International No-Dig Auckland is the world’s premier trenchless technology event, where industry professionals gather to learn, connect and navigate the changes shaping water infrastructure.
A key driver of these changes in New Zealand is the Local Water Done Well (LWDW) program. Finalised in August 2025 through the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025, it replaces the former “Three Waters” reforms and gives councils greater control over water management.
Flexible, region-specific service models, including Council-Controlled Organisations, now allow councils to tailor water services to local needs, with comprehensive water service delivery plans submitted at the end of last year.
The LWDW program introduces higher standards for sustainable and low-impact water management while emphasising innovation and long-term resilience. It changes operational expectations, encourages the use of trenchless technologies and promotes practices that reduce environmental impact while improving service delivery.
These shifts create new challenges and opportunities for contractors, engineers and utilities, influencing how projects are planned and managed. “The LWDW program is reshaping how councils and utilities manage water,” Siobhan Rocks, General Manager – Events at Prime Creative Media said.
“It raises the bar for sustainability, innovation and long-term resilience, and it’s a real opportunity for trenchless technologies to play a central role.”
The changes have also brought new organisations and professionals into the sector, making connections and collaboration more important than ever.
International No-Dig Auckland will provide a forum for utilities, councils, suppliers and industry professionals to engage in discussions about these changes, explore the future of water infrastructure and understand the role trenchless technology will play in shaping it.
Attendees can network at informal Networking Drinks, the ASTT Awards Gala, on the show floor and more. It’s the place to make introductions, strengthen connections and position yourself at the centre of New Zealand’s evolving water industry.
“With councils now empowered to design local solutions, the industry must adapt quickly,” Rocks says. “International No-Dig Auckland gives professionals the chance to understand LWDW, discuss practical solutions and see how trenchless methods can meet these new standards.”
In that sense No-Dig has always been about more than just equipment. In the past, the event has attracted a strong list of heavyweights from Australasia and from around the globe.
This year will be no different with the likes of Pipe Core, Herrenknecht, IMS Robotics, Creg/Wirth, Norditube/Pipeworks, Inrock, Kaiser, TRACTO, Denson, OptionX, GN Solids/Trenchmate, Channeline International and others confirming their attendance in Auckland.
The event will take place at the New Zealand International Convention Centre on 28–29 October. With thousands of trenchless professionals expected to attend, International No-Dig Auckland 2026 offers a concentrated platform for solution providers looking to scale their presence.
International No-Dig Auckland has announced McConnell Dowell as a Silver Sponsor, strengthening the event’s connection with organisations delivering major underground infrastructure.
A leading engineering, construction and maintenance contractor, McConnell Dowell delivers complex infrastructure projects across the transport, water, energy and resources sectors.
The company has built a strong reputation for delivering major underground works, pipelines and water infrastructure using innovative construction methods, including trenchless technologies that minimise disruption while improving project efficiency.
Their involvement, moreover, aligns closely with the focus of International No-Dig according to Auckland McConnell Dowell Pre Contracts Manager – NZ & PI Martin Devlin.
“This event provides a high visibility platform for McConnell Dowell to showcase proven trenchless delivery capability and a New Zealand contractor that can successfully deliver complex, low disruption outcomes in local environments,” he said.
“It creates an opportunity to introduce and normalise innovative trenchless approaches that are already relevant locally, such as Direct Pipe, while clearly articulating where these methods best fit within the New Zealand market.
“Just as importantly, the event supports meaningful relationship building, bringing together clients, consultants, suppliers and contractors to share practical no dig solutions and lessons learned. In doing so, it also contributes to the wider industry by enabling informed comparison of methodologies, a better understanding of risk tradeoffs, and more confident decision making at the front end of projects.”
With significant investment underway in water and underground infrastructure across New Zealand, trenchless construction methods are becoming increasingly important for delivering upgrades and new assets in dense urban environments.
Companies like McConnell Dowell play a key role in this transition, applying advanced engineering and delivery expertise to complex pipeline and tunnelling projects. “International No-Dig Auckland reinforces the importance of viewing trenchless technology through a New Zealand lens focusing on solutions that are appropriately scaled and suited to local project types, rather than only large, mega project applications,” Devlin said.
“It provides an opportunity to highlight how a more targeted, fit for purpose trenchless approach can deliver better outcomes for the NZ market.”
McConnell Dowell will have a range of trenchless technologies on display that are currently being applied in New Zealand, including E-Power and Direct Pipe, supported by video content that demonstrates how these methods are used in practice and the outcomes they deliver.
A TBM model will also be on display, providing a tangible way for attendees to better understand tunnelling and trenchless construction, helping to bring these often-unseen methods to life through visual and physical representation. For industry professionals, the message is simple from McConnell Dowell. “Come along and give it a go,” Devlin said.
“Attending the event in person allows decision makers to be directly exposed to trenchless technologies that can materially influence how current and future projects are planned and delivered.
“Seeing these solutions first-hand builds understanding beyond theory, helping clients and project leaders appreciate where specific methods are best applied, what risks they mitigate, and how they perform in real world conditions.
“This deeper knowledge supports more confident, informed decision making, particularly at early project stages, where awareness of available trenchless options can unlock better outcomes in programme, risk, disruption and overall value.”
ASTT New Zealand-based members will have an opportunity to reconnect at a series of forums leading up to the Auckland No-Dig event. Starting in May these forums, hosted by the ASTT, feature guest speakers and give members an occasion to network with industry peers. On 6 May at Rydges Latimer Square, Christchurch, the South Island Trenchless Technology Forum, sponsored by CCNZ Canterbury Westland, will take place.
On the 13 May, the ASTT Auckland Forum, sponsored by Ditch Witch, is scheduled for Four Points by Sheraton in Auckland.
It will involve a buffet breakfast and a series of speakers as will the ASTT Forum Wellington, taking place at the Black and Gold in Wellington. For more information, visit
no-dignz.com/get-involved/
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