The new wastewater pump station in Featherston is now fully operational and has been performing well since its completion in late September, according to Wellington Water network operations and engineering lead Paul Winstanley.
The project, which began in May on the corner of SH53 and Donald St, is designed to reduce the risk of wastewater overflowing in the area surrounding the pump station.
An additional tank was installed for the storage of wastewater, allowing the pump station to withstand major disruptions like a power cut or natural disaster.
Winstanley said the storage tank “gives us time to get [the pump station] back up and running, helping make sure there’s no impact on local residents connected to this wastewater network”.
The upgrade will also reduce the day-to-day operational costs.
“The pump station has an automated system that kicks in when the station encounters issues such as a blockage. It’ll automatically try two or three things to resolve the issue without the need of a human operator.
It can also be operated remotely, considerably reducing operational costs in the long-term,” Winstanley said.
In addition to the pump station upgrade, Wellington Water replaced the rising main [“a pressurised pipe that sends wastewater on its way to treatment facilities”] that had previously been scheduled for replacement in 2024, reducing the costs of the combined projects.
The project – which was finished on schedule – was completed by Wellington Water on behalf of South Wairarapa District Council [SWDC] alongside its contractors, CCL, and is forecast to be within its $2.8 million budget.
SWDC Infrastructure and Community Services Committee chair Aidan Ellims confirmed that councillors had voted earlier in the year to bring forward the construction start date for the upgrade.
“In addition, councillors supported expanding the project scope by adding in the rising main replacement work, resulting in cost savings,” Ellims said.
Although crews are expected to remain on site for a few weeks to complete minor operational jobs, the new station remains fully operational.
