Dunedin City Council contractors South Road have been working since late November to remove an old earthenware and cast iron sewer pipe, built in 1927, at Logan Park.
Council engineering project manager Camilla Bennett said the existing pipe was ‘‘pretty old and in poor condition'', with broken joints letting ground water into the wastewater system.
It was the kind of problem that led to overflowing wastewater pipes popping their manhole covers during last year's South Dunedin flood, sending contaminated water into streets and properties.
Work to install the replacement pipe was expected to be finished by the end of February, at a cost of $300,000, Ms Bennett said.
The old pipe ran from Harbour Tce across part of Logan Park, next to the artificial hockey turfs, and then under the Logan Park tennis courts.
The new pipe would skirt the Logan Park playing fields and the tennis courts.
The work was continuing as some of the South Island's best young cricket players used Logan Park - and other sports grounds - for this week's South Island primary schools cricket tournament.
Ms Bennett said contractors had been instructed to avoid disrupting play and the surface would be put ‘‘back to normal'' once work was finished.
