Project Description
Working for Icon Water, Downer PipeTech were engaged to renew a 6.7 klm section of existing (CICL) Cast Iron main pipe in Canberra road, ACT. The system upgrade utilized pipe bursting technology to install a new replacement poly-ethaline pipe (PE) for the total distance of 6700 m through the City to minimize the disruption and interference to traffic and third party movement around the City Reducing the need for extensive surface dig downs, advance potholing was adopted to locate the mains in advance such that progress of the relining becomes more efficient in respect to time management, cost control and forward planning.
ITS utilized a team of five highly skilled operational workers with two Hammerhead 50G bursting rigs to undertake the works achieving an average production of 500m per week over the 17 week contract. Bypass relief systems utilising aqua and hydra stops together with Insta valves were installed in advance of the new main installation to minimize water outages and extensive consultation with customers and related third parties contributed significantly to the smooth and efficient progress of the works through the program duration.
This unique project developed best practice requirements and methodologies for future works that will deliver time and cost savings through more efficient planning, which include: –
• Advanced potholing to locate services by means of non-destructive digging prior to crew mobilizing on site allowed for longer pipe bursting runs.
• Pre-Ordering Service/Property fittings after the size had been determined by potholing.
• Co-operative relationship development with local authority’s and implementing faster approvals process through joint engagement.
• Using multi skilled workforce to task operations in parallel such that the critical path activity of installing the main ran without interruption and on program.
• Pre planning and early engagement of local specialist sub-contractors for the bypass supply speeding up response times and reducing overall disruption.
Resolution of the challenges that the project created strengthened the relationship between the Client and Contractor delivery teams to the point where seamless co-operation became the key enabler to problem resolution, achieving an overall success to the delivery of the project against all of the KPI’s.
