ISTT Board update
The ISTT Board of Directors held its Annual Board Meeting on Sunday 27 September 2015. At the meeting, Stanislav Lovecky of the Czech Society for Trenchless Technology was re-elected to a second three-year term on the Executive Sub-committee (ESC). Joining Stanislav is Albert Shou, Chairman of the Chinese Taipei Society for Trenchless Technology, who will serve on the ESC for the period of 2015 to 2018.
The Board has selected the Southern Africa Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT) to host the 2018 International No-Dig. In 2016 the ISTT event will be held in China, and in 2017 the event will be held in Colombia.
Alice breaks through
After a two-year journey, 3,400 tonne tunnel boring machine (TBM) Alice has broken through the final 900 mm of concrete at the southern end of the Waterview Connection. The breakthrough was incident free, according to Tunnel Manager
Chris Ashton.
“Everything went to plan, it was a textbook breakthrough. Our team did real hard work pumping out the metres over various shifts and keeping Alice shipshape to complete its work to world class standards,” Mr Ashton said.
The Waterview Connection project is one of New Zealand’s largest and most challenging projects to date. Once completed the NZ$1.4 billion project will provide a motorway ring around Auckland, improving experience for commuters across the city. Alice began her journey in 2013 and is now being used to complete a drive in the opposite direction, a rare manoeuvre for a TBM.
Golden Gecko awarded to microtunnel project
Chevron Australia has been awarded the 2015 Golden Gecko Award for Environmental Excellence for an innovative shoreline crossing on the Wheatstone project. The microtunnel links a 225 km long offshore gas pipeline to the onshore processing facilities.
Microtunnelling was utilised to protect the coastal area adjacent to the Ashburton River Delta, which supports important mangrove and estuarine habitats.
Department of Mines and Petroleum Executive Director Environment Dr Phil Gorey said the project stood out to the selection committee and was a very deserving recipient of the 2015 Golden Gecko Award.
“Chevron investigated five options for a shore crossing and chose the one with the lowest environmental impact, even though it was the most expensive choice,” said Dr Gorey.
Water Corp finds a buyer
RCR Tomlinson has bought Water Corporation’s Engineering and Construction Services (ECS) Team for AU$10.4 million.
Water Corporation said the key driver for the sale was less need to build new water and wastewater infrastructure.
Water Corporation Chief Executive Officer Sue Murphy said “We are coming out of a decade that has seen major changes in the management of Perth’s water supplies. Combined with lower population growth and a successful reduction in per person water use, the need to deliver major water projects has lessened.
“Selling ECS provides the best opportunity for ongoing employment for our people – employees were given the opportunity to move across to the successful bidder, without loss of pay and conditions.”
Christchurch developing Three Waters Strategy
Christchurch City Council, New Zealand, has started a project to develop a Three Waters Strategy that will inform the council’s long-term plans, infrastructure strategies and asset management plans for many years to come.
Council Unit Manager Natural Environment and Heritage Helen Beaumont said the strategy is essential given the challenges of Christchurch’s post-earthquake environment.
Water supply, surface water and wastewater are the main focuses of the new strategy, which will be developed over the next year.
The council has engaged MWH and subcontractors Tonkin and Taylor, Cranleigh and Aqualinc to develop the Three Waters Strategy.
HDD under Webya Creek
Unitywater is replacing a 30-year-old section of sewer pipe that runs under Noosa’s Weyba Creek.
The replacement works began on 26 October and are expected to be completed before the Christmas holiday period.
Unitywater is installing a new 350 m section of pipe from the northern side of Weyba Creek near the corner of Ravenswood Drive and Mossman Court, under Weyba Creek to Council land adjacent to Settler’s Cove, off Serenity Close.
The works will involve drilling 10 m under Weyba Creek, and installing a new pipe parallel to the existing infrastructure. The drilling section of the project will be carried out continuously to prevent the tunnel from closing and the drill becoming stuck.
YVW selects Ventia
Ventia has been selected by Yarra Valley Water to deliver an AU$200 million maintenance contract across its water and sewage network over five years in Melbourne.
The contract is a major milestone in the development of new company Ventia, which is formed by a 50/50 investment partnership between CIMIC and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management.
Ventia will undertake reactive and preventative civil maintenance and minor capital works as well as providing mechanical and electrical maintenance on the water and sewer networks, treatment plants and pump stations.
IN BRIEF
GoldLinQ Stage 2 released
GoldLinQ is tendering for the design and construction of the extension of the Gold Coast Light Rail, referred to as Stage 2.
Adcock steps down
Greg Adcock, CEO of nbn, has stepped down from the company’s top job after two years of leading the company’s design and deployment activities.
Aqua-pipe come to Aussie
Canadian Sanexen Environmental Services and Australian Ventia have concluded a licensing agreement for the renewal of water mains in Australia using the Aqua-Pipe Technology.
New phase of S1 begins
Queensland Urban Utilities has begun the next stage of its S1 Main Sewer upgrade on Kingsford Smith Drive between Amy Street and Cooksley Street at Hamilton.
Waikato councils join
The Cranleigh Report into NZ’s Waikato region recommends councils in the region should transfer water and wastewater assets into a jointly-owned organisation.
QUU innovates
Queensland Urban Utilities has been named in BRW’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies List for 2015. It’s the first time a water and sewerage service provider has received this ranking.
QLD tunnel project starts
Queensland Urban Utilities has commenced site preparation for a cross-river pipeline from Jindalee to Kenmore, which is intended to replace infrastructure damaged in the 2011 floods.
Hunter Water MD resigns
Hunter Water has announced that Kim Wood has resigned as its Managing Director to accept a role interstate.
Amaroo Main Sewer underway
The AU$130 million Amaroo Main Sewer has started construction in Craigieburn, Victoria.
Work completed in Port Macquarie
A 540 m sewage pipeline has been successfully installed under the Hastings River, as part of Port Macquarie’s ongoing sewage network upgrades.