Above: Seipp Construction general hand Thupten Tsering (left) and site engineer Juan Pizorno gathering survey data.

You’ll still see our CODC contractors at work in central Clyde as they visit around 100 properties to identify septic tanks and assess wastewater pipes and ground levels as we get ready for construction. 

Their assessments are giving us the information to finalise the design of the reticulated wastewater system – what pipes go where, how pipes to individual properties will link best with main lateral pipes, and how the system will work best taking into account aspects like land levels. 

“Getting the design right is really important so that each property has the best possible wastewater system installed.” 

 Approximately 160 properties are likely to be included in Stage 1 (central Clyde). Physical construction work is expected to begin in late autumn and finish in 2021. 

Once the design structure and costings are finalised for Stage 1 (central Clyde), Council will consider approving the estimated final cost before going ahead with the physical construction works.

Above: Survey work underway.

Above: Cole Lucas, Drainvision NZ owner-operator, carries out a closed-circuit television inspection of the wastewater lines from a house to its septic tank.

1. Once the design of the new wastewater system is finalised, we’ll be able to confirm the properties that are included in Stage 1 (central Clyde). 

2. We’ll then get in touch with property owners in the Stage 1 area. We’re expecting that we’ll be able to do this later in March/early April. 

3. We’re then likely to have more information about when construction is starting and be able to develop a schedule of when we’ll be at your property. 

4. For commercial property owners, we’ll be doing our best to schedule construction works to minimise any potential impact on trading. Remember if you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, you can get in touch with us via the email address: clydeprojects@codc.govt.nz.

The Central Otago District Council and the Vincent Community Board are proposing to reclassify an area of approximately 1 hectare of Clyde Recreation Reserve land as it is the preferred location for a pump station for Clyde’s new reticulated wastewater system. 

The proposed location (see map below) is between the ‘rough’ of the Dunstan Golf Club’s number seven fairway and green, a strip of closed road and Crown Land (a marginal strip) along the banks of the Clutha River.

In December 2018, the Council’s Waste and Infrastructure Committee presented a report to Council on the option to locate a pump station for the new Clyde wastewater system at this site. 

Since then the Council has had ongoing discussions with the Dunstan Golf Club about the proposal. The proposed site is part of reserve land that has historically been leased by the club but is currently unused. 

The Vincent Community Board approved the pump’s proposed location in July 2019, which triggered the Council’s proposed reclassification of the site from Clyde Recreation Reserve to Local Purpose (Pumping Station) Reserve. Seeking public feedback on the proposal to reclassify the site is the next step in the process. 

The above-ground components of the pump station workings will include a building containing a control room and dosing facility. A dosing facility adds chemicals to wastewater to control bacteria and odour emissions. Any odour from the site would be very minor. Site design includes odour filters. The building will be approximately 10 metres long and 8m at its widest point. 

CODC Capital Projects Programme Manager Patrick Keenan said the pump station would be relatively unobtrusive. 

“CODC has other pump stations in urban areas that have no negative impacts for the local community. The outer trees will be retained to provide shelter and separation from adjacent areas. Additional plantings and landscaping are also planned for beautification and screening.” 

To meet engineering requirements the pump station’s optimum location is at Clyde’s southern end. 

Pipework for the Clyde wastewater pipeline was installed in the vicinity to allow connection to a range of possible pump station sites that the Vincent Community Board considered. 

The proposed site being consulted on allows other adjacent areas to be left for potential future recreational use. The proposed site is also significantly less costly when compared with the estimated costs of the original site identified for the pump station in the Muttontown area. This would have involved constructing a second waste treatment plant at Clyde, compared with the existing plan to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant at Alexandra to take Clyde’s wastewater. It would also have required constructing a falling main some distance to the site, and limited future opportunities for land use.

For people who use the walking trails on the banks of the Clutha River, the reserve provides access to Sunderland Street. The narrow track that runs between Sunderland Street and the river is not in the area proposed to be reclassified. 

Chief Executive Sanchia Jacobs said in determining where the pump station was located for the Clyde Wastewater Upgrade decision-makers needed to consider the “greater community good'. 

“A new reticulated wastewater system will benefit the whole Clyde community, providing it with an environmentally safe wastewater system that will bring significant environmental, health and well-being benefits for decades to come.” 

People are invited to submit on the proposal before 5pm 20 March 2020 and can do so by visiting www.codc.govt.nz/consultation.

Above: Two existing pump stations in Alexandra, one at Bridge Hill (top) and the other in Durnorling Street next to the Central Otago District Council offices. 

The wastewater pipeline is close to completion with 96% of the pipeline installed. 

Fulton Hogan contractors have been busy preparing to install the last parts of the pipeline in Graveyard Gully Road, Alexandra (see pictures), where it will eventually be connected up to the Alexandra Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Investigations are still underway to determine the best way for the pipeline to traverse the Manuherikia River. This construction work is likely to take place early in 2021.