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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-16 Daily Xml
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Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant Essential Services Switchboard Upgrade

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:09): I move:

That the 35th report of the committee, entitled 'Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant essential services switchboard upgrade', be noted.

The South Australian Water Corporation, or SA Water, proposes to upgrade the aged Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant essential services switchboard, which controls critical elements of the treatment process at the Bolivar site.

Replacing and relocating the two essential switchboards will ensure the power to critical plant processes is maintained and will increase security of the essential plant power to reduce the risks of treatment process failure, avoiding poor effluent quality. The switchboard replacement will work towards maintaining an optimum level of service and maintain the plant's environmental performance. Additionally, the switchboard replacement will reduce the operating safety risks for workers at the Bolivar site by having improved safety features as part of the updated installation.

The Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in the 1960s and has had nearly 60 years of service. It is the largest wastewater treatment plant in South Australia, with approximately 70 per cent of Adelaide's wastewater treated at the site. The essential switchboards were installed when the plant was originally constructed and are currently located at the basement level of the powerhouse building, sitting below the one-in-100-year flood-line level. SA Water proposes to relocate the switchboards to the mezzanine level to ensure that the switchboards sit above the one-in-100-year flood line to aid the resilience to climate change specifically as increased change in rainfall patterns and risks of extreme rainfall events occur.

The switchboards are also past their functional life and can no longer be effectively maintained due to a lack of serviceable spare parts. As a result, the switchboards have become a major risk to the safety and operation of the plant, and failure of these assets would adversely impact plant function and could lead to loss of control capabilities. The project aims to improve security of the power supply at the treatment plant, reduce the risk of treatment failure and potential environmental harm due to poor effluent quality, and improve safety and security to SA Water customers in the event of a one-in-100-year flood.

The capital cost of this project is funded through SA Water's Our Plan 2020 regulatory determination. Construction has commenced, with practical completion expected in early 2025. The proposed scope of works includes:

the installation of a new switch room in the treatment plant powerhouse;

the installation of new switchboards to replace the existing switchboards;

the installation of new cabling and/or rejoining existing cables to swap services from the old switchboards to the new; and

the decommissioning and removal of old switchboards and associated equipment no longer in service.

Ecological sustainable development principles and key environmental objectives and performance criteria were incorporated into SA Water's design and policies for this project. SA Water has confirmed that environmental integrity has been supported to ensure that impacts are avoided, minimised or managed to reduce environmental harm.

In line with SA Water's environmental targets, contractors will be required to report on greenhouse emissions associated with the project and that site-specific location plans specifically address environmental aspects, including vegetation protection, locations of compounds and spoil storage, the storage of hazardous substances, and soil and erosion prevention measures.

SA Water is mindful of project risks, and a risk management policy and framework will apply over the course of the project to ensure appropriate risk management and mitigation measures are applied in the project delivery. This includes significant planning around the methodology of swapping power supplies, including the sequence, time frames and backup allowances.

SA Water confirms that there is a changeover procedure with defined roles and responsibilities so that identification and isolation of power supplies will be actioned when required during the upgrade. Ultimately, the construction methodology enables SA Water to transfer power supplies from the old system over to the new system in a very deliberate and staged manner, with contingency plans in place to ensure there are no interruptions to the treatment plant process.

SA Water confirms there are no native title implications over the site area and has consulted with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation unit, who confirmed that there is a medium likelihood of encountering Aboriginal heritage in the area because the works are to be completed on existing disturbed sites. Further consultation with the Attorney-General's Department Aboriginal heritage register did not identify any Aboriginal heritage sites or objects within the project area.

In the unlikely event that heritage is uncovered, the design and construct contractor will comply with SA Water's standard operating procedure for the discovery of Aboriginal heritage. Work will cease immediately and an environmental and heritage expertise representative will be contacted. SA Water assures the parliament that engagement and consultation has occurred with internal stakeholders and partner organisations and will continue to occur throughout the life cycle of the project via project progress meetings.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant essential services switchboard upgrade. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Mr Steven Jansen, Project Manager for SA Water, and Mr Peter Seltsikas, Senior Manager, Capital Delivery, SA Water. I thank the witnesses for their time.

Based upon the evidence considered, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

Motion carried.

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