A project that will ensure the long-term viability of one of the biggest dams in Queensland, Australia, has hit an important milestone, Sunwater has announced.
Thousands of cubic metres of concrete have been successfully installed below the spillway at Fairbairn Dam, near Emerald, closing out the critical concrete overlay component of stage 2 of Sunwater’s Fairbairn Dam Improvement Project.
In addition to placing 9783m3 of concrete, 1017 passive anchors have been installed as part of stage 2 works, with 78 active anchors on the spillway crest to also be included.
The project, which commenced in 2016, will bring the dam’s infrastructure into line with current design standards.
Sunwater expects the entire program of work to be finished by the end of the year, ahead of schedule and within budget.
More than 85% of workers on the upgrade are from Central Queensland, while 80% of suppliers have also been sourced from the local region.
In February 2020, it achieved a significant workplace health and safety milestone recording 400,000 hours without a lost-time-injury.
The 1.3 million megalitre dam was built in 1972 and supplies water for urban, industrial and agricultural purposes across the region.
The Fairbairn Dam Improvement Project is a high priority project in Sunwater’s extensive dam improvement program, which aims to maintain public safety during large rainfall events and strengthen water security.
