Updates for residents and businesses near the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant site.
Activated sludge plant construction about to start
HEB Construction has been confirmed as the contractor for the construction of the activated sludge plant. They will begin setting up the site on 6 January 2026, with the goal of having the construction village ready by 21 January.Ground improvement work is scheduled to start from 26 January.
Here’s what you need to know about noise, dust and traffic management:
- Noise and vibration will be monitored at the site boundary, with strict limits in place. If these limits are exceeded, mitigation measures will be put in place.
- Dust control will include visual monitoring, water carts, speed limits, and other suppression techniques to keep dust to a minimum.
- Traffic management is being planned with HEB’s ground improvement subcontractor to reduce impacts on the community. During ground improvement work, there may be up to 30 trucks per day coming to the site. We haven't yet confirmed the route trucks will take to the site but we will share this once we know.
Work hours will be Monday to Saturday, 7.30am–6pm. If any work needs to happen outside these hours, we'll notify the community in advance.
The new reactor will be a substantial structure, 67m x 67m and 7m high, housing a blower room to mix air with incoming wastewater. The design process has been accelerated by working closely with contractors and using 3D design technology. Once construction begins, our goal is to move quickly, with commissioning of the plant currently targeted for 2028.
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