NZ’s First Vacuum System Wins Major Environmental Award

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wastewater system at Kawakawa Bay, Auckland, New Zealand has been awarded an Environmental and Sustainability Award at the Arthur Mead Awards Function. Flovac’s system was awarded one of three prizes, which was presented by IPENZ, Auckland Branch.

The awards are named after Auckland City Waterworks Engineer, Arthur Mead, who performed the initial survey and created the designs for Upper Nihotupu and Hia Dams. They are awarded every year to projects that use sustainable features, deal with waste management, avoid negative environmental effects and promote community involvement.

As well as fulfilling the requirements of the rewards, Watercare’s project highlighted the close relationship the company maintained with residents and community groups throughout Auckland. Raveen Jaduram, acting chief executive of Watercare, said that one of the company’s main objectives was to improve wastewater treatment services in order to continue to better Auckland’s estuaries, harbours and waterways.

The celebrated project was designed by engineering consultancy Harrison Grierson with Flovac Systems and constructed by Fulton Hogan. Watercare took over the operation of the Kawakawa Bay system after it had been in operation for a year. Following the implementation of the system, ageing septic tanks in the area could be removed, helping to reduce pollution to local streams and groundwater. The pollution caused by the septic tanks resulted in the Bay being unsafe for swimming in 2002. The safe-for-swimming status was restored at the end of 2012.

The wastewater project makes use of a Flovac vacuum collection system, which is a first for New Zealand. This allowed for the fast construction of shallow pipelines, reducing the impact on residents in the area.

Vacuum collection systems allow wastewater from each individual property to drain into a pit before going through a vacuum pipe network. This is controlled through the use of a pneumatically controlled vacuum interface valve in the pit.

Once the wastewater is in the network, it moves to the vacuum pump station through by differential pressure created by opening and closing valves throughout the network. The wastewater is then moved from a collection tank at the pump station to a treatment plant.

– See more at: http://www.envirotech-online.com/news/water-wastewater/9/breaking_news/auckland_wastewater_system_wins_award/31129/#sthash.eTXiUt4g.dpuf
Kawakawa Bay NZ Case Study

Preston’s Housing Development in Christchurch

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It’s a case of one down and 2599 to go at the biggest subdivision in Christchurch.

The single house under construction in the Prestons housing development in Christchurch will not be alone for long.

The milestone of Prestons’ first house was marked by a visit from Prime Minister John Key this week, five years after the giant housing development was first launched. That first house is owned by 87-year-old Cliff Mitten. Since sections in the Marshland subdivision first went on sale last year, about 330 have been sold.

Of the 200 sections in the first stage, known as Korowai, only four remain unsold. Those buyers now have titles to their sections and more construction is due to get underway soon.

In the second stage, Harakeke, 130 of the 230 sections have sold without being officially released to the market. Titles in that stage will be ready for buyers in June next year.

Prestons is the city’s biggest subdivision, designed for 2600 homes and 8000 residents. It is being developed by CDL Land NZ, Ngai Tahu and Foodstuffs South Island.

Section sizes are from 450sqm to 650sqm, and those in stage two are priced at $210,000 to $244,000.

The developers first released their plans for Prestons in 2008.

They were in the process of trying to get the farmland rezoned for housing, in the face of opposition from Environment Canterbury and other parties, when the earthquakes hit.

The decision was put on hold and then the project was given the green light in 2011 under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.

At 203 hectares, Prestons is on a site bigger than Hagley Park. It is next to the Bottle Lake Forest reserve, and the Waitikiri and Windsor Golf Courses.

The development has been designed to include a shopping area with cafes and restaurants, a New World supermarket, a primary school and parks. David Schwartfeger, development manager for Ngai Tahu Property, says the section buyers so far have come from across the board in both age and location.

He believes the geotechnical report that comes with each section is helping attract buyers.

Most of the land in the development has been classed as TC1, the least earthquake damage- prone of the government’s technical categories, while the remaining TC2 land has been brought up to TC1 level.

As part of that work, the developers did a soil swap with the Waitikiri Golf Club, removing and giving the club 70,000 cubic metres of peat in exchange for 70,000 cubic metres of sand. The subdivision was then stabilised with a 40-tonne elliptical roller which has been used overseas for mining work.

The Flovac vacuum sewerage system was chosen due to concerns about future earthquakes and due to the high water table in the area. This is Flovac’s second project in Christchurch, which is at Shirley.