Pōrangahau Road Water Upgrade Project Keeps Momentum on Upgrades Going

Work began last week on the first stage of a major water pipeline upgrade on Pōrangahau Road in Waipukurau – marking the beginning of a project to increase reliability and future proof what is a critical asset for the local community.

With a planned completion date of May 2023, the next ten or so months will see upgrades to water mains, as well as new pipes, fire hydrants, isolation valves, and replacements of water service connections to private properties.  This work will also address the regular main breaks that occur along Pōrangahau Road, due to the age and nature of the existing pipeline.

“The upgrade of significant water infrastructure such as the nearly 100-year-old cast iron, and the problematic asbestos concrete water pipe, provides a strong indication of the pace and momentum we are gaining, addressing some of these long overdue upgrades,” says Doug Tate, Chief Executive of Central Hawke’s Bay District Council.

“In completing projects such as this, not only are we boosting the durability of our existing infrastructure, but also ensuring it can support the rapid population growth we are seeing throughout Central Hawke’s Bay.”

Fulton Hogan has been contracted to deliver this project on behalf of Council and the team has set up on site and begun investigations of the existing pipelines. Traffic management will be in place for the duration of the project, to ensure the safety of residents and teams undertaking the work.

Mr Tate says the focus of the Council’s current Long Term Plan is all about ‘facing the facts’ with regards to the state of the District’s infrastructure and what is needed to not only bring it up to scratch for current times, but also future proof for the Central Hawke’s Bay of tomorrow.

“We’ve acknowledged the huge underinvestment in our essential infrastructure and what is required to correct that – now we are putting those commitments into action and getting the work underway.”

Those wanting to keep up to date as this project progresses can visit our project page here.

17 August 2022

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