About the project
Over the next decade, billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure is planned across the city – much of this construction will require underground works.
Like most cities, records managed by utility providers and Council is often a far cry from the reality of infrastructure under our feet. This inflicts inefficiencies, risk, cost and delays on the city and those working on these projects, so we want to be sure of what we will find when we break ground.
Through our Road Controlling Authority and Corridor Management powers, Council owns the space beneath our transport corridors. This space carries most of the vital infrastructure that keeps our city functioning.
This space holds assets owned by Council, on behalf of Wellingtonians, as well as electricity, gas, and telecommunications providers.
Improving our knowledge of Wellington’s subsurface infrastructure is an opportunity to begin a shift in efficiency for the city’s critical infrastructure, which would support the success of the city's Long-Term Plan.
Developing an online map-based library
We are developing a federated data sharing online platform for subsurface infrastructure owned by Council and other utility operators. This type of system is often referred to as an underground asset register or subsurface digital twin. This initiative is primarily about improving access to underground asset data and improving the quality of data.
The aim is to move away from legacy records and outdated paper processes held across many locations, to a federated online map-based library. There are real benefits to establishing a subsurface asset data platform that everyone working in the sector can access.
We are building a system, as well as supporting compliance policies in conjunction with the sector, that could eventually be scaled up for the whole of Aotearoa.
We will work with national government, local government, utilities, and the wider sector to achieve this success.
More information
If you would like to find out more about the Wellington Underground Asset Map, please contact wuam@wcc.govt.nz.