QLDC to upgrade Upper Clutha sewage systems

Upgrades to Hāwea, Wānaka, and Albert Town’s wastewater infrastructure are set to begin in early September 2025, responding to and futureproofing Upper Clutha’s wastewater needs, providing additional capacity across the network, and helping to further protect the natural environment too.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) General Manager Property & Infrastructure, Tony Avery said the project would see an extensive range of work undertaken to improve local infrastructure and provide for current and future housing in the area.

“Existing infrastructure in Wānaka and Albert Town is fast approaching its capacity to effectively convey wastewater out to Project Pure Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), and as many in Hāwea will be aware, the township’s treatment plant has reached capacity too,” said Mr Avery.

To address these constraints, the Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme project will see a range of improvements made to the area’s wastewater network, including:

• A new wastewater pump station (WWPS) at Domain Road in Hāwea
• 12.5km of new wastewater pipeline connecting Domain Road to existing infrastructure at the Albert Town WWPS
• Upgrades to the existing Riverbank Road WWPS
• 7.4km of new wastewater pipeline connecting Riverbank Road WWPS and Albert Town WWPS to Project Pure.

“These upgrades will see wastewater from the Hāwea township being treated and disposed of at Project Pure, enable future connection of Hāwea Flats and Hāwea Campground, and allow for flows from Wānaka and Albert Town to be managed by two pump stations,” added Mr Avery.

“Ultimately, the network will be able to handle Upper Clutha’s wastewater needs well into the future, treatment and disposal will be improved, and the network will be more resilient in the event of any unforeseen issues.”

Physical work on the Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme is expected to begin in September 2025, with construction anticipated to be completed by early 2027, nearly a year earlier than initially anticipated.

Hāwea’s existing wastewater treatment plant will be decommissioned once the township’s new pump station and pipeline are operating.

As with any large construction project some disruption is likely once work on these upgrades begins, and will include noise, vibration, traffic management, and increased construction machinery movements around various work sites between Hāwea, Albert Town, and Project Pure near Wānaka Airport.

Large parts of the new pipeline running from Hāwea to Project Pure will be installed on the side of State Highway 6 (SH6) or within rural road corridors, meaning most of the project’s impacts will be limited to sections of temporary traffic management.

Other key impacts will include disruption on both Camphill Road Bridge and Albert Town Bridge when installation of the new pipeline occurs in these locations.

A detailed delivery plan is currently being worked on by the Contractor, and more information about these works and what to expect will be shared once this is completed.