Harris St Syphon
If you have any questions about this work, please contact:
Wellington Water, 04 912 4400
Latest Updates
Now that’s what we call a deep clean!
Constructed over twenty years ago to address stormwater flooding in the CBD, the Harris Street syphon sits 16 metres under ground level. It’s meant to drain stormwater from around Willis and Victoria Streets and discharge it, using its own momentum, at Frank Kitts Park.
Wellington Water on behalf of Wellington City Council will be working on several streets in the CBD to clear stormwater pipes which have become filled with silt and are creating odour around Frank Kitts Park.
Wellington Water on behalf of Wellington City Council will be working on several streets in the CBD to clear stormwater pipes which have become filled with silt and are creating odour around Frank Kitts Park.
The syphon system, which is meant to drain stormwater away from the CBD and discharge it into the harbour, has become clogged with silt and debris, which is blocking the flow of water and leading to odour and potentially bacterial buildup.
This work involves:
- Cleaning out the grit trap on Harris Street (planned for 2 to 5 March)
- Running pumps on Harris Street to keep the flow going while water is flushed through the upstream parts of the system at:
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- Victoria Street (planned for 5 to 8 March)
- Bond Street (planned for 8 to 10 March)
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- Debris and silt will be collected at Harris Street and trucked to landfill
These timeframes may shift depending on weather conditions and how quickly the work progresses.
Noise and odour
There will be increased noise on Harris Street from the pumps, which need to run 24/7 for the duration of the works.
There may also be odour due to the silt and debris being removed from the site.
Impacts on road traffic
- Harris Street will be reduced to a single one-way lane, with access provided for the Police Station garage.
- Some footpaths will be closed on Harris and Bond Streets
- There will be signage in place to guide drivers and pedestrians safely around the work site
- There may be some traffic management in place on Willis Street to access one of the manholes on Bond Street.
We are coordinating with other projects in the central city to minimize the amount of disruption to residents and traffic.
All Updates
Now that’s what we call a deep clean!
Constructed over twenty years ago to address stormwater flooding in the CBD, the Harris Street syphon sits 16 metres under ground level. It’s meant to drain stormwater from around Willis and Victoria Streets and discharge it, using its own momentum, at Frank Kitts Park.
Unfortunately, this system only works if it’s kept clear of debris, and in 2022 it was found that several of the vertical pipes feeding into the syphon were clogged – and creating unpleasant odours, particularly around Frank Kitts Park.
This was a big job – with over 300 cubic metres of debris to remove in very challenging circumstances – and time sensitive, with the opening of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui | Central Library on the horizon just over the road.
Our contractors TDG Environmental and G P Friel Ltd worked night and day over the past couple of weeks to break out the compacted silt and rubbish, filter out the liquid, flush the system and finally scan the interior with A ROBOT WITH LASERS ON ITS HEAD.
