The Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project will connect the harbour's wastewater to the main Christchurch system. To do this, we're building pump stations around Lyttelton Harbour and installing a wastewater pipeline through the Heathcote Valley.

Lyttelton Harbour

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The Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project will end the routine discharge of treated wastewater into the harbour, an important environmental milestone for our city.

The $53 million project is being constructed in four stages and once complete will redirect all of Lyttelton Harbour's wastewater to Christchurch's main treatment plant in Bromley.

Work is now underway on phase three and phase four of the four-stage project, including the 4.5 km Heathcote Valley pipeline. The entire project is planned for completion and commissioning in 2021.

The Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project is part of the Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour Plan to restore the cultural and ecological health of Lyttelton Harbour.

Read our latest newsletter(external link) for updates on the Lyttelton Harbour Wastewater Project.

Construction of the Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project is being carried out across four phases. Learn more about the different work involved. We'll commission the new wastewater network once all phases are complete. This is currently planned for 2021.

Phase one

A fibreglass pipeline has been installed above the Lyttelton tunnel to transport wastewater from Lyttelton. This work was carried out in conjunction with NZTA’s fire protection upgrade work on the tunnel. 

Phase two

Submarine pipelines were buried approximately one metre under the seabed to transport untreated wastewater from the Governors Bay and Diamond Harbour wastewater treatment plants to Naval Point in Lyttelton.

New underground pipes were installed to connect the Lyttelton wastewater treatment plant to the Simeon Quay pump station and the pump station to the Lyttelton tunnel wastewater pipe.

Phase three

We’ve built pump stations at the Governors Bay, Diamond Harbour and Lyttelton (Cashin Quay) wastewater treatment plants. We are now testing and commissioning these pump stations, as well as constructing a new pump station at Simeon Quay in Lyttelton.

Work on this phase started in July 2018 and is expected to be complete in 2021. 

Phase four

The Heathcote Valley pipeline involves the installation of an underground pipeline connecting the Lyttelton wastewater system to the Christchurch Wastewater system via Heathcote and Woolston. 

The Heathcote Valley pipeline will run from the Heathcote side of Tunnel Road, under Bridle Path Road and through Port Hills Road to Mauger Drive and Scruttons Road, under the paddocks parallel to Tunnel Road, under the Heathcote River and connecting to the Woolston pump station in Alport Place. 

From there the wastewater will be pumped through to the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bromley. Construction on this final phase started in March 2019 and we plan to finish this work in 2021. 

Map of the Heathcote Valley Pipeline

Overview

There's a lot of work to be done above and below the ground to connect the Lyttelton Harbour's wastewater to the main Christchurch system. To do this, we're converting treatment plants and building pump stations around Lyttleton Harbour and installing a wastewater pipeline through the Heathcote Valley.

Currently, wastewater from Lyttelton Harbour is fully treated at wastewater treatment plants in each of the townships before being discharged through outfall pipelines into Lyttleton Harbour. The target is to have all planned discharges of wastewater to the harbour end by 2021.

The $53 million project is being constructed in four stages and involves the installation of submarine pipes under the ocean floor to transport wastewater from Diamond Harbour and Governors Bay wastewater treatment plants to a new pump station on Simeon Quay in Lyttelton.

Wastewater will then be pumped through Tunnel Road and the new Heathcote Valley pipeline and connect to the Christchurch wastewater treatment plant via an existing pump station in Woolston.

Background

In 2009 the Council approved a joint working party's recommendation to pump untreated wastewater from Lyttelton, Governors Bay and Diamond Harbour plants through the Lyttelton road tunnel to the Christchurch wastewater treatment plant(external link) in Bromley.

The target is to end all routine discharges of wastewater to Lyttelton Harbour by 2021.

Consultation

Consultation on the scheme took place from 16 September to 12 October 2015 and public drop-in sessions were held in Diamond Harbour on 23 September 2015 and in Lyttelton on 24 September 2015 and 3 March 2016.

During the consultation period, 44 submissions were received.

Responses were analysed and public feedback, together with other aspects such as cultural impact, environmental impact, cost, time and ease of construction, were used to support resource consent applications lodged with Environment Canterbury and the Council on 31 March 2016.   The resource consents were granted in October 2016.

Based on consultation feedback, we are burying submarine pipelines approximately one metre under the seabed to transport untreated wastewater from the Diamond Harbour and Governors Bay Wastewater Treatment Plants to Lyttelton. Wastewater will then be pumped to the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant through the road tunnel via a new pump station at Simeon Quay in Lyttelton.

An overland road option for the Governors Bay pipeline was discarded as a result of the public consultation. 

Check out the latest newsletter for the Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project.

Read more about the project on Newsline

14 October 2020
Finish line in sight for Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project 
(external link)Four new pump stations have been built around the harbour, to serve as powerhouses to pump all of the Lyttelton Harbour communities’ wastewater over the hill to the main treatment plant in Bromley.

12 August 2020
Governors Bay walking track temporarily closing
(external link)Part of a popular walking track along the Governors Bay foreshore will be closed weekdays for the next two months.

22 January 2020
Tunnel drilling for Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project delayed
(external link)Plans to drill a tunnel underneath the Heathcote River and Ferry Road roundabout to install a wastewater pipeline have been delayed a month because the specialist equipment needed for the project is tied up on the West Coast.

6 December 2019
Tunnel drilling under Heathcote River early in the new year
(external link)A 535-metre pipeline will be pulled through the tunnel under the river and the Ferry Road roundabout by a method called directional drilling.

14 May 2019
Governors Bay pump station now online
(external link)Lyttelton Harbour is a step closer to being a healthier place to swim and fish since the routine discharge of treated wastewater from Governors Bay has ended.

16 April 2019
Lyttelton Harbour wastewater project digs into the final phase
(external link)Work is underway on the final phase of the $53 million Lyttelton Harbour Wastewater Project through Heathcote and Woolston.

5 March 2019
Lyttelton wastewater project work pumps up
(external link)Work on a $53 million project to upgrade wastewater services in the Lyttelton Harbour area is moving to a crucial phase, with work underway on a new pump station at Simeon Quay.

20 August 2018
Lyttelton Harbour pipeline goes submarine(external link)
A project aimed at improving water quality in Lyttelton Harbour is moving into the first marine stage of construction.

07 June 2018
Tunnel lane closures as pipework powers up
(external link)The big dig is underway as portside trenching work gears up for the construction of submarine pipelines to carry wastewater from Governors Bay and Diamond Harbour to Lyttelton.

14 February 2018
Lyttelton Harbour pipeline project gets blessing
(external link)Local iwi have carried out a blessing ahead of a construction project aimed at improving water quality in Lyttelton Harbour.