Curran St confusion

BY RHIANNON HORRELL

Chaos is unfolding on Curran St as unexpected setbacks hamper efforts to finish water main diversion work before the school holidays finish.

A number of residents have expressed concern over likely delays to the project, while a local water main has also been damaged in the process.

Digging started early January to move a major North Shore water main away from St Marys Bay because of Victoria Park tunnel works.

Victoria Park Alliance stakeholder manager Darren Utting says work will continue throughout the long weekend in a bid to be finished by Tuesday.

"It is a very demanding programme and the ground conditions and number of underground services we’ve encountered have been worse than expected.

"Nevertheless, the construction team has worked very hard on extended hours to get this done."

He says workers aim to finish laying the pipe today, rebuild the road over the weekend and reseal the street on Monday.

Mr Utting says an aged water main near the pipe trench has been affected twice.

"Leaks were detected on the main line possibly because the old brittle pipe did not withstand the weight of compaction machinery.

"The second time a feed off the main leaked when the trench was excavated and the normal means of supporting the water pipe was not present."

He says Metrowater was called in to carry out emergency repairs.

But resident and resource management act expert Paul Cavanagh, QC, says the project has gone from blunder to blunder. "The council are demanding they are out by February 2 but that is becoming impossible."

He says the haste may spoil the effectiveness of the work.

Four people attended a meeting at Mr Cavanagh’s home on Monday where he learned that work completion is weather dependent.

The Auckland City Council also issued a verbal warning to workers who had parked machinery under the drip-line of protected trees in the street.

"On the one hand they are cracking the whip. The right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing. It is confused bureaucracy and they all duck for cover," Mr Cavanagh says of the council.

However he applauds contractors and the alliance, saying they have been doing everything possible to work with residents and alleviate concerns.

A council spokesperson says they expect to meet
the February 2 target but has requested a contin-gency plan in the event of delays.

Curran St resident Mike Mildon says the thing affecting him the most is the noise.

"It’s just constant."

"There’s been a lack of
consultation, just some coloured photocopy in the mail."

He says it was only 12 months ago that the road was redone.

David and Sandra O’Brien are renovating their Curran St home and say workers have been good to deal with.

"I hope they can get the seal right," says Mrs O’Brien.

Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye has written a letter to council asking for assurances that standards will not be compromised.

- © Fairfax NZ News