Work began in May 2007 to replace a decrepit 90 year old concrete sewage pipeline, that runs above ground across Hobson Bay, with a 3 km, 3.7m diameter tunnel. The project has a cost of $119 million, will carry 25% of Auckland City’s sewerage and will open up 14 km of coastline.
The Tunnel Boring Machine, TBM, was a NZ first and the project was ahead of schedule and 95% complete in November 2009. It was then discovered the wrong valves had been sourced and completion will likely be 3 months later than the original schedule of August 2010.
When the cache was placed in December 2009 a major undertaking was the crew of 9 who began work at 1am. They donned dry suits and harnesses and worked inside the old pipeline removing grit and debris - 390 tonnes in the 1st 7 weeks. This would reduce the risk of contaminating the bay when the line was demolished. When they entered the wastewater stream was knee high. They knew it’s quitting time by around seven thirty when everyone was getting out of bed and taking showers and the stream could be shoulder deep.
The new pump station is the beigey building with reddish panels between the Rugby Club and the Bowls Club. It will eventually be the only evidence of this project.
An update added June 2010; Demolition on the concrete sewer has begun and news is that 10 metres will be "preserved" as an historical monument. I imagine South Islanders will find this a quite fitting JAFA memorial! JAFA being short for Just Another Friendly Aucklander, although they most often substitute other F words...
***When I checked the cache in June 2010 the sign at WP1 was lying on the ground. Today Oct 2010 the sign at WP 2 is missing; presumably to rebrand for the Super City so E is 4 (13 rain gauges) and F is 6 allowing you to calculate G. In May 2014 realised that the phone number has been altered. Have changed clues below. Sure is a high maintenance cache.***
At the co-ordinates are a street sign. This is one of the most unusual "intersections" I have ever seen. I believe it came about when the flood prone area had public housing. Answer these questions to locate WP2. WP2is at:
S 36° 51.ABC E 174° 49.DAB
A = number of words on the street sign minus 1
B =the number of letters in the 3rd word on the sign minus the number in the 1st
C = number of letters in the 1st word on the sign minus 1
D = number of roads which the sign indicates are at the sign
The check sum for A + B + C + D is 11
At WP2 - if sign is still down see * above - answer these questions to locate the final. It is at:
S 36° 51.AEF E 174° 49.ABG
E = sum of the digits of the number of rain gauges
F = 6 times the final digit in the contact phone number
G = 8 times the final digit in the contact phone number
The check sum for E + F + G is 18