On the 17th of June, the Aquatec Maxcon team successfully lifted the new roof onto the Main Digester at Prince of Wales Bay Sewage Treatment Plant in Hobart. Jim Foley, Project Manager, reported that the new roof weighs approximately 35 tonnes and was lifted into place with a 400 tonne crane. The lift was performed by Pfeiffer Cranes with close supervision performed by the Prince of Wales Aquatec Maxcon team.

The replacement of the ageing floating roof posed a significant engineering challenge due to the confines of the site. A detailed Lift Plan and Safe Work Method Statement was prepared by Pfeiffer cranes and reviewed by the Aquatec Maxcon and TasWater team prior to the lift. On the day of the lift, everything ran like clockwork and the manoeuvre was flawlessly executed.

The multimillion-dollar upgrade of TasWater’s Prince of Wales Bay Sewage Treatment Plant (one of Tasmania’s oldest sewage plants) will extend the life of the plant well into the 21^st century and will allow for increasing demand for sewage treatment as a result of growth within the region. The upgrade will also protect the environment thanks to the installation of a new control system and biogas waste flares which will result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

As providers of essential services, TasWater and Aquatec Maxcon have continued to work during the Coronavirus pandemic, delivering essential water and sewage treatment services to the public. The upgrade of the Prince of Wales Bay Sewage Treatment Plant will extend the life of the plant until 2060 and is part of TasWater's 10 year and $1.8 billion capital program to upgrade Tasmania’s water and sewage infrastructure.

Special thanks to the following team members:

• James Alback for providing site supervision on the day of the lift
• Matt Fletcher for assisting with the lift and guiding the roof into the correct position
• Tony Atherden for providing OH&S oversight on the day of the lift

A brand new roof is lifted into place on the Prince of Wales Bay Sewage Treatment Plant's Main Digester located in Hobart, Tasmania.

Aquatec Maxcon are pleased to announce that our Waste to Energy Facility was chosen as the winner of the Australian Infrastructure Project Innovation Award at the Australian Water Association's first ever virtual Ozwater Online Awards Event. This prizewinning Waste to Energy project is the result of almost a decade of work beginning as an Expression of Interest and progressing through to detailed design and construction and finally culminating in this level of recognition within our own industry. This is a very special time and a proud moment for the Aquatec Maxcon team.

Aquatec Maxcon would like to thank Yarra Valley Water for investing in our technology. We have enjoyed every step of the process.

2020 Infrastructure Project Innovation Award

Link to AWA Awards Information

Above: Yarra Valley Water's Waste to Energy Facility located at Wollert, Victoria.

Proudly Australian owned and operated, Aquatec Maxcon are the Principal Contractor delivering TasWater’s treatment plant upgrade for the community of Longford.

On behalf of TasWater, Aquatec Maxcon Group and its subcontractors were challenged by the Tasmanian State Government and the State Health Authorities to come up with a plan to deliver this critical infrastructure project without increasing the risk of exposing the Launceston community to COVID-19. The mutually agreeable solution was well thought-out and detailed in its approach. The plan included strict social distancing and increased hygiene practices as well as totally isolating the workforce from Launceston’s locals, including isolation for necessities such as grocery shopping. The workforce was shuttled from their lockdown accommodation to the work site and then back to hotels at the end of the shifts with no stops allowed on route. All meals and any domestic supplies required by staff were delivered by a dedicated supplier who conducted the contactless delivery. These stringent measures served to protect the community of Launceston while also allowing Aquatec Maxcon to complete work as required with minimum disruption. 

Aquatec Maxcon Group was pleased to be part of open and collaborative discussions surrounding the protection of public health in Tasmania. Through implementing a detailed risk assessment process, a safe work methodology was developed that allowed the continuation of the first Nereda® Wastewater Treatment plant in Tasmania under COVID-19 restrictions.

Above: Site photos taken during the end of May, 2020. The Longford site is progressing despite recent setbacks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.