Ara Institute Drainage Assessment

Location:
Christchurch

Asset Value: 
$7,000,000

As a result of the 2010 & 2011 earthquakes, the Christchurch Polytech Institute of Technology (CPIT), now known as ARA Institute, sustained significant damage to its underground drainage assets, however the full extent of the damage was unknown and there were no accurate plans or complete plans of what services were in place.  This resulted in CPIT not knowing what damage had occurred to their underground assets, and consequently what extent of repairs were needed.

CPIT approached CGW to undertake an assessment of the drainage infrastructure to support their insurance claim. CGW worked with a Surveyor to identify the visible service features across the site, and this helped form the basis of the CGW drainage infrastructure plans, which were then methodically pieced together along with information gathered from other sources. 

The challenges with this project were in pulling together an accurate picture of the assets, some of which were not located where old drawings or consent information indicated, and then to document their form and function.

The assessment process involved coordination of survey work both above and below ground, CCTV mapping of the underground network as well as reviewing extensive footage to identify the extent of the earthquake damage, documenting and detailing the location of damage, and then assessing the capacity of the existing network, and designing repair and upgrade strategies.

The outcome for the client was an accurate understanding of their underground horizontal infrastructure, a set of drawings and detailed recommendations and options for repair, reinstatement and potential development that could then be used to cost the works required and plan ahead for the future.