Sewage Pump Station Void Protection Program

Unitywater currently operates and maintains approximately 865 sewage pump stations (SPS). These SPS assist in transporting and discharging sewage from Unitywater customers to Unitywater Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and are therefore critical components of the sewerage system. The majority of SPS sites throughout the Unitywater network are constructed with submersible pumps. These pump stations are generally five to ten metres deep and designed with access hatches above the wells and valve pits. Ingress to these access hatches is a fall risk and safety precautions such as void protection systems (VPS) are used to manage risks and comply with regulatory requirements. Approximately 47% of existing Unitywater SPS sites have some form of VPS. Unitywater is committed to progressively installing complying VPS to all remaining SPS sites as part of a prioritised program of works to be rolled out over future years.

This long-term contract will provide Unitywater with a dedicated, experienced panel of resources to fabricate and retrofit VPSs to existing SPS wells and valve pits. Unitywater is seeking to appoint two contractors to undertake the program of VPS installations over 3 years.

Following Contract establishment, Unitywater will order incremental packages of VPS installations (approximately 10 sites per package). Unitywater is not able to guarantee any quantity of sites over the contract term, however current estimates are approximately 40 sites per year (allocated amongst the two successful contractors).