We have shared 7 chapters dedicated to our large bore steel (MSCL) water mains, we have discussed DM Civil’s company history of laying DN1400 Sintakote bulk water mains.
Since 2000, DM Civil has laid over 110 kilometres of DN1400 steel water mains with a further 50 kilometres of other sizes from DN600 and up to DN1200, also in steel. We have also laid over 157 kilometres of ductile iron (DICL) raw water supply mains for mining water supplies.
Almost all of this pipework has been laid below ground in various conditions including sand, clay, rock and in water-charged ground. Occasionally, we have laid pipework above ground, generally where the main that we are replacing must remain operational and is in poor condition. This was the case for the main conduit (Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply Scheme) replacement at Boondi where rock would have needed to be blasted to lay the pipe below ground.
Over three-quarters of these projects featured several sections to be installed by trenchless techniques utilising the technology and equipment of the DM Civil trenchless division. Our fleet of auger boring and microtunnelling equipment has been proven to give our pipeline crews a distinct advantage over others, with our in-house expertise and project control.
Over the years, the MSCL (Steel Mains Sintakote) jointing systems have progressed from rubber ring joint and expanded and collapsed welded joint, to Sintajoint, spherical slip-in joint, ball and socket joint (welded inside and out), Sintalock rubber ring Type 1 and Type 2 (both externally welded), butt joint (plain and collared), and flanged joints.
DM Civil is proud to have been associated with these projects and we are extremely proud of our construction crews and engineering teams who have worked through tough conditions in heat, cold and rain for long shifts. These people have forged the reputation that DM Civil enjoys today as a leading pipeline contractor for our state water supply, providing expertise to the industry.
DM Civil Pipeline Company History
CHAPTER 1
Some DM Civil history… Southern Fortescue Borefield Transfer Pipeline
DM Civil was established in 1976 as a drainage and construction contractor, working in the metropolitan area and across regional Western Australia from Esperance to Wyndham and into the Tanami Desert of the Northern Territory.
In the late 1980’s, the DM Civil company founders were our on-site operators and pipe installers.
With a recommendation and an invitation from Hamersley Iron to construct a borefield collector network and then 21km of DN375 ductile iron pipework, these men worked long days and long shifts to construct the buried pipeline through the hard banded iron formation and dolerite dykes. This was carried out only 4 metres from the existing above-ground pipeline which was still in operation.
Quoting the mining magazine publication of the day ‘The Dedication and professionalism shown under challenging conditions in the Pilbara are hallmarks of DM’s work around the state.’
It was from these humble beginnings and hard work, that DM Civil has developed into a water supply pipeline installer with experience gained and retained in the fabric of our firm and valued by our clients and peers alike.
Chapter 2 – Stirling Alliance Trunk Main
Stirling DN1400 Trunk Main Stage 1 – Stirling Dam to Peterson Road Harvey
Leading up to 2000, Perth was approaching severe water supply shortages. Climate change had been recognised by Water Corporation and they committed to an Integrated Water Supply System (IWSS), including linking all of the dams north of Wellington Dam in Collie to feed into Perth’s water supply system.
The DM Civil and Brierty Contractors joint venture was selected from a field of 22 contractors across Australia to form the first alliance by the Water Corporation to complete Stage 1 of the proposed work including 10km of road and 19.3km of DN1400 Sintakote MSCL pipeline in extremely steep rocky terrain, as narrow as 9m total construction corridor.
With the aim of ‘best for the project’, the alliance team was able to deliver innovations that provided significant savings. The project was delivered ahead of schedule and 10% under the original budget. 95% of all cleared vegetation was recycled for fauna habitat, soil stabilisation and erosion control. Millable timber from clearing was donated to the local Gnaala Carla Boodja community to train young Aboriginals in timber milling and furniture making.
The project and the management structure received significant recognition for exceptional performance. The Alliance was the winner of the West Australian “Engineering Excellence Awards 2000” for Management of Engineering and Environmental Categories. The project was also awarded the West Australian and the much coveted Australian National Overall, “2000 CASE Earth Awards” for outstanding Environmental Project of the year.
Just like the late 1980’s at Southern Fortescue, the DM Civil company owners still led our staff. And many of those same staff are with our company 25 years on.
Chapter 3 – Stirling Trunk Main Valve K to Valve P
Stirling DN1400 Trunk Main – Shire of Murray
Following on from our alliance contract experience on the first leg of the Stirling Trunk Main, Water Corporation chose to release the remaining legs of the pipeline up to Tamworth Hill Reservoir as hard dollar contracts.
In 2001, DM Civil was awarded the AS4000 contract to construct the second leg of the remaining pipework. This 27 kilometre section of DN1400 pipework was a mixture of rubber ring and welded joints at the bends and section valves. The contract commenced from the last pipe laid, south of the Pinjarra light industrial area and extended north across the farm areas to a point short of Karnup Road in Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire. The work included a major pipe bridge, approximately 50 metres in length over the Murray River.
After an above average winter rainfall, a large portion of the route was inundated, which required resequencing of the works programme and preparation to construct in heavy conditions, even in the higher ground of the coastal plain.
Our experience on the first leg of the pipeline in the Harvey Valley for the Stirling Alliance contract, set DM Civil up for many of the challenges ahead in terms of environmental and stakeholder management. This experience was particularly relevant in terms of plant and machinery chosen to handle this length and mass of pipe with safety and manoeuvrability in mind.
Environmental management, particularly around waterways and remnant woodlands was still a high priority for the project. Fauna mapping and management plan approvals were a time consuming but eventually rewarding process prior to mobilisation. DM Civil prioritised this task and worked alongside Water Corporation environmental scientists to ensure protection and correct handling of fauna, particularly Southern Brown Bandicoots and Black Cockatoos. Dieback management was also a consideration in native forest areas.
A further legacy of our time on the first alliance contract in the Harvey Valley, was the ability to formally liaise with stakeholders along the route including local government authorities and the numerous farmland owners. In conjunction with Water Corporation, dilapidation reporting procedures for local roads as well as farmland pastures were formulated to ensure protection for all stakeholders.
With the second section of the Stirling Trunk Main successfully and safely installed, a total of 46 kilometres, DM Civil had been a contributor to the IWSS.
Chapter 4 – Serpentine-Canning Link Main
Serpentine-Canning DN1400 Trunk Link Main – Shire of Armadale
In 2005, following on from our second leg of the Stirling Trunk Main, Valve K to P, DM Civil constructed another section of the Perth integrated water scheme (IWSS).
The 13.7 km DN1400 Sintakote pipeline linked the Serpentine Dam trunk main at Nicholson Road pumping station and the Canning trunk main at the Connell-Manning valve complex.
The design of the pipeline was substantially altered after contract award due to criteria set by the local government authority. With DM Civil’s experience in pipeline construction, we were able to adapt to Water Corporation’s changing requirements and still complete the works within the contract programme. This included an above ground crossing of the Canning River to fulfil the Aboriginal heritage protection requirements of the bed and banks.
Another key component of the works was to complete pipe installation under the Corfield Street interchange with Tonkin Highway. This section of the main was completed over Easter to minimise traffic disruption and to ensure that Tonkin Highway construction programme was maintained. Work continued for 24 hours a day over the 4 day holiday period with the roads fully reinstated and open to traffic by the following Tuesday morning.
The project delivered another key piece of the IWSS.
Chapter 5 – Serpentine-Canning Link Main
Stirling Dandalup DN1400 Link Main Ravenswood to North Dandalup – Shire of Murray
Following on from our DN1400 pipeline from Nicholson Road pumping station to Connell-Manning valve complex in 2005, DM Civil was contracted by Water Corporation to construct another section of DN1400 pipework for the Perth integrated water supply (IWSS).
The Stirling Dandalup link was constructed in 2009-2010, with the contract comprising two separable portions to be constructed concurrently.
The first 14.2 kilometre long class 35 DN1400 pipeline was to commence at the location of the proposed Ravenswood pumping station on Old Mandurah Road to the west of Paterson Road, and traverse farmlands and rural roads to Atkins Road in North Dandalup townsite, adjacent to the railway. This end of the main was connected into the existing Stirling Dandalup Main.
Two above ground crossings were constructed, the first over the Dandalup River and the other over Goomaljerup Creek, beyond Atkins Road in North Dandalup. Live service crossings of the Pamelia Gas Pipeline and twin Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipelines were carried out by the DM Civil trenchless division.
The post award discovery of an unmapped, direct buried major fibre optic cable that meandered through the pipeline route proved to be a challenge. Locating the cable as construction progressed was a time consuming process, as was the protection measure of procuring and placing steel plates at all crossing points for the duration of the contract.
The second separable portion of the works was to construct a 2.2km long class 21 DN1400 pipeline duplication of the existing Stirling Trunk Main downstream of the proposed Ravenswood pumping station, running from the Murray River to the station location. This included a DN1200 section valve complex installed to isolate the bifurcation of the trunk main near the river.
As with our other trunk main projects before, this project delivered the Water Corporation another link for IWSS.
Chapter 6 – Wungong Transfer Main Stage 2
Wungong DN1400 Trunk Main – City of Armadale
At the same time as DM Civil was constructing the Stirling Dandalup link main in 2009-2010 (Chapter 5), we were also awarded the contract for stage 2 of the Wungong transfer main. This was a 10.8km DN1400 MSCL Sintakote pipeline between the Nicholson Road pumping station in Forrestdale and the Mitchell Street valve complex in Wungong.
The contract scope was to install the DN1400 MSCL pipe including testing and treatment of acid sulphate soils, connection to the existing pipework at Nicholson Road pumping station with the installation of a DN1200 pressure reducing valve, and valve work at the Wungong Dam pipe connection.
At the Wungong Dam offtake, provision was also made for a local reticulation connection. A booster pumping station was constructed, that directly fed off the new pipeline. This included a five story high surge vessel to manage any peak in hammer pressure during the operation of the booster pumping station. These works were completed concurrently with the pipeline, providing the local community with a new reliable water source for domestic use.
The pipeline allows Water Corporation to feed water from the Kwinana Desalination Plant back into Wungong Dam, further diversifying storage options. Conversely, the pipeline can be used to feed water from Wungong Dam to Nicholson Road pumping station where it can be pumped to other storage facilities in the event that Perth encounters a higher than average rainfall.
As with our trunk main projects before, this project delivered the Water Corporation more flexible storage for the IWSS.
Chapter 7 – Stirling Trunk Main Duplication
Wungong DN1400 Trunk Main – City of Armadale
At the same time as DM Civil was constructing the Stirling Dandalup link main in 2009-2010 (Chapter 5), we were also awarded the contract for stage 2 of the Wungong transfer main. This was a 10.8km DN1400 MSCL Sintakote pipeline between the Nicholson Road pumping station in Forrestdale and the Mitchell Street valve complex in Wungong.
The contract scope was to install the DN1400 MSCL pipe including testing and treatment of acid sulphate soils, connection to the existing pipework at Nicholson Road pumping station with the installation of a DN1200 pressure reducing valve, and valve work at the Wungong Dam pipe connection.
At the Wungong Dam offtake, provision was also made for a local reticulation connection. A booster pumping station was constructed, that directly fed off the new pipeline. This included a five story high surge vessel to manage any peak in hammer pressure during the operation of the booster pumping station. These works were completed concurrently with the pipeline, providing the local community with a new reliable water source for domestic use.
The pipeline allows Water Corporation to feed water from the Kwinana Desalination Plant back into Wungong Dam, further diversifying storage options. Conversely, the pipeline can be used to feed water from Wungong Dam to Nicholson Road pumping station where it can be pumped to other storage facilities in the event that Perth encounters a higher than average rainfall.
As with our trunk main projects before, this project delivered the Water Corporation more flexible storage for the IWSS.
