Pipeline upgrade work due to hit busy city streets

With the second stage of a major pipeline upgrade beginning through busy Invercargill streets next month, the council is urging the public to be prepared for disruptions.

The first stage of the Branxholme Pipeline Upgrade began last year and is nearing completion with 3.7km of pipeline replaced.

The second phase of the project will begin on McIvor Rd late next month, before continuing through Donovan Park, across Bainfield Rd, and into the Waikiwi Reservoir in Myers Reserve before continuing between Pomona Rd West and the water tower on Gala St.

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“This is a really critical piece of infrastructure for Invercargill and Bluff, and the new pipeline is designed to last for more than a century,” Invercargill City Council programme director Lee Butcher said.

“Installing it will ensure our community continues to enjoy clean, safe drinking water in the years to come.

“We know that, given the scale of the project and the nature of what we are doing, this work will be disruptive to the regular routines of some people in our community.

“As we get closer to more residential properties, and more densely-populated industrial areas, the project’s impact will become more obvious.”

Butcher said the project would cause disruptions with roads going down to one-way traffic, or people being unable to access their driveways for a day or two.

“We would really encourage people to start thinking about how this project might impact them during school drop-off, getting home from work, or on their nightly walk through Donovan Park, and plan an alternative.

“We encourage the community to sign up to our newsletter by visiting our website, or following us on social media to get the latest updates,” Butcher said.

The existing pipeline is being replaced with a modern, durable version constructed from polyethylene. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2024.