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Customer: SA Water Contract: Early Contractor Involvement Location: Adelaide, South Australia   |
Fast Facts
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In a joint venture with our building company, Built Environs, we designed, constructed, and commissioned the water pipeline and associated pumping infrastructure that connects the Adelaide Desalination Plant, (also delivered by us in consortia), to Adelaide’s main reservoir at Happy Valley.
We were awarded the project following an extensive early contractor involvement (ECI) process, including a rigorous assessment of our proposed design, construction methodology, and costs.
We designed and constructed the complete transfer system, which included over 12 km of 1.5 m diameter mains pipes, 150 ml/day transfer pump stations, and a 9 ml, 44 m diameter, 6 m high break pressure tank.
We constructed the pipeline in a mainly urban environment, requiring meticulous planning and liaison with local authorities and communities. Traffic planning and management were critical, as much of the route followed Lonsdale Road, a high-traffic dual carriageway that links Adelaide’s southern coastal suburbs. Built Environs’ recent experience constructing Patpa Road, which intersects with Lonsdale Road, informed the community and traffic management processes.
The pipeline crosses the Field River via a self-supporting pipe bridge. We delivered the bridge superstructure in three segments to a nearby yard for assembly into one 66m segment, before being transported by road to site. Two 250 t cranes performed a tandem lift to maneuver the pipe into its final location. Compared to the original box truss reference design, our pipe bridge solution reduced steel usage and coating area by approximately 40%, contributing to the sustainability of the project.
The pipeline also crosses under the metropolitan rail line, requiring extensive coordination with the Department of Transport. We used micro-tunneling techniques for this crossing to avoid any disruptions to the train services.
