The CCF Earth Awards are designed to highlight excellence in construction technique, environmental management and project management. Through innovation and team commitment, Victorian based pipeline installation company JHL Civil Pty Ltd, has been awarded the 2007 State CCF Earth Award for the Aireys Inlet to Anglesea Pipeline which was constructed through the Great Otway National Park and the Anglesea Heath National Heritage Area.

Contracted by Barwon Water in 2006, JHL Civil constructed the 6 km pipeline to carry excess recycled water from the Aireys Inlet Water Reclamation Plant to Anglesea. Installation of the Vinidex OPVC pipe and 200mm and 225mm Ultrarib gravity mains occurred from November 2006 to April 2007.

Early in the tendering and post contract award process, JHL Civil undertook a brainstorming exercise to think of ways to modify construction practices that would ensure the pipeline had minimal impact to the Great Otway National Park and the Anglesea Heath National Heritage Area, which is recognised for its contribution to significant natural places, not only within Victoria, but also Australia. More than a quarter of Victoria’s 620 plant species can be found in the region. This includes 80 different orchids.

JHL Civil held an extensive training day for all construction parties including suppliers, subcontractors and its workers. This day also involved a half day induction program into the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative.

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Understandably, the profile of the project attracted a high level of interest from a number of environmental and community groups, along with other relevant government agencies. By adopting a proactive working relationship with all key stakeholders early in the process, JHL Civil was able to successfully manage the wide range of environmental issues.

One of the major difficulties in the implementation of the project was that traditional excavation methods would have been unworkable due to width of the required work zone. The allowable work zone in the National Park was only 5-6 m including allowance for 24 hour emergency vehicle access.

JHL Civil selected the use of a chain digger instead of an excavator which would reduce the amount of machinery needed onsite and further remove the spoil in small particles.

Given this selection and the presence of a destructive soil-borne pathogen known as Phytopthora Cinnamomi (Cinnamon Fungus), it was then suggested to re-use the spoil as bedding and over bedding. With this came recommendations and support from Vinidex’s Jim Pound to utilise the improved properties of Supermain OPVC pipe which can withstand in situ particles that pass through a 20 mm square mesh.

This brought about the selection of a Flip Screen, a unique Australian-made recycling attachment for an excavator, which works by separating smaller sized aggregates from larger aggregates through a spiralling action.

Wrapping up, JHL Civil was able to recycle 100 per cent of project waste and avoided the need to remove up to 8,300 cubic metres of excess spoil and further avoided the need to import about 7,800 cubic metres of bedding sand. This meant that about 1,600 tipping truck movements were saved. This provided significant environmental and project management advantages.

Feedback received verbally from all stakeholders was extremely positive with JHL Civil being able to meet the standards of all parties.

Barwon Water executive manager water systems Carl Bicknell said JHL Civil paid particular attention to minimising the impact on the environment.