DCC 3 Waters Upgrade

Dunedin City Council manages 21,000 hectares of water catchment. Provides water and wastewater services to approximately 49,000 and 48,000 properties and provides stormwater services to around 107,000 residential customers. The DCC owns and manages 1,425km of water main, 1,232km of sewer, 12 operational water treatment plants, 7 wastewater treatment plants, 57 storage reservoirs and 124 pumping stations across the three networks. 

The first public water infrastructure in Dunedin was installed in 1860, with significant infrastructure development taking place in the first half of the 20th century. As a result, 40% of today’s water and waste network infrastructure across the Dunedin area was laid before 1950. It’s estimated that approximately 15% of Dunedin’s treated water supply is lost through leakage. 

Parts of the Dunedin city occasionally experience flooding from wastewater and stormwater sewers as a result of localised network capacity being exceeded. This risk is exacerbated by ground and surface water entering cracked and damaged pipes, or cross-connections between storm and foul sewer pipes - the result of an incomplete sewer separation programme. These increased flows, particularly during wet-weather events can lead to overflows at pump stations, manhole overflows and backing up of household drainage.

Over 50% of the Dunedin water network is expected to reach the end of its useful life and require renewal by 2060, at an estimated cost of over $820 million. It’s estimated that the Dunedin City Council will need to invest over $1 billion to maintain current levels of service for the next 50 years. 

KB Contractors is an Accredited Contractor to the Dunedin City Council and has been working with them, Downers and Fulton Hogan on the 3 waters projects for over six years. KB Contractors undertake specialist water drilling operations to help these projects, bringing vital technical expertise.

One of these projects currently underway is replacing 13km of old and poorly performing water, wastewater and stormwater pipes in North East Valley (NEV) and Opoho. Work started in February 2018 and is set to be completed in late 2025. 

Work on water pipes will improve the area’s drinking water and result in better fire flows, fewer burst pipes and unplanned shutdowns, and improved water pressure. Replacing wastewater pipes will reduce the overflows that cause manholes to pop up in heavy rain.

Dean Scott

3 Waters Department Manager

Fulton Hogan

KB Contractors undertake specialist water drilling which has helped with the DCC 3 waters projects. We have a strong history of working with KB Contractors on previous projects, as they bring a technical background with water and specifically drilling to projects.

They take ownership of the water component of these projects. We simply cannot complete all the work without their expertise, and they’re completed faster due to working collaboratively. KB’s are great to work with, they get on with the job. If there has been an issue, they close it out quickly, learn, change and move forward.

We happily recommend KB Contractors and regularly do. With their specialist drilling operation and teams specific to the water industry, they are a much-needed technical backup. The bottom line is they do what they say they will.