New sewerage pipe will improve Grasmere Street system

New sewerage works across Ashbury Park mark another milestone in Timaru District Council infrastructure renewal and are designed to reduce overflows and the consequent public health risk in the Waimataitai catchment during heavy rain.

A large diameter 570mm HDPE (high density polyethelene) sewer pipe is being laid across the southern edge of the park. The new profiled flexible pipeline, offering long life and the ability to sweep around gentle curves, is less susceptible to infiltration and root intrusion.

Council utilities renewal technician Andrew Washington said the $1.26 million sewer renewal programme, contracted to Downer EDI, started under the coastal railway line on Ashbury Park this month and will cross the park and State Highway One near Briscoes and travel along the length of Grasmere Street.

He said public access to the park would not be affected outside the fenced-off works area. However, the public is asked to stay well clear of that area including trenches, machinery and the stacked pipes. The park would be crossed by early to mid-February and the grassland reinstated soon after.

State Highway One would be closed for one night between 6pm and 7am on a Sunday to allow trenching and pipe-laying to cross the busy highway, Mr Washington said

“We’ll be detouring both north-bound and south-bound traffic along Hobbs Street, Selwyn Street, and Wai-iti Road.

“There would be some earlier works on State Highway One at the Grasmere Street intersection but that would mean only one-lane closures,” he said.

Eleven manholes would be installed along the line, which will follow an almost straight route across the southern section of Ashbury Park, through the wooded area just south of Briscoes car park, across State Highway One at the Evans Street lights and along Grasmere Street to link up with an existing sewer in Douglas Street just beyond the Selwyn Street roundabout.

Mr Washington said a significant upgrade of the Waimataitai catchment sewer network was necessary to meet minimum guidelines for overflows. The whole catchment had been hydraulically modelled.

“But the work is also significant for the long term future growth of the city and is part of the overall infrastructure upgrade undertaken by the council over the last few years,” he said.

The work is expected to be completed by mid-April.

ENDS

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