Public Works Committee: Hackney and North East Road Trunk Water Main Renewal Project

Adjourned debate on motion of Ms Digance:

That the 520^th report of the committee, entitled Hackney and North East Road Trunk Water Main Renewal Project, be noted.

(Continued from 17 June 2015.)

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:37): I do not need to contribute too much to this debate. The opposition supported the project. It is an essential part of Adelaide's water system infrastructure. With those very few words, I support the report.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:38): I thought my previous Public Works Committee contribution was my last, but I have just managed to scrape another one together. I would like to speak on the 520^th report of the Public Works Committee, entitled Hackney and North East Road Trunk Water Main Renewal Project. The project was very inconvenient for me in travelling along Hackney Road, as it was for many South Australians, but it was part of a water maintenance program continuing to address the number of burst water mains that we so regularly see in this state. Sadly, we never seem to see the minister attending any of those water main breaks.

The objective of the project was to renew the trunk water main under North East Road, Lyons Road and Hackney Road. The two mains were installed 91 years ago and the section had reached the end of its serviceable life. I think that most of us at 91 are probably somewhere around that mark. The hearing was during my time on the Public Works Committee. As I have said, this could be one of my last contributions as a member of the Public Works Committee.

We were told that when a water main is within three to five years of the end of, say, a 90 or 100-year period, its positioning on the ladder of priority of mains can change due to the number of bursts. In this case, it had not changed. The priority has been there since the submission before the 2013 report to ESCOSA, so they knew it was ready for renewal and they knew that it was time for it to be renewed.

The project scope consisted of renewing two mild steel concrete-lined in situ trunk water mains, being a 750-millimetre diameter main running under Hackney Road, and a 900-millimetre to 750-millimetre diameter main under North East Road and Lyons Road. The combined length of these two mains is 12.1 kilometres. We were told that the benefit of the project would be to improve the security and reliability of water supply to customers in the inner northern and north-eastern suburbs.

A portion of the existing Hackney Road pipeline was relined, but the remainder was replaced with new pipe on a new alignment off Hackney Road. The pipeline under North East Road-Lyons Road was decommissioned and its current function transferred to a newer adjacent pipe under North East Road. The project had an estimated cost of $17 million, GST exclusive. Given that it is such a large infrastructure project, we were told that delays were being minimised. There were early morning and late-night construction hours, minimising the impact on any of the city traffic and city events. This was one of the key concerns that I raised as a committee member. Overall, I commend the report to the house.

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (11:41): On behalf of everyone who spoke in the house today and previously on this report, I recommend that it be noted.

Motion carried.