Fulton Hogan

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

PROJECT: Whareroa Water Treatment Plant. CONTRACTOR: Fulton Hogan

A skilled workforce

Fulton Hogan was awarded a design and construction contract from client Fonterra for a new water treatment plant on a greenfields site adjacent to the Whareroa Plant in Hawera, South Taranaki, capable of producing 28.5 million litres of water per day.

The $17 million project was completed following 11 months of build in what was a tight time scale and a complex environment.

Fulton Hogan brought to the Whareroa project comprehensive water and wastewater infrastructure experience, such as the Hunua 4 Watermain project, in addition to the expertise of subcontractors with proven track records in their respective fields.

Prior to the build, a detailed Gantt chart was produced on CCS Candy. This program is structured around Fulton Hogan’s strategic picture program and encompassed all construction activities including the control system software writing.

Of particular importance to the critical path of the project was the timely completion of the clarifier and filter structures, both constructed in precast concrete panels with in situ concrete ‘stitches’ tying the panels together. To best control the supply of the precast panels the decision was taken to cast these on the site using Fulton Hogan’s own skilled workforce, providing the quality and timing control demanded for the build.

Proactive environmental management was aimed at exceeding compliance requirements and encouraging employees to improve environmental outcomes. The company’s environmental management system has been certified to ISO 14001 since 2003.

On the Whareroa project the safety, quality and environmental advisor, Craig Morris, collaborated with the project managers and Fonterra on the site-specific Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The comprehensive plan detailed all environmental procedures, such as sediment control. The EMP, relevant permits and Resource Management Act consents were put in place prior to construction.

The project was a lump sum fixed priced contract with several variations awarded for the scope changes directed by client, the largest being the design and construction of the new raw water intake at Tangahoe River.

Monthly reviews, including analysis of actual cost against budget and cost forecast were completed. Information summarised in a job status report to give reviewers an overview of the project’s financial health variances in actual versus budgeted was investigated and mitigation plans put in place where possible.

The project was completed on 22 December 2016. l