It looks like a new subdivision is being built alongside State Highway 3 near Kai Iwi - but the earthwork is really to replace the pipes that supply Whanganui's water.
High-pressure water supply mains of 450mm and 550mm run under SH3 near Kai Iwi. They take water from the Kai Iwi bores to the Whanganui reservoirs near the junction with Rapanui Rd.
The mains are more than 80 years old and need replacing, Whanganui District Council senior engineering officer Dave Rudolph said. Replacement is part of the council's capital works programme.
The mains run under SH3, and any problem with them could disrupt the highway. Because of that the council has told the NZ Transport Agency they will be moved to private property, within new easements, as they are replaced.
The move means doing some major earthmoving alongside the highway.
