Civil construction sector thirsty for alternative water

The next stage in water conservation measures in civil construction has begun with the start of the Alternative Water Supply Project.

“Currently, there is a perception in the community that we shouldn't be using drinking water on road works. We in the civil construction industry agree and that is why we have put our heads together to drive this project,” chair of the project steering committee, Mark Varmalis said in early March.

“Water is a crucial component of building road base and not just for dust suppression as most people think. If we want to build roads, we must use water. We want to use alternative water supplies: the challenge has been for state and local governments to demonstrate leadership on where we can get such water from.”

The project is being driven by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia with the support of the Municipal Association of Victoria, the Civil Contractors Federation and VicRoads. It has been developed in response to the ongoing issues regarding the use of potable water for civil works and the difficulty in identifying alternative, non-potable sources suitable for civil construction and parks and sport fields management.

Supported by the cities of Wyndham, Hume, Whittlesea, Manningham and Knox and the shires of Yarra, Ranges, Melton Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula, the diverse geographical spread and unique requirements of these councils will help inform a broader, state-wide strategy for using alternatives.

Specific objectives of the pilot project include:

Develop an understanding of the amount of potable water currently used for local government civil construction and recreation reserves;

Identify current best practice across councils and test new concepts;

Develop a local water atlas that provides clear information on available alternative water supplies; and

Prepare a `how to' for local government to further reduce reliance on potable water.

This project will build on a range of current activities local government is undertaking in this area, including:

Stormwater harvesting;

Utilising treated water for sports grounds; and

Sourcing water from disused quarries.

“This project is bringing together local government and the construction sector on one of the most significant issues of our time,” Varmalis said. “We are confident this project will demonstrate that, with a co-ordinated approach and a dedication to finding solutions, we can reduce the demand on potable water for road works.”

More information: Mark Varmalis, Manager Civil Development Services, Shire of Yarra Ranges, 03 9294 6762

Sections

Civil construction sector thirsty for alternative water

Weekly Top Stories

Document Actions