Central Otago District Council is warning residents to expect noise and vibration as well as traffic disruption as upgrades continue on a key pipe delivering water in Alexandra.

Contractors are set to begin construction work at the Bridge Hill end of the watermain upgrade project to replace 100-year-old pipes dating back to when the Aronui Dam supplied the town’s water.

“Pipeline construction on Bridge Hill will likely require extensive rock breaking, creating reasonable levels of noise and vibration,” the council said in a statement.

“The upgrade will cause significant disruption to road users in the area and require detours.”

For light vehicles, there will be a detour on the east bound lane of Earnscleugh Road between State Highway 8 and Aronui Road, while heavy vehicles will be forced to detour via Conroys Road.

The council has created a map to advise motorists of acceptable routes to take while this section of pipe is installed.

Work is scheduled to begin on Monday (September 15) and continue through until December.

Detours will be needed as a critical water pipe linking Bridge Hill to town is replaced. Image: CODC

The council describes the concrete-lined steel pipe as “nearing the end of its useful life” and a critical supply link for Bridge Hill properties.

It suffered a significant burst in 2015 and a minor break in 2021.

Meanwhile, work to replace the problem-plagued watermain also continues on Enterprise Street past Dunstan High School.

Here, construction started at the end of July, to replace another aged stretch of pipe, blamed for drinking water discolouration.

“This is the main water source for schools and local early childcare facilities in the vicinity,” the statement said.

“The 70-year-old pipeline has been impacted by Alexandra’s softer water supply from Lake Dunstan, leading to issues such as discoloured water.”

CODC capital projects manager Patrick Keenan said the wider project is aimed at ensuring a more reliable water supply for residents and future-proofing the town’s water network.

The project has a $2.7M budget, with HEB Construction contracted to complete the work.

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