Construction of the new Broadford water supply pipeline

Construction of the new Broadford water supply pipeline and pump station has commenced. A pumping station on the Goulburn River near Tallarook will be built in the coming months and a pipeline connecting the pump station to the Broadford water treatment plant is currently underway. Member for Seymour, Ben Hardman, Goulburn Valley Water’s Chairman, Don Cummins and Managing Director Peter Quinn recently visited the site where Dig Rite Excavations were laying a section of pipe. Mr Cummins was very impressed with the progress to date and is looking forward to reporting back to the Board on the project. The pipeline is some 23.5 kilometres long and wherever possible the route follows the GasNet pipeline to Broadford. This alignment was selected as it is cleared of vegetation and the pipeline can be located within the GasNet easement to minimise the impact on landowners. The pipeline route through the Broadford township is along existing water main easements and will reduce the construction impact on the Broadford community. This project will ensure the security of water supply for Broadford and will increase the security in the Sunday Creek System. The estimated capital cost of the entire project is $15.2 million. Dig Rite Excavations are the contractors for the pipeline.

The complex nature of the project included:

• The length of the pipeline was 23.5 kilometers of 600mm and 450mm pipe and consisted of approximately 13 creek crossings and ten road crossings. There were 36 landowners affected by the alignment. The alignment followed the GasNet easement and extreme care and attention was required to protect the existing gas line. The alignment also clashed with optic fibre (Melb to Sydney line) and a Network Protect Plan was created to protect the integrity of the line;

• Boring of OD660 MSCL pipeline under the Hume Highway (Bore approx 130m long and extremely deep), The entry point of the bore also clashed with existing optic fiber lines;

• The pipeline route contained a number of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage sites and these required particular planning and management.

Bacchus Marsh Outfall Sewer

The project brief required a 630 mm diameter polyethylene pipe to be laid at a grade of 1 in 600.  The old sewer was at capacity and could not cater for predicted future flows from the township.  The new sewer’s alignment is parallel to the old sewer, and runs from Bacchus Marsh crossing the Avenue of Honour and terminates at the pump house.

The site of the project was amidst the historically significant Avenue of Honour, Bacchus Marsh. The avenue is one of the most dramatic examples of its kind and in 2015, will form part of the Federal Government Centenary Celebration of World War One.

Dig Rite Excavations were awarded the construction contract. The design consultant and Superintendent was MWH. The Principal and client was Western Water.  The total project budget including design pipe supply and construction was $2,400,000.00.

The complex nature of the project included:

• Working on a live sewer,

• Boring underneath the Avenue of Honour near elm trees planted in 1918 to commemorate World War 1, and

• Working within private properties including commercially functioning orchards in a narrow construction easement.

Dig Rite Excavations were nominated by Western Water for the Civil Contractors Federation Earth Awards and were finalists in the Awards in 2009.

Rebuilding the Pipeline - Steavenson Falls – Marysville

The pipeline was extensively damage and Goulburn Valley Water resolved to replace it now rather than put in a temporary pipeline. 600 metres of polyethylene pipe at the Steavenson Falls end was completely destroyed. The remaining 1700 metres of pipe suffered damage at various locations along the length of the pipe.

Dig Rite Excavations responded to this emergency situation as a matter of urgency to secure the water supply for Marysville and Buxton. In conjunction with Goulburn Valley Water staff we went into Marysville a couple of days after the fires to assess the damage.  

Goulburn Valley Water quoted “In spite of the hazardous and difficult conditions the works were completed on Good Friday, 10 April due primarily to the fantastic commitment from the construction contractor, Dig Rite”.

The area was a real disaster, with dangerous trees littered throughout the area, some with their tops screwed off by the intense winds caused by the fire. To facilitate access to implement the emergency works, DSE assessed the tree hazard and potential risk along the road and water main alignment. DSE and Dig Rite cleared an existing path, including widening where necessary which allowed us access to replace the water main. The first 600 metres of the pipe was laid in the path adjacent to the river bed, where the original pipe was laid and the remainder of the pipeline was laid in the road reserve.

DSE, GVW and Dig Rite Excavations worked consultatively together to minimize environmental impacts while rendering the area safe to work.