McConnell Dowell is pleased to announce the award of the design and construction of the Warkworth Pump Station for Watercare Services Limited. 

This project continues to build on McConnell Dowell’s extensive track record in the construction of wastewater infrastructure in New Zealand. Our solution features the use of an innovative caisson sinking methodology to construct the pump station and storage tank. This construction method was successfully used on our recent Glen Eden project.

The scope of works includes construction of a new Wastewater Pump Station located in Lucy Moore Memorial Park, Warkworth. The pump station is designed to be a wet well / dry well facility and includes:

• an above ground structure approximately 4.4m high, 9.2m long and 4m wide
• belowground structures including inlet chamber, gantry crane, drywell, wet well and emergency storage to a depth of approximately 12m.
• an overflow pipe from the pump station to the existing stormwater pond
• ancillary above ground structures, including odour control (biofilter), standby generator, transformer, flowmeter chamber and welfare facilities; and
• an access road and carpark

Construction started in September 2021 and is scheduled for completion in 2023.

McConnell Dowell pleased to announce that Gisborne District Council has awarded the Stage Two of the upgrade of Gisborne Wastewater Treatment Plant to McConnell Dowell.

Located in New Zealand’s North Island, this project involves the construction of a secondary clarifier and tertiary treatment facilities to treat domestic wastewater after the existing biological trickling filter. This new infrastructure will be more resilient in the event of natural disasters and will improve water quality.

This is an exciting project for the McConnell Dowell team to continue to build on our extensive track record in wastewater plant construction throughout New Zealand, Pacific, Australia and South East Asia.

McConnell Dowell worked in collaboration with Gisborne District Council and designers BECA to ensure the project’s key requirements around performance and social outcomes were met within budget.

McConnell Dowell Managing Director for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, Fraser Wyllie says; “We are excited to work for Gisborne District Council to deliver an upgraded and more resilient infrastructure which responds to the region’s growth”.

Stage two includes construction, installation and commissioning the following new processes:

• New clarifier pump station to transfer the effluent from the biologically trickling filter (BTF) to the new clarifiers
• Ground improvements including engineered rafts
• Lamella type, secondary clarification to remove the gross solids from the effluent
• Scum and sludge underdrain removal system
• Disc-cloth type tertiary filtration system for effluent polishing prior to disinfection
• An in-channel type, ultra-violet disinfection system
• New screw presses for dewatering
• New recycled effluent system which will be used to provide wash water for process related equipment
• Civil works (pipelines, drainage, stormwater, stormwater treatment, pump station, chambers, roadways, hardstands etc)
• Structural works (concrete pads, steelwork platforms etc)

The work will commence in early September 2021, with completion due in Mid-2022.

On Stage 3 of the Echuca-Moama Bridge Project with client, Major Road Projects Victoria, we’ve recently clocked up 500,000 work hours. It’s an ideal time to reflect on the positive team spirit we’ve harnessed on site during these challenging times. It’s also a time to appreciate the contribution of McConnell Dowell’s young team of recent graduates, which includes site engineer Ashlee Othen.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Finance
in 2018, Ashlee put her skills to work by participating in the McConnell Dowell Graduate Program, which enabled her to work in varied roles and locations on projects such as Melbourne’s Swanson Dock Upgrade and Adelaide’s Regional Bridges Project. She completed this program in 2020 and started on the Echuca-Moama Bridge Project site early this year.

Ashlee says she calls Adelaide, “home”, but admits, working in this ‘neck of the woods’ has been a highlight.

“I love this regional location, and I’m enjoying working with a young team, as we learn together and support each other through the many facets of this major infrastructure project.”

According to Ashlee, she’s been sharpening her skills in the areas of problem-solving and onsite management.

“I’ve faced challenges which I’ve overcome with the support of my team. It’s been terrific to learn in such a ‘hands on’ way.

“I’ve also honed my skills in scheduling, co-ordinating and planning construction activities, such as super-tee and bridge barrier installations, deck pours and completion works across two distinct worksites, in NSW and Victoria. 

“I’ve also learned, that the McConnell Dowell team spirit is one that’s collaborative across all the facets of my work, and the project. And in Echuca-Moama, I’ve seen that firsthand,” she adds.

McConnell Dowell is pleased to announce that construction on the new Ports of Auckland Outfall Upgrade Project will begin in late 2021. 

The project team will construct the last and most challenging section of the Stanley Street catchment network upgrade. The upgrade will mitigate future flooding risks in the area and importantly for the Britomart Train Station.

A new 270-metre inverted siphon pipeline will be installed using a three-metre in diameter micro-Tunnel Boring Machine (m-TBM). The outfall alignment will run under Quay Street behind the Ports of Auckland (POA), near Freyberg Wharf. The old stormwater culvert will also be repaired and reinstalled. Once complete, the new outfall will increase the stormwater network’s capacity and improve the resilience of downtown Auckland’s infrastructure.

This stormwater outfall upgrade will draw on McConnell Dowell’s extensive track record in marine outfall construction using trenchless methodologies.

Work on this project includes:

• Service relocation works
• Piling works for both the outlet and inlet shafts
• Excavation works for both shafts
• Tunnelling under Quay Street to a maximum depth of 20 metres
• Chamber and outfall construction
• Culvert strengthening