Sydney Water has awarded two major infrastructure contracts, with Rob Carr securing its spot alongside joint venture partner Bouygues Construction Australia in the $200 million deal.
Rob Carr is a recognised leader in the trenchless infrastructure construction sector, offering a proven track record of successful project delivery across Australia and New Zealand.
With over 35 years of experience, the contractor has earned a reputation for its ability to manage and complete complex infrastructure projects, ranging from water systems to stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.
Leveraging its expertise in large-scale trenchless projects, the company is increasingly expanding into joint ventures, enhancing its capacity to deliver even larger projects with confidence and precision. One such key project highlighting Rob Carr’s JV capabilities is the Ironbark JV, a collaboration between Rob Carr and Bouygues Construction Australia.
The JV will work on a major pipeline duplication project in the city’s north and the North West Wastewater Connection Project for Sydney Water.
This significant urban growth requires upgrades to water, wastewater, storm water and recycled water infrastructure to support the increased pressure on these systems as Greater Sydney’s population is predicted to double in the next 40 years.
The pipeline duplication project will duplicate the existing 1.4km drinking water pipeline. As part of this, the work will incorporate a single microtunnelled drive of 1.17km.
“The Ironbark JV has extensive local and global experience in the design, development and construction of pipelines, bored tunnels and pump station upgrades,” Rob Carr General Manager Angelo Soumboulidis said.
We look forward to working with Sydney Water to build new, and upgrade existing infrastructure and make more efficient use of water resources for the people of Sydney.”
As the company expands into joint ventures, it remains firmly grounded in its core expertise in tunnelling and infrastructure.
“This strategic growth allows us to take on larger, more complex projects while maintaining a hands-on, solutions-driven approach that defines our success,” Soumboulidis said.
“By partnering with like-minded industry leaders, we are strengthening our market position without losing sight of the principles that have built our reputation.
“As we consolidate in this space, our focus remains on delivering innovative, efficient solutions while staying true to the foundations of our business.”
The additional water main will support population growth in this region by expanding the capacity of a local reservoir, improving system reliability, and maintaining the supply of water to residents.
The population in Sydney’s north west is expected to double by 2056. The North West Wastewater Connection Project is part of a suite of projects that will upgrade infrastructure and enhance the resilience of wastewater treatment in the region.
“This work is part of a transformative investment to ensure water, wastewater and stormwater systems meet the need of Sydney Water’s customers now and into the future. We are proud to play our part in delivering this vital infrastructure that will support Sydney’s growing population and ensure the overall liveability of our city,” CEO Bouygues Construction Australia Seved Robin said.
The North West Wastewater Connection project will involve the construction of a new underground pipeline circa 1km long connecting the pumping station in Rouse Hill to the Rouse Hill Water Resource Recovery Facility.
The work also incorporates 802m of microtunnelling over two drives. There will also be upgrades at the pumping station to increase capacity and provision for emergency power supply.
In addition to the improvements to Sydney’s water infrastructure, the Ironbark JV has committed to implementing a range of sustainability initiatives and strategies on the project that will help deliver positive environmental, social and economic outcomes for the broader community.
Building on the success of the Ironbark JV, another key strength of Rob Carr lies in its versatile team of highly skilled professionals, whose collective knowledge spans technical, operational, and project management expertise.
This capability has been crucial in ensuring the company’s success across numerous large and complex projects, particularly in collaboration with major utilities, councils, and Tier 1 contractors.
The company’s flexibility, adaptability, and commitment to safety and quality have earned it significant respect as a trusted contractor for trenchless projects, particularly for challenging urban environments and now in the JV space.
Rob Carr’s longstanding success in the industry is supported by its robust management systems, which are compliant with key international standards for quality (ISO 9001), safety (AS 4801), and environmental management (ISO 14001).
These certifications underscore the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and sustainable infrastructure projects. The company uses its extensive industry knowledge to offer cost-effective and environmentally responsible solutions, with minimal disruption to communities and the environment.
Rob Carr’s trenchless construction capabilities are particularly noteworthy, especially in microtunnelling, which enables the installation of underground pipelines with minimal surface disruption to the project.
The company utilises an extensive fleet of microtunnel boring machines (MTBM), which can tunnel through various challenging terrains, including among others, wet sand and silt, soft to hard clays up to very high strength rock.
This technology is particularly advantageous for urban environments, where traditional open-trench methods would be overly disruptive or impractical.
By using trenchless methods, Rob Carr minimises environmental impact and avoids significant disruptions to existing infrastructure, such as roads, public or commercial facilities, lakes and rivers, while maintaining project efficiency.
In addition to its trenchless capabilities, Rob Carr is highly experienced in complex civil construction works and is able to offer more complete service to its partners and clients.
The company’s capacity for delivering complex infrastructure projects is further demonstrated through its involvement in building essential facilities such as pump stations, including mechanical and electrical fit-out, and storage tanks.
These capabilities make Rob Carr a full-service contractor capable of delivering comprehensive infrastructure solutions throughout Australia and New Zealand.