Rolleston Prison Three Waters Upgrades

Across Aotearoa, correctional facilities house thousands of people at any one time, placing constant demand on infrastructure to operate safely and reliably. Reliable water services are a fundamental to these operations, supporting the well-being of people in prison and staff. Equally, long-term asset resilience is central to reducing the risk of disruption and ensuring infrastructure can support current operations and future demands.

To address these challenges, Department of Corrections Ara Poutama Aotearoa is delivering the Water Infrastructure Programme (WIP), a multi-year capital programme to repair, replace and upgrade three water networks (drinking water, wastewater, stormwater) across prison sites. Its primary aim is to ensure systems are safe, reliable resilient, and compliant with evolving legislative requirements. Rolleston Prison, located near Ōtautahi Christchurch, plays a critical role in Corrections’ network and has been prioritised within the programme.

Work is underway within the prison’s secure operational environment, on both sides of the secure perimeter. The project focuses on the like-for-like replacement of ageing assets, improving reliability and compliance, and supporting future needs.

Robust, future-ready upgrades

The project will deliver targeted upgrades across potable water, fire water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, strengthening the performance and reliability, supporting operations and reducing the risk of outages. Key elements include:

• The conversion of a single-feed potable water network into a looped ring main, significantly improving redundancy and continuity of supply.
• Replacement of ageing pipelines with modern polyethylene systems.
• An ageing reservoir is being demolished and replaced with a new 500m³ Seismic Importance Level 4 steel tank, designed for a 50-year horizon.
• Renewal of the site’s raw water irrigation system – including dedicated storage, pumping infrastructure, and new pipelines – separated from the potable network to reduce demand on treated water and protect water quality
• Site-wide SCADA, telemetry, and control upgrades will allow real-time monitoring, improving operational visibility.

Our role and impact

TSA Riley is providing contract administration, including Engineer to Contract and Engineer’s Representative services under NZS 3916. From the outset, this included reviewing and advising on the procurement approach to ensure alignment with the client’s objectives and programme requirements.

Throughout delivery, our team is acting as a consistent interface across stakeholders – bringing together contractors, consultants, and client teams to maintain alignment and momentum in this complex environment. This coordinated approach supports the delivery of these critical upgrades while maintaining operational continuity and strengthening long-term resilience for the Department.