Harbour Shores Sewer Pump Station

Scope

QMAX was engaged by Burchills to undertake the comprehensive design and construction of a new sewer pump station for the prestigious Harbour Shores development in Biggera Waters on the Gold Coast. This crucial infrastructure was meticulously designed to manage the wastewater from an additional 635 apartments, providing a robust and reliable system for the high-rise community.

The project encompassed a complete turnkey solution, delivering a state-of-the-art pump station fully controlled by an integrated system. Our scope included the design and installation of a QMAX Fortis 3200 precast concrete pump station, measuring 3.2 meters in diameter and 5.25 meters deep. The system was engineered with the capacity for four pumps to handle the immense flow and efficiently distribute the wastewater into the Gold Coast City Council network via two rising mains. The project also included the installation of a horizontal fibreglass emergency storage tank to provide an additional 30 kL of storage, fulfilling the emergency requirements of the development. QMAX successfully delivered the project in close collaboration with Golding Contractors and their client, Lewis Land.

The overall holistic approach ensured the delivery of a highly efficient, reliable, and future-proof wastewater management solution for the Harbour Shores community. This proactive design and implementation strategy guaranteed a seamless integration with the existing council network while providing ample capacity for the new high-density residential development. The project showcased QMAX’s ability to deliver advanced, tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of large-scale residential projects in prime urban locations.

Challenges

The Harbour Shores project presented several unique challenges that required meticulous planning and coordination to ensure a safe and successful installation.

A primary challenge was the installation site’s location in water-charged ground. The pump station was situated in a highly saturated area, with the sea water level just one metre below the top of the slab. This extreme condition necessitated careful dewatering and a highly coordinated effort to ensure the integrity of the installation. Our team implemented a robust dewatering system to manage the high-water table, which was crucial to maintaining the stability of the excavation and ensuring the structural integrity of the pump station. This critical environmental concern required precise scheduling and meticulous planning to manage the high-water table, ensuring the stability and successful completion of the project without incident.

Another key challenge was the pump station’s location within an established residential suburb. This required a proactive approach to minimise noise output during the installation process to avoid disrupting the local community. Our team addressed this by implementing a range of noise reduction strategies and scheduling noisy work to mitigate disruption. This was a critical component of the project, ensuring the construction process was as unobtrusive as possible, protecting the quality of life for residents in the surrounding area. The project demanded a highly coordinated approach, from the prefabrication of components to the on-site execution, ensuring the new infrastructure was seamlessly integrated with minimal impact on the daily lives of the residents.

The successful completion of this project, despite these significant challenges, demonstrated QMAX’s expertise in delivering complex infrastructure projects in challenging environments. The client was highly satisfied with the quality and outcome provided by our team, highlighting our capability to manage and overcome unique site constraints to deliver exceptional results. This project stands as a testament to our commitment to engineering excellence and client satisfaction.