The project is being delivered by the Ghella Abergeldie Joint Venture (GAJV) and will comprise nearly 20 km of tunnels, more than 17 shafts, a major pump station and significant wastewater management and network infrastructure works.
In July, the project’s 190 m long tunnel boring machine (TBM), named ‘Hiwa-i-te-Rangi’, will begin tunnelling the NZ$1.2 billion ($1.12 billion) project from the shaft which extends 40 m below the surface.
Watercare CEO Jon Lamonte was the first official visitor to the site, and said the first thing that struck him was the scale of the project.
“The amount of engineering challenges – someone was saying a second ago that we’re actually under the sea here, and you realise just how much of an engineering task that is let alone anything else.
“This is something we’re building for Auckland’s growth,” he said.
The Central Interceptor will run underground from Western Springs, near the Auckland Zoo, to the Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The project will result in cleaner waterways for central Auckland and is scheduled for completion in 2025.
For more information visit the Watercare website.