Technological (man-made) hazards

Infrastructure failure

Infrastructure failure in the Auckland region is not uncommon. Since 1994 the region has had two significant events: the 1993-1994 Water Crisis, and the Mercury Energy Crisis in 1998.

Infrastructure failure may result from natural or technological hazards, or from failure due to human error, simple equipment failure, or poor maintenance. The risks of infrastructure failure can be significant. This was clearly demonstrated during the Mercury Power Crisis (1998), went the lights went out for approximately 2 months, causing an estimated long-term economic impact equivalent to 0.1-0.3% of GDP.

Find out more about the possible consequences of infrastructure failure in Auckland:

• electricity supply failure
• water supply failure
• wastewater services failure
• gas supply failure
• failure of petroleum distribution
• telecommunications failure
• airport failure
• port failure
• highway blockage, bridge collapse.

How are we managing the risk of infrastructure failure in Auckland?

Each individual utility undertakes comprehensive asset management planning to reduce the chance that they will no longer be able to provide services, and undertakes recovery planning to enhance their speed of recovery in a crisis. In addition, a number Aucklands key utilities or engineering lifelines are working together to identify ways and co-ordinate their efforts to reduce the impact of hazard events. This voluntary collective is known as the Auckland Engineering Lifeline Group, which aims to improve service reinstatement after a disaster.

To find out more about the Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group, see its web page:

www.aelg.org.nz

Infrastructure failure - electricity

Aucklands experience of the 1998 Mercury Power Crisis (MPC) which lasted for 6 weeks has shown that the following could occur:

• severe disruption to all services and businesses in the affected areas
• short-term economic losses to industries and businesses operating in the affected area, in particular to the retail, hospitality industries, and industrial sectors
• long-term economic losses to many industries and businesses in the affected area, with an estimated long-term economic impact equivalent to 0.1-0.3% of GDP
• the Mercury Power Crisis forced vacation of 54% of business premises, affecting 70 000 workers and 7 500 residents. 400 businesses failed.
  

Infrastructure failure - water supply

In the summer period between late 1994 and early 1995, the Auckland region was subjected to a water supply drought. In any given year, there is a 1 in 25 chance that a drought this severe could happen again (return period = 1:25 years (Auckland Engineering Lifelines Project, 1997). However, WaterCare Services are redesigning Aucklands water supply system to ensure they will be able to supply water during even larger droughts. By the end of 2002, Auckland will continue to be supplied with water during drought events that occur on average once every 200 years (1:200 year event). Only droughts larger that a 1:200 year event will result in water supply restrictions.

Infrastructure failure - wastewater services

Wastewater system failure within the Auckland region could result in:

• evacuation and closure of some organisations or businesses within the affected area depending on the nature of the failure
• sanitation and biological hazards (outbreak of sewage-borne diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and cholera)
• overloading of operational parts of system, resulting in overflows, possible coastal pollution and human and animal health problems requiring medical attention or hospitalisation
• in the event of earthquake, potential failure of older wastewater structures such as the Orakei sewer, which would result in sewage discharge from some 300 000 people into the Orakei basin and eventually into the harbour leading to contaminant spread
• contamination would require costly cleanup of the affected area
• economic losses to the tourism industry through loss of appeal as tourism destination.

Infrastructure failure - gas supply

Damage to a major gas supply pipe within the Auckland region could result in:

• the need for evacuation of the affected area
• fire as a result of explosions
• severe inconvenience to households reliant on gas for cooking and heating
• sut-down and short-term economic losses to businesses and industries reliant on gas
• ftalities as a result of people breathing gas
• sread of gas through underground corridors requiring closure and evacuation of large areas.  

Infrastructure failure - petroleum distribution

Loss of petroleum supply and distribution network could result in:

• panic buying and congestion at fuel stations which would quickly reduce available fuel stocks
• social disorder due to loss of petroleum-run transport
• economic losses to the petroleum industry and industries associated with them due to loss of supply
• police stretched to address social disorder
• should a petroleum pipeline fail, there is likely to be fire and significant economic losses due to clean-up costs
• adverse environmental effects if petroleum loss was caused by spills in and around marine areas.

Infrastructure failure - telecommunications

Failure of telecommunication systems could result in:

• overload by users; within 15 to 30 minutes of an emergency
• loss of communication to emergency services
• short term economic losses to businesses and industries
• negative impacts on banks and financial systems.

Infrastructure failure - airport

Auckland International Airport is a major international air link and gateway for overseas and local visitors (some 8 million passenger movements through the airport each year). Shut-down or disruption of airport operations would result in:

• disruption of travel plans for some 21 000 passengers each day, resulting in stretched accommodation facilities if shut-down persisted
• loss of income and opportunities for businesses and industries dependant on airport facilities (e.g. the airport retail industry earned $50 million in 2000)
• loss of employment for some 7500 workers
• long-term economic losses to the tourism industry and export/import industries (the airport handles 200 000 tonnes of freight a year with an annual value of nearly $8 billion).

Natural hazard induced shut-down would result in different risks:

• tsunami would incur clean-up costs and some rebuilding with an estimated disruption period of up to 1 to 2 weeks and cost of $10 to $50 million
• earthquake would incur structure damage with an estimated disruption period of at least 3 to 6 weeks and cost of more than $100 million for repair or reconstruction of the runway.

Infrastructure failure - port

Auckland has two Ports. The largest which has a container terminal and wharves is situated on the Waitemata Harbour near the Central Business District. There is also a smaller port which operates at Onehunga. Both ports are constructed on reclaimed land which means they are susceptible to damage during earthquakes. These Ports could cease to operate for a number of reasons, for example, ship strike of major berth, ship sinking in the Rangitoto channel, union strikes or other technological or natural hazards. If the Port activities stopped, it could result in:

• disruption to transport industries that Cargo could no longer be received or dispatched. This work affect transport operators serving the port. (Aucklands ports handle over 123 million tonnes of cargo a year
• in Auckland 30% of Aucklands economy comes from businesses that depend upon the Ports. Therefore, closure of the Ports could cause substantial economic losses to businesses and industries associated with port operations. An estimated 209 000 full time jobs could be effected. In addition repairs and reconstruction could also be costly.

Infrastructure failure - highway, bridge

Aucklands strategic arterial roads generally carry over 20,0000 vehicles per day and include all motorways and state highways in the motorway network. Failure to one of these routes would result in:

• disruption to the operation of ports as cargo can not be dispatched or delivered
• disruption to airports, industrial areas and tourist centres due to traffic congestion
• traffic congestion along adjacent arterial roads as drivers seek alternative routes
• social disorder due to traffic congestion and stretched police resources
• economic losses to some businesses isolated by road network failure
• in the case of bridge collapse, telecommunication lines could be cut, and the cost of repair or reconstruction of bridges could be significant.