Budget for Auckland wastewater tunnel blows out

The 14.7km-long central interceptor will help to reduce wet-weather overflows into waterways in Auckland. (Image: Watercare)

Oliver Lewis

Wed, 13 Dec 2023

The budget for the largest wastewater project in New Zealand has shot up to more than $1.5 billion because of scope changes and high inflation.Auckland water services provider Watercare signed a contract in 2018 with a joint venture comprising construction companies Ghella and Abergeldie to build the 14.7km central interceptor.The project was originally costed at $1.2b.In an update on Tuesday evening, Watercare said the new $1.523b budget covered scope changes as well as an additional $204 million signed off by the Watercare board on Nov 7...

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