SEQWATER has appointed contractors to upgrade the Somerset Dam.
Seqwater infrastructure and planning boss Sarah Dixon said the project would improve the longevity of the region’s oldest and largest dam.
“The Dam Improvement Project will ensure the dam meets modern engineering and design standards to provide ongoing safety and water security for years to come,” Ms Dixon said.
The works will include the removal of the spillway (radial) gates, replacement of eight sluice gates nearing the end of their service life, civil works and the installation of an interim drainage curtain to prepare the dam for major works in the future.
Seqwater has awarded AVK Australia with the manufacturing of 26 purpose-built and hydraulically operated gates, including new sluice gates.
AECOM will design a temporary cofferdam plus civil works including temporary and permanent access roads to mitigate community impacts.
GHD will begin the design of an interim drainage curtain to start drilling boreholes deep into the dam’s foundation to relieve pressure and support the stability of the structure.
The project is expected to support 150 jobs during the works.
Around $500 million in works will be spent as part of the first stage of the improvement project.
The dam provides water to more than 3.8 million people across the region.
