Authors: Dean Watts, Chayne Zinsli, Jayesh Solanki and Matt Hall, 2013.
Abstract
On Saturday the 18th of February 2012, a section of spiral wound galvanised steel ARMCO pipe catastrophically failed, blocking the stormwater network and causing significant flooding of residential and commercial premises. The resultant emergency response was the first major stormwater emergency event encountered post-transition to the new single Auckland Council.
Emergency stormwater works were initiated as a result of the catastrophic failure of a section of ARMCO pipe that was then dislodged and forced through the downstream pipe to the outlet. This crated a sinkhole approximately 10 metres in diameter and six metres deep in a Waitakere commercial property at 3 Cartwright Road, Kelston. Investigations showed that 60 metres of ARMCO pipe remained and was in such a state of disrepair that emergency works were required to remove this pipe and restore the network.
Several departments of Auckland Council were required to work together on this project: Stormwater Operations and Civil Defense handled the initial response; Stormwater Projects managed the pipe remediation and the Auckland Council legal team provided ongoing support for access requirements, consent issues and emergency management advice.
This paper focuses on Auckland Council's response to the issue, and how this response weighted against the benefit of hindsight.