One of Townsville’s most critical water assets, the Ross River Dam to Douglas Water Treatment Plant Pipeline, needed a replacement. We helped Townsville City Council design it and oversaw construction, supporting the city’s overall long-term water security and network resilience.
Townsville’s most critical pipeline
The Ross River Dam to Douglas Water Treatment Plant Pipeline Renewal was an essential initiative for Townsville’s water future. The previously existing nine kilometre pipeline carried approximately 85 percent of the city’s raw water supply from Ross River Dam to the Douglas Water Treatment Plant, making it one of the region’s most important pieces of water infrastructure. The pipeline was nearing the end of its service life and required replacement.
We were engaged by Townsville City Council to lead alignment selection, concept design and detailed design for the pipeline’s replacement, alongside hydraulic modelling, approvals support and construction-phase services for this critical renewal project.
Renewing an ageing asset under pressure
The project was driven by the deteriorating condition of the original concrete pipeline, which had been in service since the 1970s. As the asset approached the end of its service life, recent failures highlighted the risks associated with relying on this single critical transfer pipeline.
A major failure in December 2020 accelerated the need for action and reinforced the importance of maintaining a safe and reliable water supply for the growing Townsville community.
At the same time, our design decisions had to navigate challenging terrain, environmentally sensitive areas, complex stakeholder requirements, and the operational constraints associated with replacing a live water supply asset.
Designing renewal projects with an evidence-based approach
We supported Townsville City Council end-to-end, our role extending from early investigations and planning to design, and through to technical support during construction and commissioning. We worked closely with Townsville City Council and other partners to:
- Assess and refine alignment options
- Coordinate survey and geotechnical investigations,
- Obtain environmental and landholder approvals
- Conduct safety reviews
- Undertake hydraulic and transient modelling
- Develop both concept and detailed designs
Through rigorous assessment and analysis, we helped determine the most appropriate pipe material, and pipeline configuration and size, improving cost-effectiveness, performance and whole-of-life value.
Integrating technical excellence and environmental planning
A defining feature of the project was the depth of investigation and integrations we made in the decision-making process throughout the design phase. Alignment development required extensive engagement with the Department of Defence, regulators, utilities and Townsville City Council to balance hydraulic performance, constructability, environmental impacts, safety, risk and cost.
We conducted the following:
- Evaluated multiple pipe materials against design life, corrosion resistance, structural performance, pressure requirements, site factors and maintenance considerations
- Assessed the economic viability of rehabilitating parts of the existing pipeline
- Embedded environmental planning into the design process from the outset, including the protection of native animals and the delivery of environmental approvals
- Performed detailed investigations and risk-based assessments, which helped inform key decisions and reduce uncertainty before construction commenced
The final connections to the live pipeline infrastructure successfully brought the new pipeline into service while maintaining a reliable water supply for the community.
Our team worked closely with Townsville City Council to plan and stage the cut-in process, proactively managing risk and incorporating redundancy into this critical operation. This approach significantly reduced the cut-in duration and minimised potential supply disruptions.
Delivering long-term resilience for future generations
Our partnership with the Townsville City Council delivered a new 9.4-kilometre pipeline from the Ross River Dam to the Douglas Water Treatment Plant, designed to strengthen Townsville’s long-term water security and improve network resilience. We met the Council’s urgent construction timeframes.
By integrating engineering, environmental and constructability considerations into a single delivery pathway, we helped Townsville City Council advance a replacement pipeline capable of supporting reliable raw water transfer for decades to come. The project succeeded due to cross-collaboration between designers, constructors and operators throughout the project’s lifecycle.