Bayway Village Sewer Pump Station: A Precast Solution for 650 Lots at Fern Bay

Project Overview

QMAX Pumping Systems was engaged by Bayway Village at Fern Bay, north of Newcastle, to design, construct and commission a new sewer pump station supporting a 650 lot retirement village.

The project included a new 2.2 m internal diameter Fortis precast concrete sewer pump station, two pumps, a Muffin Monster™ sewer grinder and three large storage tanks providing a combined storage capacity of 180,000 litres.

Located close to the shoreline, the project presented a number of construction challenges, particularly around groundwater management, site access and delivering large components through an established residential community.

By working closely with the village authorities and design consultants from the early stages of the project, QMAX developed a coordinated delivery and installation approach designed to minimise disruption to residents and ensure the pump station could be installed efficiently.

The Challenge: Construction in a Groundwater Environment

With the location of the pump station close to the shoreline, groundwater was a key consideration during construction.

Keeping a deep excavation dewatered for an extended period can add significant cost and complexity to a project. It can also create additional risks around construction timeframes and site management. With this in mind, the use of a Fortis precast pump station provided a significant advantage.

With much of the pump station prefabricated and the internal walls epoxy coated before installation, the Fortis precast solution allowed the structure to be assembled and installed quickly. Once the pump station was in place, the excavation could be backfilled sooner, reducing the length of time the excavation needed to remain open and dewatered.

The QMAX Solution

The completed system includes:

• 2.2 m internal diameter Fortis precast concrete pump station
• 4.7 m deep pump station
• Two sewer pumps
• Muffin Monster™ sewer grinder
• Three large storage tanks
• 180,000 litres of total storage capacity
• Epoxy-coated internal pump station walls

The use of a prefabricated precast solution allowed key components to be prepared ahead of installation, helping to streamline the construction process on site.

Protecting Pumps with Sewer Grinding Technology

A key component of the installation is the Muffin Monster™ sewer grinder. It is designed to reduce soft solids and some hard solids in the wastewater stream before they reach the pumps. This helps reduce the risk of blockages and improves overall lifespan of the pumps.

For a residential development such as Bayway Village, incorporating solids-handling equipment into the pump station design provides an additional level of protection for the downstream pumping equipment.

Planning the Installation Around an Established Village

One of the project’s biggest logistical challenges was transporting and installing the pump station components at the rear of an already established village.

QMAX’s project team coordinated deliveries carefully to avoid disrupting the day-to-day activities of residents, working with the village authorities and design consultants from the early stages of the project.

Detailed crane lift plans, project management plans and delivery schedules were developed to ensure the installation could be completed safely and efficiently, with the various components delivered in sequence and minimal disruption to the surrounding community.

This level of planning was critical to achieving a successful installation in a busy, established residential environment.

A Coordinated Approach to Pump Station Delivery

The Bayway Village project demonstrates the benefits of combining prefabricated pump station construction with detailed project planning and site coordination.

By selecting a Fortis precast pump station, the project team was able to reduce the time required for construction within the excavation—an important consideration given the site’s proximity to the shoreline and the associated groundwater challenges.

At the same time, careful planning of deliveries and crane operations enabled QMAX to manage the logistical challenges of working within an established retirement village.

From design and prefabrication through to delivery, construction and commissioning, QMAX provided a coordinated approach to the delivery of a critical piece of sewer infrastructure for BayWay Village.

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