$1.2 billion wastewater tunnelling begins with giant boring machine

Bernadette Basagre Reporter from Manukau Courier

Kia ora neighbours,

Watercare’s $1.2 billion dollar project, for the longest underground wastewater tunnel in Auckland has begun.

A giant tunnel boring machine was lowered 40 metres down a shaft by crane, below sea level at the Māngere pump station.

The machine will be used for the Central Interceptor project to build a 14.7 kilometre wastewater tunnel from central Auckland suburb, Grey Lynn to a wastewater treatment plant in Māngere.

The tunnel will reduce wet-weather overflows from central Auckland waterways and beaches caused by stormwater during heavy rain whilst also adding capacity to the supercity’s growing population.