3 days ago
Rapid repair of main wins award
A rapid response to an imminent crisis that would have left an entire Dunedin borough without water has earned a construction company a top regional award.
Fulton Hogan won the supreme award at Friday night's Civil Contractors New Zealand Otago Branch Hynds Construction Awards for its emergency repair of a water main in St Leonards during last year's October floods.
Fulton Hogan Three Waters project manager Dean Scott said the team was proud to win the award and it showed a small-scale job could win it as well.
He said the team of 20 people was immensely proud when they saw the West Harbour reservoir fill up with clean water when they finished connecting the pipes last October.
Unprecedented damage caused by severe weather in Dunedin led to a state of emergency being declared. One of the most significant effects was an extensive slip in St Leonards which disrupted the main water supply line.
A slip had covered a driveway that was on top of the main.
Mr Scott said the reservoir from which the main supplied water to West Harbour was quickly depleting and Fulton Hogan immediately responded.
At the time, the company's maintenance contract emergency teams were already at full capacity responding to other slips and road closures in Dunedin and the Three Waters team pulled together resources to work over a weekend.
Mr Scott said that was "no small feat" considering the scale of the event.
"We responded quickly as this was for the community. They need water supply and the clock was running.
"We were notified mid-morning on the Friday of the Maia slip and told the water supply was out for the community.
"The line was livened up at midday Sunday."
The team worked with ProCivil to install a temporary water line above the slip.
The steep terrain meant heavy machinery could not be used and smaller pipes, from Christchurch, were used to fix the water main.
"The team demonstrated incredible resourcefulness and physical endurance, carrying and installing multiple smaller pipes by hand to create a functional bypass, ensuring the reservoir's water supply was maintained." Contractor winners
Civil Contractors New Zealand Otago Branch Hynds Construction Awards
Supreme award: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — St Leonards water main emergency repair.
Projects up to $500,000: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — St Leonards water main emergency repair.
Projects $500,000- $1 million: Fulton Hogan Dunedin — Vauxhall wastewater pump station upgrade.
Projects $1 million-$5 million: McConnell Dowell — Waikouaiti water treatment plant intake upgrade.
Projects over $5 million: Downer — Queenstown Airport engineered materials arresting system project.
Subcontractor of year: Pro Civil — Wingatui water main renewal.
Young contractor of the year: George Rutter, Rutter Civil.
Women in contracting: Georgia Campbell, Whitestone Contracting.
Regional excavator operator competition: Josh Keane, McEwan Haulage.
