News & Discussion: Water Infrastructure

[Wayno]

Seems the ACC will be using the GAP (Glenelg Adelaide Pipeline) water primarily for trees. Apart from a few ACC sponsored sporting ovals, there is no plan to "green" the many large open areas. So don't expect lush lawns extending to all corners of the parklands next summer.

Vic Park is the exception. It will be 'greenified' as a part of the redevelopment master plan.

It would be appropriate (in my opinion) for the State Govt to contribute $$$ towards any larger effort to green the parklands.

[fabricator]

I wouldn't wipe my a$@e with the advertiser. Everyone involved in the production and distribution of such a shiteful rag should be ashamed of themselves.

One of their (now former) managers called it a toe rag all the time, worked in the advertising section though.

It seems rather stupid to not use it to water lawns as well, the golf course would be a good one.
If we had a newspaper with an IQ higher than the average street number this would have already been pointed out publicly.

[Wayno]

Unley Council has the right idea - wish the ACC and/or State Govt did similar for the Adelaide Park Lands...

From Eastern Messanger:

Unley Council bridges the water GAP

UNLEY parks and reserves will be watered with up to 50 million litres of wastewater a year pumped straight from Glenelg sewage treatment works.

Unley Council has signed an agreement with SA Water to tap into the $76 million Glenelg to Adelaide Park Lands (GAP) Recycled Water Project.

The project, a 32km network of pipes to carry recycled water from the Glenelg Wastewater Treatment Plant, was completed four months ahead of schedule last month.

The council hopes to have the new access pipeline completed by the end of the year in time for next summer.

The local parks and reserves that will be irrigated are Forestville Reserve; Goodwood Oval; Orphanage Park; Unley Oval; McLeay Park; Leicester Street Playground; Unley Village Green; and Henry Codd Reserve.

Unley Council CEO Ray Pincombe said signing up to the project, along with Adelaide City Council, would help to sustain Unley’s "greenness".

"It’s about trying to make sure we protect our beautiful streetscapes and parks and reserves,’’ he said. "The only way we can do that is if we get alternative sources of water.’’

He said the pipeline would allow the council to use its existing water allocation on other parks and reserves, such as Soutar Park, which have been getting little or no water.

Friends of the City of Unley Society (FOCUS) president Ros Islip said the group was ``thrilled to bits’’ with the agreement.

"I think it’s excellent that Unley parks and reserves will be able to return to having some green grass and hopefully we can save some of the big trees that have been dying,’’ she said.

"We’re pleased the council is taking a long-term, rational approach to water supply and water-proofing our city.’’

[Vee]

Unley Council has the right idea - wish the ACC and/or State Govt did similar for the Adelaide Park Lands...

From Eastern Messanger:

Unley Council bridges the water GAP

UNLEY parks and reserves will be watered with up to 50 million litres of wastewater a year pumped straight from Glenelg sewage treatment works.
....
Unley Council has signed an agreement with SA Water to tap into the $76 million Glenelg to Adelaide Park Lands (GAP) Recycled Water Project.

This is great news! It should make such a difference to the parks, reserves and amenities mentioned in the article.

On another note, I despair at the state of many of the mature, now dead/dying, trees in the Greenhill Rd median strip between the city parklands and Unley Council area. Is this a responsibility of Unley Council or ACC or ??? Does anyone know what is planned for this median strip?

I would love to see water resources from the GAP used to create and sustain some 'greener' and attractive planting strips in sections of the dry and dusty parklands along significant approaches to the city. These (using appropriate plantings and design) would provide a more welcoming approach to the city.

[Omicron]

Seems the ACC will be using the GAP (Glenelg Adelaide Pipeline) water primarily for trees. Apart from a few ACC sponsored sporting ovals, there is no plan to "green" the many large open areas.

Sigh.

[Waewick]

I guess its hardly suprising.

[fabricator]

Basically a series of large diameter pipelines and some additional water pumps to transfer water from the new Desalination plant to the rest of Adelaide.
I can't believe we never had this before though, what happens if one dam goes dry ?

As usual this project only came to light via the media, in this case there was no "mike" involved.
Its an Advertmiser story, so you need some to clean off all the C###

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 5893406090

# Brad Crouch From: Sunday Mail (SA) July 18, 2010 12:02AM

A SECRET plan to dig up dozens of Adelaide roads, compulsorily acquire land, disrupt businesses and erect huge pumping stations in parks will not be released until after the federal election.

Homeowners already caught in the network are being bullied into signing confidentiality agreements, with government agents bailing up retirees after dark with little more than Google Earth maps showing them how their homes will lose value, then leaving without passing on any paperwork to examine.

People who seek more information are being told to sign documents preventing them from speaking about the issue.

The plan, affecting thousands of people in around a dozen suburbs - triggered by the $1.83 billion desalination plant, which will not reduce the draw on the River Murray by a single drop while sending water bills soaring - is set to move into its construction phase by November.

Significant noise, dust, vibrations, road closures, power shutdowns and lingering odour are being factored into the secret plan.

SA Water sources have told the Sunday Mail the project is being carefully managed "to minimise political fallout" in the lead-up to the federal poll, with the marginal seats of Sturt, Boothby, Adelaide, Hindmarsh and Makin all being affected.

The State Government is fully versed in the plan, as are selected industry partners now vying for lucrative contracts for the $403 million project.

Despite this, the government's only public words so far have deliberately avoided naming key suburbs involved in crucial marginal federal seats, the extent of the works or how long they will take.

However, the Sunday Mail has obtained internal briefing papers on the masterplan and can name the streets where roads will be dug up and pumping stations erected.

map

As well as a network of quiet suburban backstreets, the major roads facing disruption to sink pipes up to a metre wide include Glynburn Rd, Marion Rd, Holbrooks Rd, Grange Rd, Nelson Rd, Fullarton Rd, Belair Rd, Hackney Rd, Walkerville Tce, Sudholz Rd and Lyons Rd.

The new pipelines also will cut across the O-Bahn track and will cross the busy Glen Osmond Rd intersection of the South Eastern Freeway.

Of the major roads affected, Marion Rd and Nelson Rd will each have 7km of pipework laid, Grange Rd will have more than 3km, while the snaking route from Gilberton to Hope Valley through backstreets will have more than 9km of pipework, and the suburban Clapham to Wattle Park via Springfield route will have more than 12km of pipeline.

Five huge new water-pumping stations - as high as three storeys - will also be built in Glenelg, Springfield, Wattle Park, Gilberton and Clapham, while seven enormous pressure-regulating valves will be built across the city.

Businesses on the affected roads will be facing the same drama that furniture store Pine City faced during the South Road overpass construction, which caused them to lay off staff, lose an estimated $300,000 in revenue and finally erect signs condemning the State Government.

The massive earthworks will eventually link the separate networks of the Happy Valley Reservoir in the south and the Hope Valley Reservoir in the north, as part of SA Water's plan to safeguard Adelaide's water supply and deliver water from the desalination plant.

According to SA Water, the $403 million North-South Interconnector will "fully integrate the Adelaide metropolitan water system by connecting the northern and southern parts, creating operating flexibility and reinforcing supply security across the metropolitan area."

The feasibility side of the project was endorsed by SA Water and the Desalination Plant Steering Committee in April, and the construction phase is scheduled to start from November.

SA Water has given confidential briefings to building firms as it seeks tenders for the lucrative contracts for the massive earthworks.

However, residents affected by the work have not been given full details, and some whose houses will lose significant value due to the work have been coerced into signing confidentiality agreements before being given limited information about the scheme.

In May - after the project was signed off by SA Water and the Desalination Plant Steering Committee - Water Minister Paul Caica issued a press release which referred to "upgrading existing pipelines" and noted that pumping stations will be constructed, without naming the ones at Wattle Park, Springfield or Clapham or detailing the extent of the new pipelines.

"We want to ensure that we can minimise the inconvenience to residents, businesses and commuters during the construction phase of this important water security project," Mr Caica stated.

"As part of the preferred option, some existing pump stations are to be upgraded and some new booster pumping stations are to be constructed at locations that include Gilberton and one on existing SA Water land at Glenelg North."

The lack of detail has been criticised by the Opposition, with Federal MP Christopher Pyne and State MP Vickie Chapman accusing the government of a stealth attack on unsuspecting homeowners.

Yesterday, Mr Caica said he had ordered SA Water not to force people to sign confidentiality clauses in future.

"We want to be transparent, we're not trying to be sneaky," he said. "We have issued three press releases on this.

"It is still in the conceptual stage and we will be informing residents as we go along.

"We know where we want to go with the pipework but haven't finalised anything."
Lots of questions, no answers

IN QUIET Simpson Rd, Wattle Park, residents are fuming at the surprise plan to build a 27m-long, 8m-high pumping station with three pumps pushing out up to 76 megalitres of water a day.

Eileen and John Day, who live opposite Wattle Park Reservoir - the proposed site for the plant - put their home on the market 10 days before they were informed of the plan by SA Water.

The couple said two representatives knocked on their door one evening and presented them with a Google map, but left them no paperwork to examine.

"Our house is now unsaleable. I am 74 and John is 85 and, due to health reasons, we planned to move to Victoria to be closer to relatives to look after us," Mrs Day said.

"We've lived here for 22 years and the reserve has been a parkland of trees and birds for 80 years - now they want to turn it into an industrial site towering 8m high directly opposite us.

"Burnside Council won't tell us anything and, when SA Water finally responded to our questions, they ordered us to sign confidentiality agreements before they would tell us anything, which we refused to do. It is very stressful."

Another Simpson Rd resident, Des Blake, sent SA Water a list of more than 100 questions after he refused to sign a confidentiality agreement about what they planned to do on the site. His questions remain unanswered.

"No wonder there has been no public outcry - no one knows what they are doing and they won't know until they do it," Mr Blake said. "The whole process is out of control. Ordinary citizens are being steamrolled by secrecy.

"Clearly the Simpson Rd site is too small for such a facility and inappropriately placed."

Suburbs to be affected by the pipelines include a swathe across the marginal federal seat of Sturt.

Liberal MP for Sturt, Christopher Pyne, and State MP Vickie Chapman will hold a public meeting on August 5 at 6.30pm at the Burnside Community Centre, and are circulating a petition opposing the pumping station.

"The Labor Party is trying to sneak a massive water pumping station into suburban Wattle Park in the dead of the night with little consultation. The entire project has been veiled in mystery," Mr Pyne said.

"I am opposed to how the Labor Government has gone about this and treated residents, and I am very concerned about the impact of such an enormous structure on the local area.

"As well as this monstrosity they are planning to dig up major roads and suburban streets, which will adversely affect thousands of residents."

Anyone got photos of these 3 story water pumping stations, I don't remember seeing anything THAT BIG around Adelaide. As for the lingering odour, um what a bit of chlorine ?

[AtD]

lol @ text book NIMBY article.

[Hooligan]

The Children.

Please think of them.

[fabricator]

lol @ text book NIMBY article.

Its a textbook in more ways than one, obviously its author didn't have writers block.

Anyway I looked up, Simpson Rd, Wattle Park. Nearby suburbs include Burnside and Kensington Gardens, typical NIMBY infestation. The big ugly pumping station will go nicely with the big ugly concrete water storage structure they have already.

[SRW]

By golly.

I hope Christopher Pyne recompensed the writer for his efforts. A roast dinner at least.

[victorious80]

as a contractor who works often with SA Water, i too am interested in seeing these 3-storey pump stations!!! considering the pump station at the desal plant isnt even that big!!!

and what is with the "enormous pressure-regulating valves" they are talking about??? i've seen hundreds of prv's and enormous seems a little extreme (considering most are underground).

I am glad to see they at least acknowledged the project is in the conceptual stage - but that also means no pipe route has been confirmed, which raises suspicion over all the stats they have quoted regarding pipeline lengths and routes.

this project is being undertaken to secure our water supply - seems like a positive thing. but i dont think this article could be any more negative.

seriously, was this article written by an ignorant 15 year old kid for a high school newspaper, or is this the best we can expect from our supposedly objective news provider?

really gets me angry, again.

[rubberman]

They might be talking about surge vessels if the pumping station is high head and/or flow. They can be quite tall, and sort of have something to do with pressure.

However, that having been said, I do not doubt that pretty much every structure could be camouflaged to look ok. (Witness the North Adelaide tank in the parklands in Barton Terrace which has a very minor visual effect, or the Glenelg Sewage Treatment Plant pumping station).

I suspect the Advertiser is just gearing up for its usual political stunts before an election.

The sooner it disappears behind a paywall where the rest of us can ignore it, the better.

I agree, it does look like it was written by a fifteen year old.

[rhino]

How many years have those big blowflies and cockroaches been sitting alonside Port Wakefield Road at Dublin? Finally something has happened.

Adelaide firm Integrated Waste Services sets up new $3m waste treatment site at Dublin
CLARE PEDDIE From: The Advertiser November 01, 2010 1:10PM

DEVELOPERS of contaminated sites such as old railyards and factories now can call in "the cleaners", experts in the treatment and processing of high level contaminated waste.
The South Australian company Integrated Waste Services last week launched a $3 million waste treatment facility at Dublin, the first of its kind in the state.
The facility is currently processing 1000 tonnes of dirty soil from the North Tce railyards, the site of the new South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. The new Royal Adelaide Hospital is to be built next door.
IWS chief executive Joe Borrelli said the soil, classified as high level contaminated waste, would previously have been managed and treated on-site - or not at all.
"Up until our facility, there was no high level contaminated soil disposal in South Australia," he said.
"The options were limited. For example, on this site they don't have the space to treat it on-site so where were they going to stabilise (the contaminants) and treat it? They had nowhere, so for this site it would have been a no go . . . this site just wouldn't go ahead." He predicted there would be a lot more development in South Australia as a result.
"Now there is a solution available to everybody," he said.
"Before it was in the too-hard basket. It's an old cliche but time is money. Now whatever it is, within two weeks you can move a mountain, move all that material off-site and get on with your development."
The next job is to remove and treat contaminated soil from an SA Housing Trust site at Birkenhead.
Mr Borrelli said he would "most definitely" welcome the opportunity to help clean up the North Tce railway yards for the new hospital, but that job is yet to go to tender.
The treatment facility is housed in a fully-enclosed 40m x 50m insulated, double-clad building, with a high-power ventilation system and bio-filter, ensuring optimum temperature control and containment of leachate, while also negating any risk of cross- contamination.
IWS has invested more than $50 million in its facilities at Wingfield and Dublin since it came into operation almost 30 years ago and now manages in excess of 300,000 tonnes of waste generated in South Australia every year.

[Waewick]

good news in reality.

any industry that provides jobs as an add on to another industry is always a bonus.