Central Interceptor – A new wastewater tunnel for Auckland

The Central Interceptor (CI) is one of the most significant wastewater projects in Auckland’s history and will help clean up central Auckland's creeks and streams. Watercare Services Limited (Watercare) engaged TPG to secure the required entry under the Local Government Act 2002 onto private property to construct a wastewater tunnel under approximately 700 properties. The 4.5 metre diameter tunnel travels deep below Auckland City, from Grey Lynn to our Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant. It will have several link sewers and shafts along the route for collecting and transferring wastewater into the tunnel.

Replacing an aging section of pipe under the Manukau Harbour, the CI will enable other projects in east and south Auckland to be constructed allowing for future growth across Auckland. It will also:

• Significantly reduce wet weather overflows and improve water quality in local streams and waterways; and,

• Allow Aucklanders to enjoy cleaner beaches by reducing wastewater overflows during storms. 

Given the large number of affected landowners and occupiers involved, Watercare anticipated compensation claims and objections, with the potential for referral to the District Court. Through a robust communication strategy established by TPG, only a small number of objections were received. Through further engagement, all objections were successfully resolved, resulting in no hearings or compensation claims for Watercare.

Our approach to supporting Watercare for the CI included:

• Setting up a helpline and a well-prepared project team, involving Watercare’s project engineers, to promptly respond to any questions raised by affected property owners and tenants

• Developing a bespoke GIS application to record key information concerning the affected properties that provided ‘live’ updates to the client as landowner and tenant communications and engagement progressed. The team at Watercare were able to access live data on the status of the notices and any objections received in relation to each property along the project route

• A ‘live’ dashboard report for Watercare, whereby each affected property along the route of the sewer and feeders recorded the current status of the process in terms of engagement with landowners, tenants, service of notices under the Local Government Act 2002 and objections

• Tracking and updating the GIS application to record changes in property ownership along the corridor and ensure that any new landowners were promptly contacted.

We are also assisting Watercare with a further phase of the CI project to provide the required Local Government Act 2002 notices for some 100 properties for the next phase of a tunnel extension under Grey Lynn.

Construction is due for completion in 2025.