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Customer: Auckland Council Healthy Waters Contract: Construct Location: Henderson, Auckland   |
Fast Facts
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The Corban Reserve Stormwater Upgrade involved installing a new larger diameter 713-metre-long stormwater pipeline under Border Road in Waitākere, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) using a 2100 mm diameter MTBM.
The MTBM used on the St Marys Bay project in 2020 was upcycled for this project to tunnel from Imperial Place to Border Road Esplanade in the suburb of Henderson.
Now completed, the new pipeline allows for future growth in the area and protects and enhances both Opanuku and Waitaro streams.
There were some challenges along the way. The stormwater network between Corban Reserve, Murillo Reserve and Border Road Esplanade Reserve in Henderson was already struggling with heavy rain. The most recent incident was the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods in 2023 that impacted the project and its neighbours and demonstrated the need for a new pipeline.
The project team carefully designed the methodology and construction programme to consider the local community and the ecological and man-made surroundings. Shaft locations were chosen to reduce the number of sites required and their size was developed to limit noise and vibration impacts.
The new stormwater pipeline was installed in a single drive between Border Road and Imperial Place using the customised 2100 mm diameter MTBM. A second pipeline was installed using horizontal directional drilling methods from a temporary shaft between the main Border Road/Murillo Place and the heart of Murillo Reserve.
The team also constructed three new footbridges at Border Road Esplanade, Murillo Reserve, and between Imperial Place and Spode Place. Several walkways and native planting were installed within Border Road Esplanade and Murillo Reserve, beautifying the area.
This was an environmentally and socially complex project with residents, local schools, native wildlife and flora, and park users all neighbouring the three worksites. All three shafts were located a few metres from residential properties, which meant regular communications with residents about upcoming works.
Another example of the complex environment was the fish baffles the team installed inside the pipeline to enable native eels, fish and other freshwater species to travel up and down the pipeline, and around the network.
The project was split into two phases:
Stage One:
- Construct a new pipeline network from Imperial Place to Border Road Esplanade Reserve along Border Road.
- Construct a low-flow pipeline to connect the main pipeline to Murillo Reserve.
- Upgrade the pedestrian bridge between Spode Place and Imperial Place.
- Upgrade Murillo Reserve, daylighting Waitaro Stream and add new planting and pathways.
- Upgrade Border Road Esplanade Reserve with additional planting, a new boardwalk and a walkway connecting the reserve with Taranui Place.
Stage Two:
- Decommission the old Corban Reserve stormwater pipe.
- Upgrade the reserve re-contouring slopes and adding widespread planting, new paths, and drainage.
The project was completed in February 2024.
