NZ Council begins construction on sewerage upgrade

The Timaru District has begun construction work on the planned upgrade of a $15m domestic wastewater treatment plant located in Timaru, New Zealand.

The first major concrete pour has taken place, which will lead to on-site pipeline realignment to link the new industrial sewage line to the former domestic treatment plant intake.

It will also route former domestic milli-screen plant feed to the new domestic pump station being built on the site.

As part of this wastewater management strategy by the Timaru District, the new project will aid the council in advancing the way it treats wastewater, new processes and discharges.

Over the last few years, the main trunk sewer has been upgraded in a five-phase manner to separate domestic and industrial waste streams necessary for enhanced effluent discharge quality.

Timaru District Council drainage and water manager Grant Hall was quoted by voxy.co.nz as saying that the floor and a wall upstand for the new domestic pump station will be installed by this first concrete pour.

Earthmoving contractors will carry out earthworks over a total of approximately 48ha, as well as a small number of separate projects.

The district will also construct more than 30ha of primary oxidation ponds, eight hectares of maturation ponds and ten hectares of wetlands.

"Silt that we are harvesting to line the ponds and wetlands is showing up to be more plentiful than forecast which is great," said Hall.

"Cut-off drains were also being constructed at the same time as pond profiling and equipment procurement such as screens, pumps, and associated infrastructure is well in hand."

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Image: The site of what will be oxidation and maturation ponds as part of the $15m domestic wastewater treatment plant upgrade on Aorangi Road. Photo:Timaru District.