Introduction
In 2019, Watercare engaged a joint venture with HEB’s and McConnell Dowell to upgrade the Pukekohe WWTP to support population growth in Franklin and improve the quality of the water discharge into the Waikato River. The upgrade more than doubled the capacity of the current plant, enabling it to cater for up to 60,000 people.
Challenge
This project required a very complex installation into an existing plant that had to stay operational throughout the upgrade. Add to this a tight construction program, working alongside over 100 staff from multiple other sub-contractors and welding in very confined spaces made this project a real challenge for Solo.
The solution
Solo were engaged by McConnell Dowell to supply around 1.5km of PE pipe ranging in sizes from 63mm to 1400mm diameter. Key deliverables in this project involved pre-assembling very large, complex manifolds in Solo’s factory to then be installed on site with final welds being undertaken in position. Solo’s site-based and factory-based teams successfully performed over 600 welds throughout this project helping to deliver one of the most advanced plants of its kind in New Zealand.
