Tunnel of love

Shayne Cunis had never heard of engineering when his school guidance counsellor suggested studying it. Now, he's leading the big push to improve Auckland's wastewater system. 

- ELISABETH EASTHER

Engineer Shayne Cunis is executive programme director for Auckland’s Central Interceptor wastewater project, a project with 600 staff working on 16 sites across the super city. With an estimated 70% of construction now complete, the work is on track to be finished by 2026. Cunis is describing it as the greatest project of his career.

When you tell people you work on infrastructure for Watercare, what response do you get?

I get some negativity, and some abuse, because a lot of people only interact with Watercare when something is broken, or they get a bill, so they’re angry.

What do you say to the knockers?

I’m genuinely proud of what we do, so if I hear criticism, I’ll defend Watercare. We don’t get it right all the time, but we get it more right than wrong, and the quality of people is outstanding. They see and touch things that everyone else just wants to flush and forget, so I say give these workers a break because they’re doing really tough work in really tough times.

How do you pithily sum up the Central Interceptor project?

It’s a giant tunnel designed to collect our combined storm and wastewater, rather than have it discharge into the environment in times of rain. It’s an elegant solution that will convey wastewater to our treatment plant in Māngere, where it will be highly treated before being discharged. It’ll provide huge benefit to both harbours and our innercity waterways. It will also provide for growth because, like it or not, Auckland city is going to keep growing.

What led you to engineering?