Leaky pipes buried under new $55m bus and cycle way that could be ripped up

Wednesday, 15 May 2024

An accidentally released memo has revealed at least $5.2 million of “must do” pipework lies beneath $55m worth of new Thorndon Quay bus lanes and cycleways – which could be ripped up if regular leaks persist.

For business owners, who had a new water leak on Tuesday and have seen dramatic pipe failures erupt drinking water on to the street, it is a further blow as they endure months of disruption while a $54.8m bus and cycleway gets put down the stretch.

Nicola Young, the Wellington City councillor representing the area, said the cost and inconvenience should additional work be required was unacceptable.

“The poor businesses … it will break them. Some of them are teetering on the brink now.”

Paul Robinson, who owns The Woolstore, in December 2023 emailed councillors a video of a burst water main on Thorndon Quay and mentioned a previous collapsed sewerage pipe. He warned the pipe replacement and road upgrade should been done at the same time, but confirmed this week none was done as the bus and cycleway project went in.

Woolstore owner Paul Robinson has been warning Wellington City Council of pipe issues since before it embarked on a cycleway and bus lane down Thorndon Quay.

But a 2022 Wellington Water draft memo, which he got through an Local Government and Official Information and Meetings Act request, shows there was $5.2m of “must do” pipe work under Thorndon Quay and Hutt Rd, with another $4m of “should do” work. The memo said costs were based on 2020 rates so would have gone up.

A leak that appeared on Thorndon Quay this week.

Wellington Water on Tuesday confirmed the pipe work was never done, but said the council would have to say why.

An email trail, accidentally forwarded on to The Post by Wellington Water on Monday, said the draft memo “should have been out of scope” from the information supplied to Robinson.

Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said there were “no plans for pipe renewals on Thorndon Quay” in the coming 10 years and council chief infrastructure officer Siobhan Procter said planning work for the coming decade was worked out with Wellington Water.

Thorndon Quay businesses have endured months of roadworks for a cycleway and bus lane but now it looks like more work may be needed.

She did not say why Thorndon Quay must-do works were not included.

Wellington Water chief executive Tonia Haskell said the pipes under Thorndon Quay were laid between the 1900s – files say the oldest were laid in January 1900 but this could be incorrect – and 2002.

“If and when the decision to renew the pipelines along Thorndon Quay is made, we will work with [the council] and businesses to minimise disruption.”

Roadworks for a cycleway and bus lane down Thorndon Quay.

Robinson said he had specifically requested Thorndon Quay pipe condition reports and any reports, information, advice or recommendations to the council or Let’s Get Wellington Moving on them. To him, the intended omission was “wilful” and suggested other information was hidden.

“They should stop work, go back, and address the water issue,” he said.

The council on Thursday held a meeting with Thorndon Quay business owners frustrated with existing works, which are taking longer than expected.

Tim Chai, who has had road works outside his shop Bedpost since February 1 and with no known end date, said council staff told them the road would have to be dug up again in the coming six years to replace pipes. His business had dropped by 65% since the work began.

Stephen Piper, who also has a Thorndon quay business, said a new water leak appeared opposite his shop on Tuesday.