Latest news with #FultonHogan
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Makorori Environmental Protection Society volunteers planting dunes to protect coast
The incorporated society secured funding from the Department of Internal Affairs' cyclone appeal to launch its restoration project, focused on removing exotic weeds, planting natural dune species, reducing accessways across the dunes and erecting educational signage to raise awareness of the work. By the end of it, the group aims to have planted more than 8000 native plants covering 3000 square metres of dune area, set up more than 250m of protective fencing, remove more than 100 cubic metres of invasive weeds and establish a community shed for tools and health and safety equipment. They hope to upskill volunteers in safe chemical handling and storage as well. Makorori resident Gwen Hinga, of MEPS, said there have been a couple of weeding days earlier in the month to prepare the whenua. Last weekend's outing was the first of three planned planting days. 'Last season we started some backdune planting... with wiwi and that was really successful,' Hinga said. Wiwi is a variety of coastal rush. The council had donated plants through local providers. 'Makorori has a lot of exotic weeds that are really stifling the whenua, so it is unable to do the job it is meant to do, which is to protect the land from Tangaroa's encroachment,' she said. 'By strengthening our dunes, we allow proper sand movement, which allows for erosion and accretion. By having good backdunes, we can create the right environment for foredunes.' She said the plants they were working with were kōwhangatara (spinifex) and pīngao (golden sand sedge), which they were trying to reintroduce to Makorori. She said there was a 'good mix' of local volunteers and those from outside the area on Sunday. The volunteers included Martin and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, who were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in. Martin, left, and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in on the dune planting day. Photo / James Pocock 'We have a lot of locals who are super into this and come down to help when they can, because there is a lot to do,' she said. 'Ngā mihi to the community for turning out today.' She hopes the kaupapa will eventually extend along the area's entire coastline. 'It will be awesome to share that with our people because a lot of people have forgotten why we have sand dunes.' She acknowledged the volunteers and key partners, including the council, Fulton Hogan, Eastland Port, the Women's Native Tree Project Trust, Tairāwhiti Coastal Care Group, Coastlands Plant Nursery in Whakatāne and Ngāti Oneone. MEPS received a Coastal Restoration Award at the Coastal Restoration Trust conference in Uawa earlier in the year for its work.
NZ Herald
26-06-2025
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Te Puke's new $6.1m bridge opens after 2023 washout
The temporary Bailey bridge across Te Raparapa-ā-hoe stream is removed. Photo / Fulton Hogan The new No 4 Rd bridge in Te Puke officially opened this week, marking the return of a vital permanent link for the local community. A dawn blessing was held to mark the occasion, two-and-a-half years after the original bridge washed away during severe weather in January 2023, a Western
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Treatment plant upgrades set to be finished this year
Upgrades to the Patearoa and Ranfurly water treatment plants are under way and should be finished by the end of the year. Central Otago District Council capital projects programme manager Patrick Keenan said the upgrades would include the installation of protozoa barriers, to meet New Zealand drinking water quality assurance requirements and provide more reliable, safe drinking water. Both towns' water sources were prone to high turbidity — cloudiness caused by suspended particles of silt, clay and organic matter — particularly after heavy rainfall, which could compromise water treatment effectiveness and lead to boil water notices. Yesterday, the council advised Ranfurly was on a conserve water notice from 6pm due to recent rain. The improvements were planned infrastructure upgrades with the $4.2 million budget allocated in the council's 2024 annual plan and 2025 long-term plan. Mr Keenan said the council had considered options for the upgrade — including building new treatment plants at about $15m for Patearoa and $21m for Ranfurly — and landed on cartridge filters and ultra-violet protozoa barriers. Ultraviolet light would neutralise harmful micro-organisms, including protozoa, replacing existing treatment processes. Once the upgrade was completed, the communities should see fewer boil water notices, Mr Keenan said. However, it would not solve all water quality issues, particularly during severe weather events, he said. The contract for the work was awarded to Fulton Hogan in May. "Council has worked closely with Fulton Hogan's design team to develop a cost-effective and practical upgrade plan, with the concept design now approved and coming in well under the initial $4.2m budget," Mr Keenan said. It was estimated the Ranfurly upgrade would cost about $1.7m and Patearoa about $1.6m. Both water treatment plants source water from surface water — the East Eweburn River for Ranfurly and Sowerburn River for Patearoa — and are vulnerable to turbidity following heavy rain. The Ranfurly treatment plant consists of sand filtration and chlorination, and Patearoa has chlorination only. Those systems treat for bacteria but not protozoa. Protozoa such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia can be spread through water supplies without protozoa barriers or treatment. In September 2023, an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in Queenstown was linked to inadequate water treatment filtration. That year, water services authority Taumata Arowai identified 27 councils around the country, including Central Otago District Council, that did not meet the standards for protection from protozoa.
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Rapid repair of main wins award
A rapid response to an imminent crisis that would have left an entire Dunedin borough without water has earned a construction company a top regional award. Fulton Hogan won the supreme award at Friday night's Civil Contractors New Zealand Otago Branch Hynds Construction Awards for its emergency repair of a water main in St Leonards during last year's October floods. Fulton Hogan Three Waters project manager Dean Scott said the team was proud to win the award and it showed a small-scale job could win it as well. He said the team of 20 people was immensely proud when they saw the West Harbour reservoir fill up with clean water when they finished connecting the pipes last October. Unprecedented damage caused by severe weather in Dunedin led to a state of emergency being declared. One of the most significant effects was an extensive slip in St Leonards which disrupted the main water supply line. A slip had covered a driveway that was on top of the main. Mr Scott said the reservoir from which the main supplied water to West Harbour was quickly depleting and Fulton Hogan immediately responded. At the time, the company's maintenance contract emergency teams were already at full capacity responding to other slips and road closures in Dunedin and the Three Waters team pulled together resources to work over a weekend. Mr Scott said that was "no small feat" considering the scale of the event. "We responded quickly as this was for the community. They need water supply and the clock was running. "We were notified mid-morning on the Friday of the Maia slip and told the water supply was out for the community. "The line was livened up at midday Sunday." The team worked with ProCivil to install a temporary water line above the slip. The steep terrain meant heavy machinery could not be used and smaller pipes, from Christchurch, were used to fix the water main. "The team demonstrated incredible resourcefulness and physical endurance, carrying and installing multiple smaller pipes by hand to create a functional bypass, ensuring the reservoir's water supply was maintained." Contractor winners Civil Contractors New Zealand Otago Branch Hynds Construction Awards Supreme award: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — St Leonards water main emergency repair. Projects up to $500,000: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — St Leonards water main emergency repair. Projects $500,000- $1 million: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — Vauxhall wastewater pump station upgrade. Projects $1 million-$5 million: McConnell Dowell — Waikouaiti water treatment plant intake upgrade. Projects over $5 million: Downer — Queenstown Airport engineered materials arresting system project. Subcontractor of year: Pro Civil — Wingatui water main renewal. Young contractor of the year: George Rutter, Rutter Civil. Women in contracting: Georgia Campbell, Whitestone Contracting. Regional excavator operator competition: Josh Keane, McEwan Haulage.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Close call for Christchurch rail contractors after distracted trainee wrongly gives all clear to work
Rail contractors in Christchurch were given the all clear to work on the tracks, but realised a train was approaching when level crossing bells started ringing. Photo: daboost/123RF Contractors working on a rail line in Christchurch managed to avoid being struck by an oncoming train after they were given the all clear to work on the track, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission says. In a report released on Thursday, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission found a trainee rail protection officer had authorised Fulton Hogan workers to start work on the main south line in Hornby on 7 March 2024, before a scheduled train had passed through. The workers realised a train was approaching when level crossing bells started ringing and were able to get off the track in time. The investigation found the trainee was carrying out tasks unsupervised that required a high level of proficiency. They had limited experience and became distracted, which led to an important step in the process of track protection being missed. The supervising officer was absent while the trainee was performing the safety-critical tasks associated with track protection and was not available to provide the guidance necessary to rectify the situation. They also did not have any training in coaching and mentoring personnel undertaking safety-critical roles, and the level of supervision required had not been clearly articulated or documented. It identified three safety issues; that KiwiRail did not take all steps to ensure that Fulton Hogan staff carried out work in accordance with its safety systems, that Fulton Hogan's procedures for supervision of trainee rail protection officers were inadequate and that the track work protection largely relied on administrative controls, which were subject to human error. The commission said there were lessons for all industries where the supervision of safety-critical tasks performed by inexperienced or unqualified staff was necessary to maintain safety. It recommended improvements to training and supervision and use of engineering controls. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
