South Wairarapa District Council Mayor Fran Wilde, councillors and Featherston Community Board members assembled on the banks of Tauwharenīkau River this morning with the Fulton Hogan project team, to celebrate and give thanks for the successful completion of the Tauwharenīkau pipeline project.

The newly completed pipeline work began on 1 December 2025 and was finished in late April this year.

The project involved laying the new pipe, including the section of pipe pulled through a sleeve across the Tauwharenīkau River and lengths at each end up to the points of connection with the water network. The new pipe was installed approximately four metres below the riverbed. The works involved trenching and laying new water pipe alongside the existing one and diverting the Tauwharenīkau River while work was being done.

The project is part of a wider water infrastructure investment portfolio for South Wairarapa. The Council took the water capital programme back in-house on 1 July 2025 towards greater efficiency and cost control. (This work was previously delivered on the Council’s behalf by Wellington Water Ltd).

More details about this project are available on the Council website: Tauwharenīkau Pipeline River Crossing Replacement.

Above: Glistening early morning sunrise on the banks of the Tauwharenīkau River on Monday 4 May.

Above: Fulton Hogan works, Council staff, Featherston Community Board members and Mayor Fran Wilde (on right) giving thanks for the safe delivery of reliable drinking water for the Pae tū Mōkai (Featherston) community.