Watercare says there’s no quick fix for the blockage in the Ōrākei main sewer and is warning Aucklanders that the no-swim warning for the Waitematā Harbour will likely be in place for up to 10 days.

Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne says the latest CCTV inspections indicate the blockage of debris in the pipe extends for about 25 metres.

“Our crews have been working around the clock to try to clear as much of the blockage as possible. Last night, by hydro-excavation – jetting water into the blockage – we were able to clear about three tonnes of material. But with a 25-metre section of debris, it’s looking very unlikely that we’ll be able to clear the full blockage without major excavation.

“With that in mind, while we’ll continue with hydro-excavation, we’re now also planning to install an overland bypass pumping solution that will transfer wastewater between the manholes on either side of the blockage. This will serve two purposes – it will reduce the pressure on the pipe network and minimise the volume of overflows as much as possible.

“I need to stress though, setting up a bypass of this size is a massive undertaking. It’s likely to be the largest wastewater bypass solution that’s ever been put in place in New Zealand.

“We are planning to have this operational within the next 10 days and our teams will be working around the clock to make this happen.

“Until then, our recommendation for Aucklanders will be to avoid swimming, fishing and recreational activities in the Waitematā Harbour as there are currently ongoing overflows near the CBD.”

Bourne says once the bypass solution is in place, the focus will be on large-scale excavation to remove what’s left of the blockage.

“Clearing the blockage itself could take several weeks and the pipe’s long-term repair is likely several months away. This means the temporary bypass solution may be in place for quite some time.

Watercare staff this morning joined Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei at Okahu Bay for a ceremony that included the placement of a rāhui on the Waitematā Harbour, which reinforces the recommendation to avoid fishing, swimming and recreational activities in the harbour.

“We acknowledge Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s role as tangata whenua and thank them for their support in the protection of te Waitematā and the community of Auckland.”

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