The St Marys Bay Area Water Quality Improvement Project was driven by Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters department and funded by the Water Quality Targeted Rate. The new pipeline will reduce wastewater overflows to St Marys Bay and Masefield Beach by 95 per cent. The high flows after rain events will be stored in the new larger capacity pipeline and pumped back into the sewer network when there is capacity. As well as reducing overflows, once complete the new marine outfall will discharge to an outfall far away from places where people swim. The most significant challenge the project faces is the location of the new stormwater pipeline under some of the oldest, narrowest and most densely populated streets in Auckland. The alignment runs beneath Point Erin and alongside the large Pohutakawa trees that grow on the cliff face from the park up to London Street and beneath a residential neighbourhood. The tunnelling itself did not create noise or vibration levels that disturbed the neighbours and keeping noise and vibration impacts from the piling to a minimum was important. Using a slurry TBM and locating the separation plant in Point Erin Park as far away from stakeholders as possible also meant the team also managed slurry lines up to 1100m long. Protecting the nearby marine life while dredging and installing the marine section of the pipeline was also important to the success of the project. St Marys Bay Ocean Outfall Auckland, New Zealand
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