Updates on work to deliver significant wastewater infrastructure upgrades across the Upper Clutha.
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Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme
Newsletter #2 | November 2025
Welcome to our second newsletter on the Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme.
Read on for updates on work to deliver significant wastewater infrastructure upgrades across the Upper Clutha.
First stage of work nearly complete
Photo credit: Fulton Hogan
Work to install sections of the new wastewater pipe in Zone 7 by Project Pure Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is nearly complete, with crews expecting to finish up on Stevenson Road through to State Highway 6 (SH6) this December.
To date, approximately 1,400 metres of wastewater pipe have been laid in the area – which is great to see despite wet spring weather (sometimes very, very wet) making ground conditions, trenching, and keeping water out of those trenches particularly tricky for crews.
While crews are finishing up in Zone 7, additional teams are getting started in other work zones along the future pipeline route, but more on that below.
Temporary bridge closures this week
As you’ve hopefully seen online, in the paper, or as a text message from us – Camphill Bridge and Albert Town Bridge be temporarily closed to vehicles for a short period of time this week, so crews can carry out investigative works to prepare for installing the new wastewater pipeline on each bridge next year.
Camphill Bridge closure
Friday 14 November from 9.00am to 2.30pm.
A detour will be in place using Kane Road, Cemetery Road, Domain Road, Capell Avenue, and SH6. Alternatively, road users can use SH6, SH8A, Luggate Red Bridge, and Kane Road.
Albert Town Bridge closure
Sunday 16 November from 9.00pm to 6.00am.
A detour will be in place using SH6, SH8A, Luggate Red Bridge, Kane Road, and Camp Hill Road.
Road users should plan ahead and allow for up to 15 minutes of extra travel time.
And don’t forget, longer closures will be required to both of these bridges in 2026 when work takes place to install the new wastewater pipeline on them. We’ll confirm dates and times for those future closures in a future newsletter.
Work to watch for in November/December
As mentioned above, additional crews are starting to kick things off in multiple work zones across the future pipeline route, so here’s a quick summary of what to expect leading into the festive season.
Zone 6B: SH6, from Stevenson Road to Cardrona River
If you regularly head along SH6 between Wānaka and Luggate, chances are you’ve spotted a few stacks of the wastewater pipe and welded-together sections to be installed along the side of the road.
Crews are already doing just that and are busy working along the edge of SH6 near the eastern end of Ballantyne Road. They’ll be making their way west along SH6 towards Cardrona River.
Most of the work in Zone 6B will take place in the shoulder of SH6 or adjacent paddocks, but there may be short sections of stop/go required in tight sections. For now, drivers should only expect shoulder closures and temporary speed limits.
Installation of this section of pipeline will continue in January next year and is expected to be completed by February.
Zone 1: Hāwea WWTP to Camp Hill Road
Work on part of Zone 1 is underway with a site being cleared for Hāwea’s new wastewater pump station along Domain Road.
Following this, tanks will be delivered to the area and excavations undertaken over the next two weeks.
Future works along Domain Road and down towards Camp Hill Road are not expected to begin until May next year.
Photo credit: Fulton Hogan
Zone 2B: SH6, from Camp Hill Road to Albert Town Bridge
Work to install sections of wastewater pipeline along SH6 between Camp Hill Road and Albert Town Bridge is set to begin on Monday 24 November.
We’re not expecting much disruption in Zone 2B before Christmas, as crews will largely work under shoulder closures with possible temporary speed limits in place.
Please note: Stop/go will be required on sections of SH6 in the future as work progresses towards Albert Town Bridge. This is because the alignment of the wastewater pipe crosses from one side of the road to the other a few times, making use of the widest part of the road reserve available and helping to avoid the need for longer and more disruptive periods of stop/go.
Work in Zone 2B will continue in January next year and is expected to be completed by March.
What to expect in early 2026
After downing tools for the Christmas and New Year break, work on the zones mentioned above will restart around mid January. By February, we’re also expecting to see activity around new parts of the pipeline too, including:
Zone 3
SH6, from southern side of Albert Town Bridge to
Mount Iron Roundabout
We expect to install some sections of the pipeline along SH6 and through Albert Town at night, to avoid as much disruption as possible.
Some feeder roads running onto SH6 will likely experience one day closures while the pipeline crosses each one.
Zone 4
Riverbank Road, through to Mount Iron Roundabout
A lane closure is expected to be required on Riverbank Road while crews install the new pipeline here and upgrade the existing pump station in the area.
Zone 5
Mount Iron Roundabout and east along SH6
Work to install the new pipeline here is expected to require some stop/go for drivers on a small section of SH6 between Mount Iron Roundabout and Cardrona River.
More details on these work zones, dates, times and what to expect will be shared with affected residents and the wider public in January.
Attending Hāwea Community Association’s recent AGM
A big thank you to the HCA for having us at their AGM on Sunday 2 November, and to everyone who chatted with our Project team about work on the Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme and what to expect over the coming months.
One the key questions we were asked during the AGM but one we’ve also spotted online and heard in the community is:
Why a pipeline and not a new treatment plant?
Good question! Conveying wastewater from Hāwea to Project Pure WWTP as part of the Upper Clutha Wastewater Conveyance Scheme provides the best balance of environmental, social, cost, and resilience benefits to the area, and will provide enough capacity to meet growth expected in Hāwea over the next 30 years. It also builds additional resilience into Wānaka and Albert Town’s wastewater network too with the upgraded pump station on Riverbank Road.
The new pipeline provides capacity for 4,000 dwelling equivalent units in Hāwea. The township currently has 1,000.
Ultimately, this solution results in a network that will handle Upper Clutha’s wastewater needs well into the future, treatment and disposal will be improved, and the network will be more resilient in the event of any unforeseen issues.
Got a question, or want to raise an issue?
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this project or specific zones of work, please contact us on 03 443 0024 or email services@qldc.govt.nz.
