Meet Dame Whina Cooper’s “sister”

Our TBM has a “sister” – a new micro-tunnel boring machine (mTBM) from another big project has joined CRL’s Dame Whina Cooper TBM in the underground tunneling efforts to improve Auckland’s infrastructure.

Watercare is well underway with construction of the Central Interceptor, a super-sized 14.7 kilometre wastewater tunnel that will reduce overflows and help make central Auckland’s waterways cleaner.

Watercare’s mTBM ‘Domenica’ is slightly smaller in size at 2.56 metres in diameter and 12 metres long - and it can cover a distance of around 18 metres per day.

Domenica has been digging her way underground at Watercare’s May Road site since June - making her way from May Road, Mount Roskill to the first stop at Haycock Avenue, Mount Roskill.

The mTBM was made in Germany by Herrenknecht – the same manufacturers that made City Rail Link’s TBM - and refurbished in Thailand. Her name comes from the mother and the wife of Ghella’s founder, who were both called Domenica. TBMs are traditionally named after women to honour Santa Barbara the patron saint of tunnellers and other people working underground.

Watercare’s contractor Ghella Abergeladie Joint Venture (GA) is building the Central Interceptor, with more than 150 years’ experience with tunnelling and wastewater projects of this size around the globe.