One of the latest projects awarded to Underground Services is the Alcoa Services 275 Myara project.

This project consists of installing 10km each of 315mm and 90mm water pipe, 10km HV cable, 22km LV Power cable and 12.5km of fibre optic cable over the 10km length of a Trace Conveyor. Installation entails excavating 2 no. trenches with a 65t trencher through pre-blasted rock, installing sand bedding, the services, sand cover and protection, and backfill and compaction.

There are also 4 no. HDD shots through rock with a total meterage of 220m with pipe / conduit from 100mm-315mm diameter.

The project will run for a period of 4 months.

BHP Billiton, RGP6 - Jimblebar Services installation

Underground Services is currently undertaking its largest resource project.

The work consists of services works as part of BHP Billiton's RGP6 project for their mine expansion at Jimblebar near Newman. Scope includes supply and installation of water, waste water, slurry, electrical and communications infrastructure.

The project will run from August 2011 to March 2012.

Water Corporation - Pipeline - Dower Street Upgrades, Mandurah

This project was carried out for PPS Partnership and Water Corporation to upgrade the existing water distribution network and to provide a more sustainable distribution of services to suffice the current and anticipated future growth of Mandurah's population.

The project comprises the installation of 750m of 600mm diameter MSCL pipe installed by open excavation in residential suburbs. It also incorporated Shut downs and upgrades for valve pits on Dower Street and Fremantle Road water tank storage facilities. Additional isolated shutdowns and upgrades were also included in the scope spread around the local suburbs.

Incorporated in this project is a total of 78m of thrust boring of an 800m diameter sleeve in three different locations, underneath trees and main roads. Additional trench-less technology was also incorporated in the form of HDD drilling of 300mm, 250mm and 160mm diameter PE pipe to a combined total of 200 lineal metres.

At all times the project had to maintain water supply to residents and businesses for them to operate as normal.

The projects' duration was a continuous 4 months.

Water Corporation, DN400 & DN500 Distribution Mains, Canning Vale

This project involved the construction of a DN400mm and a DN500mm "Sintakote" steel distribution main along Warton and Ranford Roads in Canning Vale.

The distribution main that passed under Warton Road and two side streets was installed by trenchless methods. The road crossings were installed by directional drilling a pilot borehole and pulling the steel pipe back, whilst reaming out the pilot borehole. This operation was carried out during normal working hours, without causing disruption to the flow of traffic.

The distances involved set new limits for the size and type of pipe that can be installed by trenchless techniques.

Water Corporation, Replacement of Existing Water Mains, Kondinin

Underground Services was contracted to replace various sections of the existing steel water mains, in and around Kondinin, with Sintakote pipe of equal size.

A method of disinfecting the pipe work prior to installation was devised by Underground Services during the process of replacing live sections of the existing water mains.

It was imperative that the water mains have minimal down time, as they were the main feeds in and around Kondinin. This was achieved by sound planning and ensuring that the correct personnel, along with the right skills and experience, were involved in this project.

City of Rockingham, Bore Collector Mains, Rockingham

The scope of this project covered the supply and installation of bore collector mains from five existing bore heads in the Port Kennedy residential area, to a new regional sports facility, located approximately two kilometres south of the area.

The bore collector mains served two purposes; firstly to lower the water table in specific areas of Port Kennedy, making more public open space available and secondly to provide a constant supply of water for irrigating the new playing fields at Larkhill.

The majority of the pipes were installed by Horizontal Directional Drilling due to the bulk of the works being in a residential area and due to the high water table.

Water Corporation, Water Pipeline, Geraldton to Northampton

Underground Services, working with PPS Partnership, was responsible for constructing the 45km long, 300mm and 375mm PVC water pipeline for the Water Corporation.

By utilising the Trencor 65 tonne chain trencher for the excavation process, Underground Services were able to overcome challenging ground conditions, whilst at the same time being able to meet demanding production schedules.

The pipeline crossed the North West Coastal Highway on two separate occasions. To overcome this additional challenge, the Vermeer D80 Horizontal Directional Drill, the largest unit of this type in Western Australia, was utilised to insert steel sleeves under the highway without disruption to traffic.

Due to professional planning, the use of their own plant and labour resources and efficient construction processes, Underground Services were able to construct this significant component of Western Australian water infrastructure within an exceptionally short construction period.