Brian Perry Civil

CATEGORY 2: Projects with a value of between $5 million and $20 million

PROJECT: Tauranga Memorial Park Pump Station Upgrade. CONTRACTOR: Brian Perry Civil

State-of-the-art facility

This pump station upgrade was a key component in the Tauranga City Council’s Southern Pipeline infrastructure strategy to manage wastewater in a more effective manner given the projected population growth of the city.

Brian Perry Civil (BPC) was contracted to provide a mechanical and electrical upgrade so that wastewater could be diverted from southern areas of the city to the treatment plant at the underutilised Te Maunga, thus mitigating future pressure on the system.

The scope of the upgrade included ground improvements for the building foundations and valve chambers, construction of buildings to house new electrical and generator equipment, installation of electrical cabling and ducting, the supply and installation of submersible wastewater pumps within the 10-metre deep pump house, upgrading of pipework, installation of stormwater and wastewater drainage, relocation of existing utility services, and site works entailing landscaping, fencing and pavements.

There were a number of construction challenges. These included the proximity to several public amenities and the number of known and unknown ‘live’ utility services. Other constraints emerged as work progressed as there were discrepancies with the 10-year-old design plans, which did not always match what the construction team was physically seeing.

The electrical upgrade presented particular challenges and a number of solutions were developed including how to ‘import’ power from the network grid, and then when required, ‘export’ it back to the grid. This was achieved by adapting the system for a variable site load. There were also issues of working at depths within confined spaces, and the testing of pumps and electrical systems due to delays in other sections of the Southern Pipeline.

Innovation during the construction brought about efficiencies, ie, changing the construction methodology for ground stabilisation around the chambers brought advantages in ground improvement and vibration impact.

BPC overcame challenges in a proactive manner through extensive consultation, innovation and a willingness to work with the client to deliver a highly successful outcome, on time and within the budget.

This project demonstrates the significant impact of a highly collaborative client/contractor relationship in delivering a state-of-the-art wastewater facility. l