A milestone in Dunedin Airport`s $5M Water Storage Infrastructure Upgrade project was reached this week, with the completion of two new stainless steel water tanks, each with a capacity of 350 cubic metres (350,000 litres).

Measuring 10.2 metres in diameter and 5.3 metres high, the tanks will be installed on  large reinforced concrete pads and position the airport for future growth, providing resilient drinking and firefighting water storage in a range of scenarios.

A new pump station will be constructed on-site and positioned above the flood level to future-proof the system against climate-related events. Importantly, the entire development has been designed and built to Importance Level 4 (IL4) under the New Zealand Building Code – the highest level of resilience required for critical infrastructure.

The tanks were fabricated by Southland-based firm Tira and will be transported from Invercargill to Dunedin Airport in a three day journey, which will see the tanks travel down the runway from Centre Road, before being craned into their final position.

Isaac Construction is responsible for delivering the site works, including tank foundations, the pump station building, and associated pipework, along with Project Managers, Signal Management Group

“This project is a critical step forward for the airport’s infrastructure, replacing tanks dating back to the 1960s, and will ensure that our operations are safe and resilient in the face of potential climate, seismic, and other risks” said Nick Rodger, GM Infrastructure and Operations at Dunedin Airport.

“This project is a key component of our ongoing investment in infrastructure to support Dunedin Airport and the wider region as we continue to grow.”