Works included the construction of 1700 m of DN1200 pipeline, and 220 m of DN710 pipeline, as well as the relining of a 450 m section of existing pipeline.
HEB Construction was contracted for construction works and kwik-ZIP spacers were installed as part of the outfall pipeline.
Spacers were installed around the circumference of the DN1200 polyethylene (PE) pipeline to ensure it was centred, while pulling the pipeline through 100 m of existing concrete duct.
By using the kwik-ZIP spacers, HEB Construction could avoid any potential damage to the PE pipe during installation.
HEB Construction had used Kwik-ZIP spacers on a previous project – the Wairari Pipeline Project – with great success.
Due to the quick and easy nature of the installation with the screw lock system, the company made it a preferred method.
At either end of the jacking pipe, HEB Construction installed two sets of kwik-ZIP pipe spacers, spaced at 1 m intervals.
Onsite personnel had previous experience using kwik-ZIP spacers and followed the installation guide, which ensured the product was used correctly and efficiently.
“We had technical support from the supplier and the product worked exactly as it should and no issues were encountered,” a spokesperson for HEB said.
“They were very quick and easy to install, and HEB Construction would not hesitate in using them again should the situation arise.”
Minister for Water Lisa Neville made the announcement on 18 October, stating the funding would boost regional water security by investing in high priority projects across Victoria.
“We need to adapt to our changing climate and increased demand for water – so we can continue supporting agriculture, industry and jobs while ensuring we have water for environmental, cultural and recreational use,” said Neville.
The $14.1 million Integrated Water Management grants will run over three years, with $11 million dedicated to infrastructure projects and the remainder on feasibility studies and business case development.
Grants are open to more than 100 organisations including local governments, Traditional Owner groups, water corporations and catchment management authorities.
Successful projects from previous Integrated Water Management grants include Tarralla Creek Stormwater Harvesting System in Croydon, which will deliver 13 megalitres of water savings through use of alternative water to irrigate parkland with the Government providing $1.57 million towards the $2.59 million project.
Round one of the new grants program has now opened for Metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria.
The pipe revitalisation is part of the utility’s four-year, $155 million water main management program to deliver reliable drinking water to South Australia.
SA Water general manager for sustainable infrastructure Amanda Lewry said the main refresh will help maintain safe and clean water for local consumers for many years to come.
“Improving our services isn’t just about delivering good quality drinking water – it’s also about maintaining the system that delivers it,” said Lewry.
“Taking around five weeks to complete, the replacement in Port Pirie West will use PVC pipes which are known for their flexibility and resistance to ground movement.”
PVC is known for its flexibility and resistance to ground movement, and the new pipes are expected to extend the life of the water main for another 100 years.
“We will […] ensure our customers are notified of any temporary water supply interruptions that are necessary when we move their connections over from the old to new pipes.”
Port Pirie is located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia. The mains will be installed along Federation Street, with works typically carried out Monday to Friday, between 7 am and 5 pm.
The new main, which is being laid beneath Barossa Avenue, is among 47,000 m of new pipe going in the ground for SA Water customers across regional South Australia over the next year.
SA Water general manager for sustainable infrastructure Amanda Lewry said the new pipe is made from corrosion resistant PVC.
“Continuing to invest in upgrades to our water network, like here in Gawler East, is an important part of how we can deliver trusted water services for our customers,” said Lewry.
“Despite soil movement and other environmental factors being major contributing factors to leaks and breaks in our statewide network, our water main replacement program ensures we can proactively work to limit their frequency.”
Lewry said that water mains have a lifespan of up to 100 years, and these new pipes will ensure SA Water can continue to deliver clean, safe drinking water to customers well into the future.
“We will also ensure our customers are notified of any temporary water supply interruptions that are necessary when we move their connections over from the old to new pipes.”
Construction of the new main will take around four weeks, with works typically occurring Monday to Friday, between 7 am and 6 pm.
A pipeline supplying drinking water to East Fremantle, Palmyra and Bicton is scheduled to be replaced as part of a project to maintain reliable water supply in the area.
Construction activities commenced in March 2020 for the 9 km sewer pipeline between Donnybrook and Beveridge, with the sewer expected online by the end of the year.
The Victorian Planning Authority is predicting that by 2050 the area will be home to around 300,000 people , and the pipeline is expected to cater for this population growth.
The Lockerbie Main Sewer will collect and transfer sewage flows from a majority of the proposed new developments and communities in the Donnybrook, Beveridge and Lockerbie area.
The joint venture (JV) has engaged extensively with the Wurundjeri Woi Warring Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to identify the potential impact excavation may have on culturally sensitive areas.
The collaboration included a 12-month cultural salvage program involving a combination of hand and mechanical archaeological digs to identify, record and preserve artefacts and ensure the area remained protected for generations to come.
Nina Braid is the Aboriginal partnerships manager at Yarra Valley Water.
“At Yarra Valley Water we are committed to reconciliation and building the trust understanding with Traditional Owners as part of our commitment to helping communities thrive,” said Braid.
Darren Wilkins is the delivery manager of capital projects and utilities with Ventia.
“This area has high level ground wanter content, so the communities traditionally used to meet in these areas,” said Wilkins.
“Before we even started onsite, those areas of potential significance were roped off – they’re no-go zones for us.”
Wilkins said that if the operators were to find anything of potential significance in areas deemed to be clear, the team must stop work immediately and notify the local elders.
The pipeline will be constructed along the western side of the Melbourne-Sydney railway line north of Minton Street, then crosses the railway line and hugs the eastern side of the rail line to its southern end in Donnybrook.
Yarra Valley Water said the Traditional Owners’ connection to country influences the way the company works and engages with the land.
Construction is expected to be completed in late 2021 and the completed Lockerbie Main Sewer will begin operating in late 2021.
Infrastructure Australia (IA) has released its inaugural Infrastructure Market Capacity report, forecasting peak shortages across the infrastructure sector, with major activity expected to double in the next three years.
Tunnel boring machines are expected in the ground by the end of 2023 after the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport project received planning approval from the NSW Government in July 2021. Major construction is scheduled to commence in the coming months, with tunnelling contracts awarded by the end of the year.
A total of 23 km of driverless metro will service western Sydney and the new Western Sydney International Airport between St Marys Station and the future Western Sydney Aerotropolis in Bringelly. The new railway line will become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney, connecting communities and travellers with the new Western Sydney International Airport.
The railway line is expected to transport up to 7,740 passengers each hour in each direction and it is anticipated the new infrastructure could take 110,000 vehicles off local roads each day, significantly reducing traffic congestion. The project will support 14,000 jobs, including 250 apprentices.
Byron Bay undertakes $1.4m network upgrade
Major upgrades to the region’s stormwater drainage network commenced on Monday 9 August. The Byron Shire Council has provided a $1.4 million grant from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program to upgrade Byron Bay’s stormwater drainage network, which covers across Lighthouse Road, Paterson Street and Kipling Street.
“We are very excited to be delivering these critical works, which include the construction of kerb and gutter and underground stormwater drainage on Lighthouse Road,” says Byron Shire Council Director of Infrastructure Services Phil Holloway.
These works will reduce stormwater runoff that currently impacts Clarkes Beach, mitigating the impact to the environment. Mr Holloway says that once upgraded, the stormwater network will capture, detain and that runoff from the roads and surrounding properties.
The works are expected to take four months to complete.
The proposed Belmont desalination plant and offshore pipeline.
Planning approval granted for potential desalination plant and pipeline
In August, the New South Wales Government approved Hunter Water‘s plans for a desalination plant at Belmont as a drought response measure, with the project to include pipeline installed under the ocean floor using trenchless technology as far as 1 km offshore.
The plans are a reaction to water storage levels in the Lower Hunter, which recently reached its lowest point in nearly 40 years. The plant is designed to produce up to 30 million L of drinking water per day in response to drought.
This follows in the wake of the most recent drought of 2019-2020, which saw the introduction of water restrictions for the first time in decades. The Hunter Water team worked closely with the NSW Government, key stakeholders, and the local community, and planning approval was issued yesterday by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
The desalination plant, once constructed, will receive direct ocean seawater intake by piping seawater from 1 km offshore.
The intake structure would be installed at a depth of approximately 20 m, extending 5 m above the ocean floor, and the pipeline will be installed under the ocean floor via a trenchless tunnelling method.
Hunter Water Managing Director Darren Cleary says desalination is one of the few water supply options that is not dependent on rainfall. This would mean that with the construction of a plant, Hunter Water could continue to supply communities irrespective of changes in weather or climate.
While the likelihood of having to construct the plant is low, it was imperative that Hunter Water sought planning approval, should it need to build in the near future.
“Planning approval for the Belmont desalination plant gives us an additional tool to help close our supply gap during periods of drought, providing Hunter Water with the capacity to provide up to an additional 30 million L of water each day,” says Mr Cleary.
Hunter Water says the project approval was supported by comprehensive environmental impact investigations, which evaluated the potential impacts that could be mitigated through detailed design and delivery. These assessments found that a trenchless method would have the least significant impact on marine life, while the intake would also be designed to reduce the chance of marine life being drawn into the pipeline.
Construction of the desalination plant could take three years.
Byron Bay’s stormwater drainage network spans across Lighthouse Road, Paterson Street and Kipling Street.
Australia’s longest road tunnel canvassed
In May, the NSW Government announced it was investigating the possibility of constructing an 11 km tunnel through the Blue Mountains. The project would connect two proposed tunnels into a longer tunnel as part of the Greater Western Highway upgrade between Katoomba and Lithgow.
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole says linking the two tunnels already determined for Blackheath and Mount Victoria would deliver a more reliable connection through the Blue Mountains.
“The NSW Government knows how important this upgrade is to the people who use the Great Western Highway every day and in improving connections between Sydney and the Central West, which is why we committed $2.5 billion to deliver a once-in-a-generation upgrade to this key corridor,” he says.
“As part of this upgrade, we’ve already committed to a 4.5 km tunnel to bypass Blackheath and a 4 km tunnel underneath Victoria Pass, one of the steepest roads in NSW. We’re now investigating connecting those two proposed tunnels into one longer tunnel.
“This would be a history-making project, delivering Australia’s longest road tunnel and
allow motorists to avoid all the current pinch points from Blackheath in the east to Little Hartley on the western side of Victoria Pass. It will also mean less disruption for local residents and businesses during construction and a smoother, safer journey for those travelling underneath Blackheath and Mount Victoria as well as those travelling above.”
The government says construction on the Great Western Highway Upgrade is expected to start at Medlow Bath in 2022, with the full upgrade expected to be completed within 8 to 10 years.
Harbour project deemed national priority
In June, the proposal for a second Sydney Harbour tunnel listed as a national priority project by Infrastructure Australia. The Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade was added to the Infrastructure Priority List as a Priority Project, with the proposal from the NSW Government involving the construction of a 6.5 km twin three-lane motorway from the Rozelle Interchange to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney.
The Warringah Freeway between the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Willoughby Road would also be upgraded. Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive Romilly Madew says constructing the new tunnel would be beneficial economically and for the community.
“The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel are critical transport links – carrying more than 250,000 vehicles each weekday as people travel into the CBD and through to other parts of the city,” she says.
“By 2031, this is expected to increase to 300,000 as Sydney’s population grows. Without an additional harbour crossing, we expect there to be additional traffic and delays around the Sydney CBD.
Apart from impacting community access to school, work and other essential services, our 2019 Australian Infrastructure Audit found that if not addressed, congestion on this part of the road network could cost the NSW economy more than $780,000 per day by 2031.
“The business case developed by the NSW Government demonstrates a wide range of benefits for both drivers and public transport users, including significant travel time savings and improvements in travel time reliability.”
Since its foundation in 1938, the Iplex modus operandi has been solving Australia’s pipeline industry challenges, delivering future focused products and solutions with demonstrated long-term customer value. Today, the company is a one-stop shop for large scale pipeline projects and has a specialist service in project delivery on major pipeline infrastructure projects.
The team can offer an end-to-end service from design phase through to manufacturing, quality certifications, logistics and delivery management as well as provide expert installation advice.
Project delivery expertise
Iplex’s project delivery team handles high volumes with complex delivery requirements under tight time constraints. Mark Brunning is the Manager of Project Delivery and regularly coordinates large daily volumes on projects backed by expert project knowledge.
“The team individually tailors a solution for every project. Each project has a specially selected team with high skill and diversity – everybody brings a different skillset from technical product knowledge, engineering, manufacturing to expert supply management knowledge,” says Mr Brunning.
To bring all elements of a project together requires strong internal and customer relationships, and communication is key. The Iplex Project Delivery team has experience in many large-scale water and sewer projects, one example being the delivery of the Haughton Pipeline Duplication Project for the Townsville City Council.
Funded by the Queensland Government, the $215 million project involved the duplication of an existing pipeline to provide the town with a backup supply from the Burdekin Water Supply Scheme. Iplex was awarded the tender for the supply of 36 km of DN1800 FLOWTITE® glass reinforced pipe (GRP), engineered to provide up to 234 ML of water per day into the Ross River Dam.
FLOWTITE GRP was the preferred medium for its superior properties and material strength. Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is resistant to chemical attack and can be installed in ground conditions such as acid sulphate soils or saline ground conditions that are detrimental to metal and concrete. You don’t have to use special linings or wrap the pipe in plastic sleeving; GRP products have a resistant resin barrier through all the layers of glass and sand, so the whole wall is protected.
To meet the significant project delivery requirements, Iplex chartered six transport ships from Adelaide to Townsville. Each vessel carried 500 lengths of 13 GRP with a diameter of 1,800 mm – that’s over 6 km of pipe on each vessel. On arrival in Townsville, the team was able to discharge each vessel within 72 hours, safely transferring each pipe onto a single B-Double for transport to a specially secured laydown facility.
Iplex’s end-to-end capabilities ensured the project was delivered successfully, on time and on budget. One of the key ingredients for the success of the project was communication.
“There’s always a single point of contact for the customer,” says Mr Brunning.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s an engineering question, a supply enquiry, a warranty question, a question around paperwork for the Manufacturers Data Reports (MDR) – the client only needs to know one person in the business, and they’ll get all their answers. This is what sets Iplex apart from others.”
From the outset, the Iplex Project Delivery team will engage with the customer to ensure a clear understanding of their requirements, goals and timelines they want to achieve. The team is also committed to ensuring onsite safety and working collaboratively with the customer across product and safety requirements.
Product Marketing & Training Manager Nathan Swaffer says providing onsite support is one of Iplex’s core offerings for large-scale projects.
“An important component we offer is site presentations to help with the installation process. It’s not formal training, but it is our technical staff onsite helping the contractors to get it right the first time.”
Depending on the product to be installed, Iplex provides an installer presentation to guide contractors on the unique features of the product and how to correctly install it, whether it is cutting, joining, bedding, or correct handling. A Certificate of Attendance is issued to ensure contractors are aware of best practice installation methods.
On larger scale projects where staff rotations are commonplace, Iplex continually offers refresher training to support client safety and results – it’s all part of the service. Iplex offers a wide range of products suited to large-scale pipeline projects, as well as design guidance and support through the sales engineering team.
Iplex FLOWTITE GRP strung along pipeline trench.
The best possible product solutions for your project
Iplex offers a wide range of products that are suited to large scale pipeline projects. Iplex Head of Sales Shaun O’Brien says the company works with its clients to give them the best possible solutions for their project, whether it is polyethelene, PVC, GRP or ductile iron.
Iplex has a range of polyethylene systems sold under the Poliplex® brand, which are manufactured and controlled within Iplex facilities and can be made in sizes up to 2 m in diameter. Poliplex pipes are used to convey all types of liquids and gases for above and below ground applications.
For PVC, Iplex has a wide range of technologies suitable for major supply trunk and reticulations mains, industrial process pipelines and irrigation systems. Iplex’s Rhino® PVC-M for pressure pipes incorporates the advancements of modified PVC technology, whereas Apollo® PVC-O, a dual-patented technology, offers an exceptionally tough, high-performance thermoplastic. This has greatly enhanced physical characteristics including an increased hydraulic performance capacity due to its exceptionally smooth and enlarged bore.
Iplex has always been an innovator in terms of introducing new materials to the Australian market. In fact, it was the first company to introduce large bore GRP pipes for water and sewer.
Michael Lancuba is the Product Manager for Engineered Products at Iplex.
“Iplex were the pioneers in offering a competitive alternative to conventional clay, concrete and steel pipes. In 2006 we became partners with RPC Pipe Systems and introduced FLOWTITE GRP pipe systems in Australia: an advanced GRP technology that gave our customers more options for large projects,” says Mr Lancuba.
100 km of FLOWTITE GRP DN1000 and 1200 on Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme in South East Queensland.
“The FLOWTITE range offers flexibility in design and installation, from standard to non-standard pipes and fittings, and we can also custom design and manufacture to the required specification.”
FLOWTITE GRP pipes can be made in a range of standard pressure classes, stiffness classes and lengths. As such, the product can be engineered to meet the clients’ requirements.
FLOWTITE GRP is a composite pipe using continuously wound glass fibres, sand as a filler and thermosetting resins as a corrosion barrier. Australian made FLOWTITE has been used on a number of high-profile, large-scale projects, including the Haughton project, the Burgowan to Takura Water Main upgrade for the Fraser Coast and the Belconnen Truck Sewer project in Canberra.
“We’ve supplied a lot of projects with GRP pipes with diameters up to 2 m, but the product can actually be supplied up to 3 m. It’s not a commodity product, it’s a specialised fully engineered product which we can make to the required specification,” says Mr Lancuba.
Iplex offers GRP piping with superior strength and hydraulic properties, as well as the specialised personnel to see the project through to delivery. The company delivers project driven solutions through proven methods with best results from end to end.
Restrictions on the Victorian construction industry eased from 11.59pm on Monday, 4 October with a Construction Sector Roadmap setting a way forward for the sector to operate inline with Chief Health Officer directions.
The team at Aussie Trenchless is passionate about progressing future infrastructure opportunities and accomplishing superior outcomes. Headquartered in New South Wales, Director Chris Meredith and the team are committed to pioneering state-of-the-art solutions and furthering businesses in the trenchless industry.
Founded in 2014, the company offers a range of unique products in Australia and internationally. Mr Meredith is something of an industry mogul, with 40 years in utilities and having pioneered the development of several well-known rehabilitation methods through decades of contracting.
Throughout his years in the industry, Mr Meredith has seen significant growth in the implementation of trenchless solutions in Australia and abroad. He and his team offer practical advice to infrastructure owners and contractors on a variety of underground pipeline rehabilitation techniques.
Importantly, they offer hands-on service for industry contractors backed by years of expertise. They have developed multiple complementary technologies for underground service installation.
PST is specifically designed for traversable trunk sewers and stormwater culverts
PST
Pipe segment technology (PST) is one solution for pipe rehabilitation that is easy to build and fast to install. It is specifically designed for traversable trunk sewers and stormwater culverts.
Pipe lining technologies have the capacity to substantially increase the service life of pipes, and this method is ideal for man entry pipeline rehabilitation for gravity sewer mains. Installation can take place in low flow conditions, and the technology has low capital costs and a small site footprint.
PST lining panels are made of polypropylene material, providing a smooth surface with effective hydraulic performance capacities. Significantly, PST is semi-transparent, mitigating risk and removing guesswork during the completion of gap grouting works.
PST panels are lightweight, easy to install, and ideal for positioning in tight locations, with the product suitable for all pipe types, including round, ovoid and box culverts. Segment pipe rehabilitation technologies are recommended for sewers with complicated and nonstandard shapes.
Lining segments reflect the shape of the host pipe and therefore can be both circular and non-circular. Lining of access chambers can also be achieved using PST segments.
The ring stiffness of PST can be enhanced or altered by attaching circumferential bars, making the product suitable for installing in deep sewers. PST is a nimble segmental lining system with a grouted annulus gap, versatile in tight access locations.
A static design is completed to verify conformance of the PST lining structure in these types of applications. The technology does not require advanced installation machinery and has been used to rehabilitate deteriorated stormwater and sewer culverts.
Watercare’s projects have picked up across Auckland City, with works resuming on the NZD$1.2 billion (AUD $1.14 billion) Central Interceptor wastewater project.
Work came grinding to a halt after Auckland was placed under level 4 restrictions last month, under which only minimal work involving the two Central Interceptor tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were allowed to continue to prevent sinking and damage.
Water executive program director Shayne Cunis said the team is enthusiastic to be ramping up work again.
“We had only just launched our main TBM Hiwa-i-te-Rangi before we went into level 4, and there was significant work required to complete on-site assembly as she progressed forward,” said Cunis.
“We have managed to keep her inching forward at a minimum rate, and, as of the end of alert level 4, we have installed 18 of the 9008 concrete rings of the Central Interceptor.”
Cunis said that anyone who is not essential onsite will still be working from home.
“As we move into alert level 3, we will increase our production to target rates over the coming weeks, while ensuring we are looking after our team’s health, safety and wellbeing as the majority of them return to work.
“We have enhanced COVID-19 management protocols which include mask wearing, maintaining strict work bubbles, carrying out daily temperature checks for all site staff, and disinfecting all overalls every day.”
Works are also picking up in the second stage of the Papakura Water Treatment Plant, which will provide up to 12 million litres a day from Hays Creek Dam when it is completed early next year.
Works will also proceed on the new Mairangi Bay wastewater pump station, Clevedon’s new water and wastewater network, the replacement of the Huia 1 water main, where works are underway in Mt Albert and the Pukekohe Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade.
Drainchem is the go-to source for drain maintenance products and solutions.
The leading supplier of drain and pipe maintenance and testing equipment in Australasia, Drainchem has been equipping the service and repair industry for more than 25 years.
Removing calcified grease, mineral deposits and tree roots from drains can be a challenge, so having the proper tools in your arsenal is essential for ensuring the wellbeing of your drains, removing the need for open trench rehabilitation and protecting against repeat passes.
Drainchem is now distributing the latest breakthrough technology for the sewer industry: the Warthog WGR Switcher.
A product of innovation, it enables the operator to switch between two distinct tool functions without the need for adjustment.
With two sets of jetting angles in one tool, the Warthog Switcher eliminates the need for changing nozzles.
One set of jet angles provides efficient pulling power, while the other setting is angled for highly effective cleaning.
The operator can seamlessly switch between pulling or cleaning while still in the line.
The Warthog Switcher economises on time and resources by eliminating the extra runs needed to swap between nozzles.
This means an operator can run more jobs with only one tank of water. Switching to pulling jets maximises thrust power, while cleaning jets are suitable for clearing debris and cutting roots.
Using the Switcher is nearly 50 per cent faster and 35 per cent more water economical than using a traditional rotational or fixed nozzle combination.
Case study
One client was recently faced with the challenge of a 50-year build-up of calcium deposit in PVC municipal pipe.
The line travelled through a railway tunnel, necessitating traffic closure and substantial preparation work. Initial work progressed at a maximum of 9 m per day with minimal removal of the deposits from the pipe wall.
The client approached an official Warthog distributor and was recommended a Warthog Switcher nozzle.
Because the Switcher contains two independent sets of jet angles, the full power of the water from the pump could be directed against the layers of deposit.
Hard-hitting angled jets broke through the material and directed water between the deposits and the pipe wall, pulling it down in sheets.
In the cleaning mode, no water is wasted for pulling that is not needed. A repeat engagement of the pulling jet angles created a flow that removed debris efficiently down the line.
The Warthog Switcher removed the hard deposits completely at a rate of 175 m per day: a significant productivity improvement over the previous method.
Not only did it do so more effectively – it reduced the time taken to clear the deposits, saving on fuel, labour and disruption to traffic.
“I am impressed by the Switcher nozzle and its performance; everyone should have such a tool on their truck,” says client Christian Sørensen.
“Our company continues to use the Switcher whenever confronted by difficult obstacles, and success is guaranteed.”
SECA has renewed its commitment to a low-carbon future through its latest offering to the Australian market – the world’s first emissions-free high-pressure water jetting system.
The project involves the construction of a distribution water main to connect the towns to Heyfield’s water system, and Gippsland Water intends to have the new pipeline functional by late 2022.
Water for Coongulla and Glenmaggie residents is currently sourced from Lake Glenmaggie and treated at the Coongulla water treatment plant.
According to managing director Sarah Cumming, the lake levels have reached such drastic lows that Gippsland Water has needed to truck water into Coongulla from Heyfield on five occasions over the past 15 years.
The most recent incident was in 2019 when water was tucked in to the region for four months, with up to 18 deliveries made per day.
The water in the Heyfield water treatment plant sourced from the Thomson River is a more reliable water supply, Cumming said.
“This solution is the most cost-effective and most environmentally-friendly way to deliver a reliable supply of high quality water to our Coongulla and Glenmaggie customers.”
The pipeline will be constructed within road reserves and easements on roads connecting to the Coongulla treated water plant.
Cummings said the team at Gippsland Water chose the route with the least impact on the environment, and traffic management will be in place to keep road users safe during construction from now until late 2022.
This project is one of ten projects from Gippsland Water’s 2018 price submission to the East Services Commission.
With expert knowledge and this extensive preparation, UEA was able to complete vital replacement works on one of Western Australia’s most significant gas pipelines.
Aqua Assets provides water and waste management services to businesses in the utility, construction, engineering and trade sectors.
Services include civil works, non-destructive digging, vacuum loading, CCTV, drain cleaning and pipeline rehabilitation.
Aqua Assets subsidiary Asset Training is specially dedicated to providing training in water and waste management and industrial maintenance services.
This registered training organisation (RTO) primarily focuses on work safety, backed by vocational educators who are passionate about the level of instruction they provide.
Operating since 2006, Asset Training is an award-winning RTO dedicated to providing safe work training.
For more than 15 years, the company has continued to grow its portfolio of industry-specific trainers who collectively have more than 40 years of combined industry experience.
Asset Training has recently launched a new online drain cleaning refresher – a short course achievable in less than a week, reinvigorating the individual on the relevant drain cleaning unit of competency.
While COVID-19 has restricted many industrial maintenance businesses from accessing the training they require, Asset Training has adapted its curriculum to help operators maintain their nationally accredited compliance standing remotely.
The Online Drain Cleaning Refresher course recognises the current restraints placed on businesses, providing a new level of accessibility through the online training course.
Drain cleaning operators are required to undergo verification of competency or refresher training at appropriate intervals not exceeding two years.
The Online Drain Cleaning Refresher course uses the MSMWJ302 system to assess the competency knowledge of the drain cleaning operator.
The operator is then practically assessed through document and video submissions, and if successful, is re-certified as competent to perform their responsibilities.
Refresher training is required by industry, and the training offered by Asset Training is nationally recognised, up to date, and of the highest quality.
The training comprises both theoretical and practical components and the theory includes five online quizzes with a pass/fail grading.
Each quiz is supported by a video lesson that students can view before submission, and students are given two attempts for each question.
There are two types of practical assessments: there are a series of site safety documents that must be submitted (some of these may be work documents that can be completed on the job), and videos must be taken demonstrating students carrying out practical tasks. These will need to be uploaded and reviewed by an Asset Training assessor.
A refresher has a two-year limit, and an allowance of two months is given for students to complete all assigned tasks.
Operators must submit all assigned tasks at least two weeks prior to their two-year refresher date to ensure a new Statement of Attainment can be issued in time.
Asset Training has dedicated time and resources to developing successful bridging courses and the organisation can provide experienced operators with the opportunity to upgrade their training to the next level.
Asset Training is now offering one-day bridging courses for those seeking to upgrade their High Pressure Water Jetting (HPWJ) qualifications, vacuum loading and drain cleaning skill sets as well.
Asset Training says it expects water utilities and pipeline maintenance companies, plumbers, and local councils will greatly benefit from the new level of accessibility offered by these courses.
