Watercare improved Auckland’s water capacity in response to the long-lasting drought, increasing water capacity to 175 million litres per day in 2020. With this increase in volume, an upgrade of the Chemical and Electrical Systems of the existing plant was required. BPC was contracted to inform design through ECI, working closely with Watercare and BECA to achieve a design that was efficient and economic to build.

The CSEU project typified multidisciplinary civil construction, in line with many others that BPC have delivered for the water industry. This included significant scopes for foundations, concrete construction, structural steel, pipelines and utility services, mechanical installations, electrical and control systems upgrade and commissioning. BPC self-performed the majority of the work, including all electrical works. The brownfields nature of the project meant that the team were constantly interfacing with existing live processes that were critical to maintain plant operation.

Being on the banks of the Waikato River and operating near areas of historical and cultural significance the project team ensured positive engagement with mana whenua. The project hosted a special toolbox with representatives from Te Taniwha o Waikato and kaumātua Marti Ngataki and George Katipa, who shared the history of the area and discussed its many significant features.