Innovative Wastewater Plants Win Engineers Award

The peninsula's wastewater plants and both consulting companies have won a silver award for innovation at the weekend's Innovate New Zealand 2009 Awards of Excellence presentation in Queenstown. Award certificates were presented to Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC) and to the construction contractor. Mayor, Philippa Barriball, accepted the award on behalf of Council.

The Eastern Seaboard Wastewater Project won the Silver Award for innovation at the recent Association of Consulting Engineers of New Zealand (ACENZ) Awards. Project Manager Opus International Consultants (Opus) and principal designer, Sinclair Knight Merz SKM (contracted by the treatment plants constructor, Downer Edi Works), were also given awards in recognition of their substantial contribution.

The project involved providing additional wastewater treatment and disposal capacity at the resort towns of Whangamata, Whitianga and Pauanui/Tairua. The ES3 Project, as it became known, was TCDC's largest single project and New Zealand's largest wastewater project.

The key objectives of the project were to provide for future growth of the peninsula and to significantly improve the quality of wastewater effluent to meet the expectations of the local communities particularly in regard to the protection of waterways, estuaries and harbours that are so popular for recreation and fishing.

The centrepiece of the project was a component to deliver three new, near identical plants under a single design/build/operate contract. The project was praised for a contract that was clear in its intent and for an outstanding working relationship that was built among all parties involved.

The judges commented that the treatment plants were the best they had seen.

The award is fine recognition for what has been an extremely successful project for the Council and for all parties involved.