⚠️UPDATE: VICTORIA STREET PIPE BURST⚠️

The Team from Wellington Water

Good progress has been made to repair a wastewater pipe in Victoria Street in the Wellington CBD, after it burst last night.

The pipe is being excavated and the point of the burst has been found. It is a 300mm, cast iron pipe, that records show was installed in 1961. We are currently planning to replace two six-metre sections of pipe with new, concrete-lined steel, which is a more resilient material. All going well we hope to complete the repair today, with full reinstatement completed tomorrow (Saturday).

Traffic is down to a single lane for a small part of Victoria Street near Harris Street and motorists are being asked to avoid the area if they can, or to expect minor delays.

Normal wastewater flows have been managed by the use of sucker trucks transferring wastewater from the nearby pumping station to a point further along the wastewater network, and by diverting flow into another wastewater pipe in Wakefield Street.

More visual inspections were carried out along the waterfront this morning, with no visible signs of a discharge. Water quality testing will continue, and warning signs remain in place until given the all clear by regional public health.