Ōākura’s water capacity is about to be increased thanks to a new two-kilometre water pipe.

The existing pipe is being replaced with a larger one along Wairau Road, which will help the growing town meet its water needs while improving the supply for firefighting. The three-month job starts on 22 May.

“The pipe along Wairau Road has come to the end of its life so we’re taking the opportunity to replace it with a larger pipe that gives us capacity for future population growth,” says NPDC Manager Infrastructure Projects, Andrew Barron.

The $1.6m project will take place from Pahakahaka Drive to the state highway. Drivers are asked to travel with care on Wairau Road during the works period as there will be traffic management in place.

The water supply for residents in the area will not be interrupted except when the new pipe is connected to the supply network, with this work taking place overnight when water demand is lowest. NPDC will be in touch with householders before this takes place.

Stage two of the project will take place around the Ōākura Water Treatment Plant next year.

The Wairau Road work is one of many water infrastructure improvement projects that are in progress across the district.

NPDC is more than half-way through laying new water pipes as part of phase two of Urenui’s water improvement project, and the replacement of a wastewater manhole and short section of pipe that have sunk on New Plymouth’s Katere Road will begin soon.

In the next few weeks, a stormwater pipe in Inglewood will have a new internal lining installed, and wastewater pipes will be replaced on Waitara’s McNaughton and Stafford streets and on New Plymouth’s Sunley and Gilmour streets. The replacement of water pipes on Inglewood’s Pukatea Street will start in the next few months.

Andrew says NPDC just recently finished installing a new 600m water pipe down Queens Road in Glen Avon, and wastewater pipes on Mould and Strange streets in Waitara.

“This is our bread-and-butter work: keeping our critical infrastructure networks in good condition so that they meet the needs of our communities – both today and in the future,” he says.

Fast facts

• NPDC is investing $248 million over the 10 years to 2031 to fix the district’s plumbing.
• There are 800km of pipes in the New Plymouth District.
• On average, NPDC managers 25 million litres of wastewater each day from more than 25,850 properties in the district.

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