Hamilton’s new wastewater connection to Peacocke will improve environmental outcomes for the Waikato River and wider city.

Hamilton City Council has awarded CB Civil & Drainage Ltd the contract to build a wastewater connection to link the new growth area with the city’s existing network.

The $28.5M project includes two pipelines running from Cobham Drive, along the Eastern Town Belt and Wairere Dr to connect into the existing wastewater system near Crosby Road. The pipeline will eventually link up with a new pump station to be built in Peacocke.

Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate said the pipeline has been designed to meet tougher environmental standards and to improve the health of the Waikato River.

“A strong wastewater network is critical for the health of the Waikato River and the wider environment and we have an obligation to absolutely get it right,” she said.

“Peacocke is this city’s biggest ever investment in the environment; from the design of the pipes and roads, to the thousands of native plants we’re planting. We’re doing huge amounts of work to restore gullies including putting in protections for endangered long-tailed bats.”

“Peacocke is not just about building more houses. It’s about developing a quality, sustainable community that Hamilton families will be proud to live in and importantly, will enjoy living in.”

The new wastewater system will cater for up to 20,000 people who will eventually call Peacocke home, plus provide additional capacity for growth and free up capacity in the city’s existing wastewater network.

Chair of Council’s Strategic Growth Committee Councillor Dave Macpherson said the importance of essential services like wastewater in building a new community should not be underestimated.

“It’s important we get our infrastructure in place right from the beginning, and that’s what we’re doing in Peacocke. This pipe allows for housing development to get under way in the south at the same time as our transport network – a great result for people who are eager to move to the area.”

“This contract is part of a wider vision for the way we are developing Peacocke. It’s part of an overall package which focusses not just on the hard infrastructure, but on how that can support environmental, cultural, transportation and social needs in Peacocke, as well as supporting future needs of the wider city.

“This week’s announcement is another big piece in finally delivering the community in our city’s south which has been promised for decades,” Cr Macpherson says.

This is the second major contract Council has announced for Peacocke recently, after HEB Construction was awarded the $135M contract to build a new Waikato River bridge and transport network earlier in the month.

Mayor Southgate said the construction of these two major projects showed confidence in the city despite the impact of the ongoing pandemic.

“Hamilton is the hub of the Waikato region and the beginning of this work shows confidence in our local economy and its ability to bounce back and be resilient. Our partnership with the Government to deliver key infrastructure is hugely important and I think the whole of Council is very pleased to see this get under way.”

Work on the pipeline is expected to start in October and take up to two years to complete.

Peacocke is being built with the support from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, made up of a $180.3M 10-year interest-free loan and $110.1M of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency subsidies.

The Peacocke programme will deliver a new bridge, main roads, parks, and strategic water, wastewater and stormwater networks. Other work includes protecting and enhancing the environment, including the extensive gully system, and investigating community facilities which are also important parts of creating a new community in Peacocke.

When completed, Peacocke will be home for up to 20,000 Hamiltonians.

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