The community experiences large population influxes during holiday periods, putting significant pressure on the Yamba Sewage Treatment Plant requiring a capacity increase. To accommodate the plant’s expanded treatment capability an ebb-tide release pipeline needed to be constructed, linking the treatment facility with the diffuser system located in the river. Horizontal directional drilling was selected for pipe installation to minimize the community impact of the project.

Pipeline Construction with Alkadyne HDF193B

The drilling and pipeline installation was awarded to Pipeline Drillers, who could rely on the proven performance of Qenos Alkadyne HDF193B PE100 High Density Polyethylene pipe resin from which the 450mm diameter pipeline was constructed. The pipes were supplied to the site in lengths of 12m, which were subsequently butt welded into a 1.6km long pipe string.

A coupling attached to the front of the pipe enabled the long pipe string to be towed from the Iluka Golf Course to the Clarence River. The pipe was then pulled through the borehole from the exit point in the river to the drill rig back on shore.

The enormous pulling forces during the harsh underground journey are not a problem for the pipe made from Qenos’s Alkadyne HDF193B PE100 pipe resin which was specified for this unique installation.

In one day, the PE100 pipe travelled a massive 1.6km underground and was ready for connection and completion of this landmark project.

By harnessing best practice technology, this project has increased the capacity of the plant and provided a higher standard of treatment, suitable for irrigation and ebb-tide release.