About our wastewater

About 150,000 households are connected to Christchurchs wastewater system, which collects 150 million litres each day. The wastewater is pumped to the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant where the purification process begins. Wastewater is treated by separating the organic and inorganic solid wastes, removing odours and killing the bacteria and viruses present. The latter part of the process uses natural elements such as UV light from the sun, windinduced aeration and the photosynthetic action of naturally occurring algae for disinfection in the oxidation ponds. The disinfection achieved in the ponds in this natural manner is as effective as many artificial UV systems around the country and is much more cost effective as it consumes no electrical power. After treatment, the wastewater is returned to the environment with about 95 per cent of organic material and 99.999 per cent of bacteria removed. Until the commissioning of the outfall, the treated waste water was discharged to the Avon Heathcote Estuary, or Ihutai, and flowed out to the ocean on the outgoing tide. This process had been the basis for the treatment of the citys wastewater for the past 50 years and has had a number of significant upgrades in this time. Wastewater treatment has taken place at this site since the 1880s. Now, after three and a half years of construction and many more years of planning, Christchurch has a sustainable solution to manage the wastewater from our growing community.

Issue 12 Autumn 2010

Ocean Outfall begins operation

Christchurchs biggest construction project to date the $87.2 million Ocean Outfall pipeline officially opens this week. It is the fifth ocean outfall to be built in the South Island in recent years, and the longest in New Zealand. The Ocean Outfall answers a question that has been challenging the City since 1996: How to avoid discharging treated wastewater into the Avon-Heathcote Estuary. After many options had been explored, the most promising solution was for an ocean outfall pipeline. This was supported by two independent expert panels reviewing public health and ecological impacts on the Estuary. The outfall system is made up of a new pump station at the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant oxidation ponds (photo 1, inside page), and a five kilometre pipeline stretching three kilometres into Pegasus Bay (photo 2). Construction took three years. The constant gradient of the pipe means that wastewater flows using gravity without need of a pump 99 per cent of the time. The maximum flow of treated wastewater will be 5.5 cubic metres/second under pumping. The treated and UV disinfected wastewater is diluted by discharging through a series of risers and diffusers at the end of the pipeline to ensure there is negligible impact on the environment, water quality or sea life. Extensive analysis has shown that the beach will be safe for people gathering shellfish or swimming. The only change people might notice on the Bay is a more reflective area on the surface of the water which may be visible in calm sea. This is caused by fresh water mixing with salt water. There will be no further discharges into the Estuary.

For enquires about the project contact: John Moore Project Team Leader Christchurch City Council Civic Offices 163-173 Tuam Street Christchurch Phone (03) 941 8830 Fax (03) 941 8385 Email: waste@ccc.govt.nz www.ccc.govt.nz/oceanoutfall

The method
The Christchurch City Council had the option of building a 2km or a 3km pipeline, both of which would provide a safe swimming and shellfish gathering outcome. Based on community concern about the perceived risk, the Council chose the 3km option. The construction method for the landward section of the pipeline involved a technique called microtunnelling, in which a tunnel boring machine affectionately known as Dora the Bora drilled a 2.3km tunnel from the oxidation ponds at the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant to the ocean (photos 3, 4, 5). The tunnel went under the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, South New Brighton Spit, and under the foreshore to just beyond the surf zone. The microtunnelling solution was chosen over the traditional dig and lay method because it was a sound engineering solution, offered the lowest environmental impacts, reduced potential disruption to the community, and had the lowest long-term operating costs. Three separate tunnels were built and then connected (see map, back page). The first and longest was constructed from South New Brighton Park, under the Avon-Heathcote Estuary to the edge of the oxidation ponds at the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant. The second tunnel was then constructed from South New Brighton Park along Jellicoe Street towards the sand dunes at the beach. The third and final tunnel drive from the shaft in the dunes to a point out past the surf zone was completed in early February 2008. Dora the Bora was excavated and retrieved from the seabed early in 2009. The reinforced concrete tunnelled pipeline was connected to a 2.5km marine pipeline buried in a trench dug by the dredge Machiavelli. The marine section of the pipeline was made of seven pieces of 360 metre polyethylene pipestring that were assembled in Lyttelton, towed out and sunk in Pegasus Bay (photos 6-11). They were installed and bolted together by divers in the seabed to become the marine section of the pipeline. The marine section of the project was delayed due to poor weather and sea conditions. Environment Canterbury put in place an Abatement Notice following the expiry of the current consent on 30 September 2009 but allowed until 31 March 2010 before giving effect to that notice. This abatement notice was formally lifted on 5 March 2010 when CCC stopped discharging into the Estuary. Now, South New Brighton Park and the dunes have been reinstated so there is almost no trace of the massive construction that went before. Jellicoe Street has also been upgraded (photo 12).

A project to be proud of
Mark Christison, Unit Manager City, Water and Waste says the staff have achieved a significant engineering coup. This is a major project for the City, and were very proud of what has been accomplished by the engineers and contractors, he says. Mr Christison says the Council is pleased the project has been completed within budget. Now, there will be strong interest in the benefits to the Estuary of having no discharge. The pipeline will ensure the Citys wastewater is discharged in a way that will improve the water quality of both the Estuary and the beaches he says. The pumping station will be used only for peak flow flushing.

1
The completed pumping station. The constant gradient of the pipeline means that wastewater flows using gravity without need for pumping 99 per cent of the time.

2
The Christchurch Ocean Outfall is the longest in New Zealand, going 3km out to sea.

3
Sheet piles ready to be driven into South New Brighton Park to form the microtunnel jacking pit.

4
Dora the Bora begins her first microtunnel from South New Brighton Park to the Christhchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant.

5
Dora is recovered after completing her 2.3km micro-tunnelling journey including the longest micro-tunnel drive completed to date in Australasia.

6
The dredge Machiavelli dug a 2.5 km trench in the seabed out to Pegasus Bay for the pipeline to be buried into.

7
The sinking of the first pipestrings into the trench in Pegasus Bay.

8
Locals continued life almost as usual, while Christchurchs largest ever construction project continued in the background.

9
The diffuser pipestring, containing 12 of the 13 risers, is sunk. This was the last pipestring.

10
A trial installation of the diffuser structure over the riser pipe. This delicate operation was performed at sea by divers with near zero visibility, which was why perfect conditions were needed for this leg of the project.

11
The diffusers with duck-bill valves were launched from Lyttelton Harbour and taken out to Pegasus Bay for installation.

12
After construction, Jellicoe Street was upgraded and the Dunes at South New Brighton Beach were restored.