Construction of the Clyde wastewater pipeline at Graveyard Gully, Alexandra, is nearing the finish line. 

Crews are installing the pipeline along Graveyard Gully Road towards its final destination, the Alexandra wastewater treatment plant. 

While progress slowed due to COVID-19 restrictions, under careful work restrictions the contractors resumed work in Level 3. The work has been ticking along since then to get the job done.

Image below: Trenching at the Graveyard Gully site.

As well as installing the Clyde wastewater pipeline, contractors are upgrading the existing Alexandra wastewater pipeline and installing a second wastewater pipeline to future-proof the capacity of Alexandra’s wastewater system. 

CODC wanted to take the opportunity to make improvements to Alexandra’s wastewater system at the same time as the wastewater pipeline is installed. 

“The challenge for this part of the project has been maintaining service continuity to Alexandra residents while the installation work is being done,” says CODC Capital Projects Programme Manager Patrick Keenan. 

To maintain service continuity, a temporary above-ground pipeline was installed to carry wastewater to the treatment plant.

Image below: It’s been a frosty, cold work site under the shadow of the hills during winter.

A temporary road closure for all traffic is still in place on Graveyard Gully Road south of the Shaky Bridge Café. 

Work at Graveyard Gully is on track to be completed by the end of August.

Image above: Installing and welding pipework.

Image below: Air valves on site ready for installation. The temporary wastewater pipeline is in the background.

Work continues to understand the best place for the wastewater pipeline to cross the river. 

CODC has consent from the Otago Regional Council for investigation work and will be taking five core samples from the Manuherekia riverbed this month. 

The sampling is 'the last piece of the puzzle’ in finalising design work for the pipeline’s river crossing. It involves drilling into the ground beneath the river to understand more about its strength and suitability for laying the pipe. 

Getting the pipeline across the river is one of the more technically challenging aspects of this project. 

It’s expected that work to take the pipeline across the river will be carried out next year.

We’ll know more in September about when physical construction work is likely to start to install Clyde’s new wastewater reticulation system. 

Council is meeting at the end of August to discuss and consider the final design and costing before physical construction works are able to begin. 

“While we’ve largely completed design works, COVID-19 has slowed our progress on this important project,” says CODC Capital Projects Programme Manager Patrick Keenan. 

“We thank the Clyde community for its patience. Before work gets underway, we will be in touch directly with Clyde residents, businesses and property owners in the central Clyde area.” 

"For businesses particularly, we’re keen to manage the impact of the upgrade as much as possible, given that many are still experiencing the effects of COVID-19. We’ve met with some business owners to understand more about the timings that will work best for them,” Patrick says.