Celebration over no more 'turd taxis' for Wellington

Sunday, 24 May 2020

It was recently discovered that wastewater from a Cuba Street apartment building has been spilling into Wellington Harbour for at least 10 years.

The last 'turd taxi' has left Wellington after a team of German specialists installed a liner on a critical, failing sewer pipe.

On Sunday, a Wellington Water spokesman confirmed the first liner to help fix the broken Mt Albert sewer pipe was now operational - meaning the 24/7 operation of trucks ferrying wastewater between the city's Moa Point treatment plant and the Southern Landfill would come to an end.

Wellington Water said the 'odd truck' would still be passing through as the sludge tanks at Moa Point were cleared, however the 24/7 operation was over.

Capital ratepayers have been forking out nearly $100,000 a day to ferry the wastewater by truck after the 1.8 kilometre-long pipe - which runs between the treatment plant and the landfill - failed in January.

Max Vollenbroich of German firm Amex Sanivar helps guide the folded and taped liner towards the sludge pipe.

* Wellington sewage pipe repairs spells end for 'turd taxi' trucks

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The 1.8km-long liner was manufactured in Germany and shipped here under urgency for the repair during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Eugene Doyle, from the Ōwhiro Bay Residents Association, was one of those celebrating the work.

'We've been the most-affected community through all of this, Wellington Water have been very good in terms of stepping up their engagement … the fact they've fixed this problem in a reasonable time-frame, bringing to an end the dreaded turd taxis, that's a brilliant success,' Doyle said.

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and councillor Sean Rush visit the site with Josh Wright and Elliot Altham (right) from consulting engineers Stantec.

'We've been hating having the turd taxis fouling our air and having a big impact on streets.'

The association had noticed an 'absolutely incredible turnaround' from Wellington Water, in terms of its community engagement, public access to data, and agreeing on protocols for a separate investigation into Ōwhiro Stream, he said.

A Wellington Water spokesman said the Mt Albert pipeline was operational only after being comprehensively tested and reconnected to the wastewater network.

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster said the repair of the Mt Albert pipe was one of the largest-scale installations of the pipe liner anywhere in the world.

A team of German specialists from Amex Sanivar flew to New Zealand to install the liner, and Foster wanted to thank them for leaving their homes and families during the Covid-19 crisis to undertake the work.

'I also want to thank the rest of the team on the job, as well as neighbours of the tunnel-end worksites in Kilbirnie and Island Bay, and residents along the sludge-trucking route for their patience while this essential work was carried out.'

Wellington Water chief executive Colin Crampton said the liner would improve the durability of the pipeline within the tunnel, minimising the risk of it failing in a 'difficult-to-reach place' again.

'The extra lifespan gives Wellington City Council and the region more time to consider options for a more sustainable approach to managing sludge than disposal into landfill.'

The second liner for the pipeline had also arrived from Germany, and work on its installation had already started. The second liner was expected to be operational in about three weeks, Wellington Water said.

The second liner is designed to act as a backup, and allows for higher volumes of sludge to be transported.

If there was an emergency before the second liner was installed, Wellington Water may need to re-start the trucking operation, it told the Ōwhiro Bay Residents Association.