Collaboration key to minimising disruption

Extensive planning happens between Citycare Water and New Plymouth District Council behind the scenes when major repairs are required for the water mains.

For example, teamwork was to the fore when a tricky burst water main feeding from the major reservoir to New Plymouth was successfully repaired recently by the Citycare Water Taranaki Team.

The leak was first reported when a farmer identified a particularly soggy part of his field. It was a crucial fix as the underground pipeline on his property feeds water to New Plymouth from the Mangorei Road Reservoir, which is just up the road from where the leak was located.

To undertake the repair, the main pipeline from the reservoir had to be shut down for two hours, interrupting the urban supply.

The team first excavated the area to determine what was required for this complex fix. A 1.5-metre section of the 560mm-diameter concrete-lined steel pipe with cathodic protection had to be removed and replaced. The high-profile repair took a few weeks, with various challenges of a controlled shutdown being overcome by the team, including the impact of water shortages and other major blowouts.

The fix was successfully completed, despite the time pressure, safely and efficiently with limited disruption to our customers.

Mahi tika ana!