Apollo Bay sewer in-line installation

Background

D. A. Beretta were contracted by Barwon Water to connect a new Environmental Ecology Centre (Wildlife Wonders) to the existing sewer mains, as part of Regional Development Victoria. This included over 2km directional drilling of a PE rising sewer main and the installation of a maintenance shaft into an existing sewer main, for the newly installed pipeline to feed into. Due to the close proximity to other assets including a water main, conventional solutions such as a concrete pit were risky. Chris Beretta approached his local Reece Civil store about the job and worked together to find an effective solution.

Solution

Through consultation with the Reece Civil store, REHAU Awashaft looked to be an elegant solution and after consultation with a local REHAU representative, it was identified to be the best solution for Chris and his team. The Awashaft brought many additional benefits to the install, particularly around safety and speed of installation.

The high-quality, modular Polypropylene construction of the Awashaft has a smaller footprint compared to a concrete pit, meaning it can efficiently be fitted into existing sewer lines without impeding on other assets that are in close proximity. The adaptable and modular design of the Awashaft also meant that the installation could easily be adapted on site to ensure a successful installation no matter what the installer found once they started digging.

“We’ve used a smaller machine, the components are lighter, we’re able to move a lot of them around the site by hand and man handle them into place.”

Beretta, Owner, D.A Beretta

REHAU Awashaft is 95% lighter than concrete meaning many components can be moved around by hand, reducing the need to involve heavy machinery. This greatly reduced the risk of injuries on the worksite and was something Chris and his team made particular note of during the installation. It also allowed for fine adjustments to be made to the base of the pit once lowered in, again ensuring a fast and successful installation.

The REHAU Awashaft is an approved solution by Barwon Water as they have already identified from previous projects its potential to greatly improve the lifespan of their infrastructure network. Being made from Polypropylene enables REHAU to promote a 100 year design life of the Awashaft, greatly increasing its life span over competing products and completely eliminating problems such as root intrusion.

Reflection

The installer faced some unique challenges during this installation that would have been quite difficult to overcome with alternative products. The use of REHAU Awashaft saw these difficulties overcome, and in a shorter time. Chris Beretta was impressed with the amount of time saved on the project. What would normally have been a 2-3 day project, was able to be completed in only half a day.

Chris’ team also appreciated the enhanced safety factor offered by REHAU Awashaft. Being a much lighter product meant that the installers could move components around the site by hand with great ease, reducing the need for heavy machinery and the size of the excavator required to complete the job.

D.A. Beretta have been working with Reece for over 40 years and throughout this relationship have partnered with Reece to develop solutions and find new approaches to challenging projects. Thanks to the close relationships Reece has with its suppliers, the local REHAU representative was available to provide support to Chris and his team throughout the project, including being on site during the installation.