City of Gold Coast, Queensland, has reached a milestone with the installation of a 900m long pipeline between Main Beach and Southport to manage its excess recycled water.
As the City’s population increases, so does the amount of recycled water generated.
Recycled water from sewage treatment plants is used for various purposes throughout the city, with excess recycled water released at the Gold Coast seaway on an outgoing tide.
Due to the projected population growth of the city, a new long term release solution has been developed to cater for the significant demand on the recycled water release system.
The Long Term Recycled Water Release Plan involves two of the most complex marine pipeline crossings of their kind in Australia.
Mayor, Tom Tate said the $70 million upgrade would increase the capacity of the existing network, which was built 30 years ago.
“With our population expected to double to 1.2 million by 2050, this network will ensure our growing city is well catered for.”
The pre-assembled 1.2 m diameter pipe was installed under the Nerang River, from Winchester Street in Southport to Waterways Drive, Main Beach.
In a delicate marine towing operation involving 13 vessels, the polyethylene pipe was pulled slowly by barges and tugs down the Broadwater from The Spit arriving at Waterways Drive, adjacent to the carpark at Pelican Beach.
It was then pulled through below the river bed without disturbing the ecosystem, a process which took around 17 hours.
The second marine crossing at the Broadwater runs from Quota Park at Biggera Waters to South Stradbroke Island and involves excavating a shaft at each end and then lowering the pipes in separate segments as they are jacked progressively across the Broadwater.
Other elements of the recycled water project include pump station upgrades, upgraded release points at the Seaway and upgraded pipelines on South Stradbroke Island.
