Case Study: Three Kings Pump Station & Rising Main

Scope of works

To support the new infrastructure, HBCC was engaged to construct a wastewater pump station and rising main servicing approximately 900 residential lots. The works included:

• Installation of an 80m³ composite wet well and three 60m³ strigae storage tanks.
• Electrical fitout to Watercare specifications by Pump & Valve.
• Three 60m³ emergency storage vessels and 8m deep pump chamber using complex sheet piling and temporary shoring.
• Construction of a 2km 200OD PE rising main, including 900m through central Auckland footpaths, live roads, and vehicle crossings.
• A pipe bridge to carry the rising main up the quarry wall, and construction through a soakage zone with volcanic rock substrates.
• 1500m2 fully landscaped detention pond with drainage

Challenges and solutions

The project faced significant technical and stakeholder challenges. The inner-city location demanded careful coordination with schools and residents, with traffic management adapted around school hours and regular letter drops to inform the public. The geology of the site—predominantly volcanic rock—added to the complexity, especially within soakage areas. Unknown services were a persistent risk, mitigated effectively by a robust “permit to dig” system, resulting in a low incidence of strikes.

Outcome

The pump station was delivered to the latest standards with integrated overflow-to-soakage systems, overcoming a wide range of geotechnical, logistical, and community interface challenges. The success of the rising main installation and the overall pump station works provided critical infrastructure to unlock housing development for this key Auckland growth area.