes.

‘‘What impressed me the most about this project is that Watercare estimates they have managed to save about 780T CO2e – an 89% reduction in carbon emissions – by relining the pipeline instead of replacing it.’’

‘‘Watercare estimates they have managed to save about 780T CO2e by relining the pipeline instead of replacing it – and in doing so they’ve extended the pipe’s life by another 50 years.

‘‘This is another significant project which will help improve water quality of one of our most popular beaches, this is in addition to projects such as the Safe Networks inspections and upgrades and the Hurstmere Road upgrade which completely upgraded stormwater and wastewater infrastructure there too.’’

Watercare project manager Johan Gerritsen and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills kneel next to one of the manholes that was rehabilitated as part of the Takapuna Foreshore Beach Pipeline relining works.