The first giant concrete
pour took place at
Watercare’s new Pukekohe
reservoir site recently
with a convoy of concrete
trucks delivering
approximately 273 cubic
metres of fresh concrete
to Watercare’s new water
reservoir.
Around 57 truck deliveries saw 650
tonnes of concrete being poured
into the first section (quarter) of
the 80m diameter floor of the new
50 million litre water reservoir. It’s the first time
that Watercare has built a new reservoir of this
size since 1994 and is just one of four of this
magnitude in the Auckland region.
Floodlights illuminated the area as the trucks
drove back and forth from concrete plants in
Bombay and East Tamaki.
Watercare project manager Faiz Salim says the
operation was blessed with perfect weather
conditions: “It was a still night and light traffic
meant the trucks were able to travel quickly
and without incident. This is one of the biggest
concrete pours Watercare has done this year
and we’re pleased it went so well.”
The concrete took seven days to cure and will
dry to full strength in 28 days.
The floor is criss-crossed with steel reinforcing,
which will be put under tension before the first
pre-cast reservoir wall is lowered into place in a
few weeks’ time.
Another floor section will be concreted
before the end of the month, followed by the
two remaining sections. Internal supporting
columns and a roof will be constructed before
the end of the year. The new reservoir is due to
be commissioned mid next year (2020) and a
second reservoir will be built on the same site
as demand from Auckland’s growing population
increases.
The reservoirs will connect to the Waikato No
1 watermain and will provide residents in the
north Franklin district, as well as Auckland
with increased security of supply and greater
resilience.
Currently, water is pumped from the Waikato
Water Treatment Plant through the Waikato
No 1 Watermain to a small concrete balancing
tank (reservoir), which sits in a corner of the
Runciman Road site. Once the new reservoir
is constructed, water will flow by gravity to the
Redoubt Road reservoirs in Manukau.
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