Old pipe to go from Petone Beach
Monday, June 16, 2008
THE old reinforced concrete pipe at the western end of Petone Beach is to be removed during the next month or so because it is becoming unsafe.
The pipe was constructed in the 1960s to carry overflow from the Esplanade West pump station during heavy rain or electrical fault. For short periods of time, overflow waste was discharged directly into the harbour.
It was an overflow outlet for the system that served a range of now-gone Petone industries, such as the Gear Meat works. The pipe has been redundant for many years and has steadily deteriorated.
It’s not needed for the Seaview Treatment Plant which treats wastewater to a high standard before piping it to Pencarrow and discharging it into the ocean there.
Alan Bannatyne, an MWH consultant to Hutt City Council, says the old pipe and its support structure have decayed over time.
“The pipe is made of reinforced concrete and rubber rings, and the support is timber,” he says. “Time and salt water have eroded the structure. The pipe is cracked and broken in places, and the timber is rotting, especially at the seaward end.
“It’s become a health and safety issue, and the appearance of the beach will be improved markedly once the pipeline is removed, so a contract has been let to get rid of it.”
The job is expected to be completed – weather permitting – by the end of June.