PB role: options investigation, development of tender documents and contract documents, design of evaporation ponds, contract supervision
The town of Dalby (population 10,000) is approximately 200 km west of Brisbane. Historically, the town water supply has been obtained from the Condamine River and groundwater bores close to the water treatment plant.
In recent years, drought conditions have limited the amount of water available from the river, and groundwater has become more saline (now approximately 2000 mg/L total dissolved solids). Dalby Town Council engaged PB to investigate options for a groundwater desalination plant, develop tender documents, assess tenders, prepare contract documentation, and provide construction superintendent services for the design-and-construct (D&C) project.
A 20 L/s reverse osmosis plant was commissioned early in 2004 and opened in October 2004. This is the first major potable water desalination plant in Queensland. It provides 25% of the water supply for Dalby township, has drought-proofed the town, and improved the quality of water provided to ratepayers.
PB has now been commissioned by Dalby Regional Council to complete the preliminary design and tender documentation for the Stage 2 Desalination Project. The goal of the project is to use water extracted from a coal seam as a raw-water feed from the Tipton West gasfield operated by Arrow Energy. The project has been jointly funded by the council, Queensland Government, Australian Government and Arrow Energy. It includes a 23 km pipeline and a 4 ML/d product-water microfiltration reverse osmosis plant, to be constructed beside the Stage 1 plant.
Awards
2004: Excellence Award, Innovation and/or New Technology, to Dalby Town Council, from Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia, Qld Division (IPWEAQ)