A Brand New Roof for Prince of Wales Digester

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.