The US$840m project will run from Western Springs to the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant and is designed to reduce wastewater overflows during wet weather by up to 80% – to the benefit of local harbours, beaches and waterways.
It took 27 trucks to transport the 5.4m-diameter TBM’s parts from Ports of Auckland to the Mangere plant from where the machine will be launched by mayor Phil Goff for the five-year tunnelling operation.
Several Central Interceptor construction sites are currently in progress. Works at Mangere and May Road (Mt Roskill) shaft sites are the most advanced. At Mangere, excavation of the 38m-deep main shaft (wet well) and 32m-deep inlet shaft are complete, with the concrete base slab at the bottom of both shafts now being installed. Further sites along the tunnel route will commence in 2021.
Due to the TBM’s size, it will not be fully assembled by contractor Ghella Abergeldie JV and Herrenknecht until it is launched underground in early 2021.
