Replacing ageing water infrastructure across 10 streets required careful planning, specialist trenchless techniques and a focus on minimising disruption to residents.
Kerry Drainage & Civil delivered 2.2km of new watermain pipeline and 157 service connections for Watercare, helping renew the network while avoiding unnecessary excavation and reinstatement.
Watercare’s Proactive Network Renewals Programme marked a shift away from the traditional “run to failure” approach to water infrastructure, instead renewing ageing pipes before failures occurred. The goal was to reduce leakage and asset failures while improving the reliability of water services for customers and communities.
Early involvement, better planning
Kerry Drainage & Civil was initially engaged under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract, contributing practical construction expertise before work began. This included developing construction methodologies, supporting programme planning, preparing health, safety, environmental and quality management plans, coordinating stakeholder communications and procurement, and facilitating workshops focused on constructability, risk and safety in design.
Following this planning phase, Kerry Drainage & Civil was awarded the contract to deliver proactive renewals across 10 streets in Kelston.
Specialist methods for challenging conditions
The construction involved installing 2.2km of 100 NB PE100 watermain pipeline and 157 service connections between March and August 2022.
Horizontal directional drilling was used wherever practical to reduce excavation, limit disruption to residents and minimise reinstatement.
One section beneath a footpath presented a particular challenge: the pipeline alignment included a tight radius that conventional HDD equipment could not accommodate. Rather than resorting to open-cut excavation, Kerry Drainage & Civil proposed using its specialised KD1800 Pit Drill, which could navigate the tighter alignment and avoid unnecessary reinstatement work.
Keeping the community moving
Working across residential streets required careful coordination to manage construction impacts and maintain water services. Several shutdowns were scheduled during night shifts to minimise disruption to affected residents.
Before construction began, Kerry Drainage & Civil also undertook thorough investigations to identify existing underground services. This helped the team anticipate potential conflicts, reduce the risk of unexpected issues and keep the physical works progressing efficiently.
Renewing the network for the future
Completed in August 2022, the project delivered 2.2km of new watermain pipeline and 157 service connections across Kelston. By combining early contractor involvement, detailed planning and specialist trenchless equipment, Kerry Drainage & Civil supported Watercare’s proactive approach to improving the resilience and reliability of Auckland’s water network.