Pump station upgrades

Pump stations are designed to do one thing well: move water. When there’s too much rain and nowhere for it to go – especially in low-lying, flat areas – these stations help lift excess water out of the drainage network and send it safely to nearby rivers. They’re especially important during storms, when the pressure on the system is at its peak.

Some of our pump stations are reaching the end of their useful life. Damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle, they no longer meet the level of service needed to cope with today’s conditions.

This upgrade programme will improve capacity, reliability, and long-term resilience. The new stations will also have better telemetry systems, making it easier to monitor and manage performance remotely, and reduce fish mortality by improving how water is returned to the river.

 Once complete, these upgrades will deliver:

• More reliable and efficient pump station performance
• Backup power and seismic strengthening
• Better telemetry for remote monitoring and control
• Greater resilience in the face of severe weather
• Lower fish mortality rates