Wānaka Airport water and wastewater upgrades
Project Status
Quick links
Location Map
About the project
The project will provide Wānaka Airport with a fully reticulated mains water supply connected to the recently commissioned Luggate water main along State Highway 6.
As part of the project, existing septic tanks will be replaced with new low-pressure sewer pump stations that will connect to dual wastewater rising mains and ultimately feed into Project Pure. These upgrades will modernise essential services at the airport and provide a more reliable, long-term solution for water supply and wastewater management.
This project is being led by QLDC and is separate from the Wānaka Airport Future Review and Wānaka Airport CAA Certification work streams.
-
The primary driver for the project is to provide Wānaka Airport with a compliant and future-proofed firefighting water supply that meets Fire and Emergency New Zealand's code of practice requirements for the airport site.
The airport's current bore water supply does not provide sufficient flow, reticulation, or firefighting connection points to adequately support airport operations and surrounding buildings. To address this shortfall, QLDC installed a temporary firewater storage tank farm in 2023. The recent commissioning of the Luggate water main now makes it possible to deliver a permanent firefighting water supply to the airport, with the ability to support increased capacity flows in the future.
-
Construction will be undertaken by Alpine Civil and will involve excavation, trenching, and pipe installation along airport roads and across two taxiways. While some temporary disruption is expected, every effort will be made to minimise impacts on airport operations and users.
During construction:
Access to hangars and businesses will be maintained.
Emergency service vehicle access will be maintained at all times.
Full site fencing and traffic management will be in place.
Construction activity and equipment will be visible across parts of the airport site.
There will be an increase in construction traffic travelling to and from the site, including traffic visible from State Highway 6.
-
The project is expected to take approximately three months to complete, with practical completion currently anticipated in December 2026.
Timeframes are subject to change depending on weather and ground conditions encountered on site.
QLDC's intention is to complete the majority of the more disruptive works during the quieter winter and spring period to minimise impacts on airport operations.
Planning for the future
In addition to the water and wastewater upgrades, QLDC is taking advantage of shared trenching opportunities to install conduit for future fibre infrastructure.
Fibre connectivity at the airport is currently limited to a small number of buildings and tenancies. Installing conduit alongside the new water and wastewater infrastructure will make it easier and more cost-effective to connect additional buildings in the future, without the need for further disruptive excavation works.
This approach helps future-proof the airport while reducing long-term costs and disruption.
Project benefits
The upgrades will:
Provide a futureproofed firefighting water supply for the airport.
Improve the reliability of water services.
Modernise wastewater infrastructure.
Support future growth and development at the airport.
Enable future fibre connectivity across more of the site.
Reduce the need for future excavation by using shared infrastructure corridors.