Robins Road Wastewater Upgrades

Three sections of pipeline have been completed, with a fourth nearing completion. Four more sections still need to be installed.

Based on the work remaining, construction is currently forecast to be completed between late November and early December 2026.

However, several sections of pipe still need to be installed using the micro-tunnelling method, and further ground or equipment issues could affect that timeline.

There remains a risk that if larger sections of pipeline need to be installed using open trenching, work could continue into early 2027 and require additional road closures. Additional resources have been brought in to reduce this risk, but we want to be upfront about the uncertainty that remains.

The project has faced a combination of challenging ground conditions and breakdowns of specialised tunnelling equipment.

While investigations were carried out before construction began, some areas of soft ground and gravel have proven more difficult than expected once tunnelling started. This has made it harder for the tunnelling machine to maintain alignment and continue progressing safely.

The project has also experienced delays when specialised tunnelling equipment has broken down. In some cases, replacement parts needed to be repaired or sourced from overseas, adding further time to the programme.

This project involves installing wastewater pipe at depths of up to eight metres below ground.

Micro-tunnelling was selected because it was expected to be the least disruptive and safest way to complete the work. Compared with extensive open trenching, it reduces excavation, truck movements, noise, vibration and the amount of time workers need to spend in deep trenches.

While some shallower sections of pipe are being installed using open trenches, installing the deeper sections this way would have required extensive excavation, significant sheet piling and a full road closure for much of the project.

We’re constructing a new wastewater pipeline which will run along Robins Road from the Horne Creek bridge to connect with recently completed infrastructure at Queenstown Recreation Ground and the existing pump station nearby.

We're also installing a new watermain in the area too!

The existing pipeline running through the area has limited capacity to allow for more development, runs underneath several private properties, and is located within close proximity to Horne Creek.

The new pipeline will provide enough capacity for future housing in the area, and will reduce the risk of severe weather leading to wastewater overflows that affect private properties or enter Horne Creek and Lake Whakatipu.

Three sections of pipeline have been completed, with a fourth nearing completion. Four more sections still need to be installed.

Based on the work remaining, construction is currently forecast to be completed between late November and early December 2026.

However, several sections of pipe still need to be installed using the micro-tunnelling method, and further ground or equipment issues could affect that timeline.

There remains a risk that if larger sections of pipeline need to be installed using open trenching, work could continue into early 2027 and require additional road closures. Additional resources have been brought in to reduce this risk, but we want to be upfront about the uncertainty that remains.

As with any large construction project, there will be some disruption on Robins Road while we carry out these upgrades, which will include footpath closures, road closures, increased heavy machinery in the area, noise, and vibrations.

We’ll contact residents, businesses, and affected parties in the area well in advance of any key disruptions to share more information about what’s happening on Robins Road, and to see how we can accommodate your needs.

We will be working with the contractor carrying out this work to implement strict environmental controls, to prevent any contamination of Horne Creek and Lake Whakatipu. Measures will include sediment barriers and careful monitoring of construction activities.

Contact our project team immediately by phoning 03 441 0499, so we can work to address any concerns promptly and minimise the impact on your property or business.

Some properties near the worksite have been contacted regarding a pre-construction assessment, also known as a dilapidation survey. These are a requirement of the project’s resource consent and serve to document the existing condition of a property to record its condition before the construction of the new pipeline.

These surveys are used to review and record the condition of a property before construction.