29/08/2019

Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline Project

The $467 million Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline project is an initiative of the New South Wales Government and acts as a major infrastructure project that aims to supply up to 37.4 megalitres of water per to Broken Hill via a 270kilometere pipeline that connects to the River Murray near Wentworth.

This project came as a much-needed solution to severe water outages that left local communities struggling to thrive. A multitude of alternate design alternatives had been initially formulated to help resolve supply issues, with the Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipe Line being identified as the best and most reliable long-term option.

The Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipe Line Project has gone on to be one of the most beneficial pieces of infrastructure to be implemented throughout New South Wales, increasing the wellbeing of both the community and local businesses who received a tender.

What is the Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline Project?

The Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline began construction in 2017 and worked to construct a major water pipeline, spanning 270km from the River Murray. This major infrastructure project saw the construction of the direct line and included pumping facilities, water storage and power supply.

The pipeline which now supplies up to 37.4 megalitres of water from River Murray also includes four pumping stations and a 720 megalitre bulk storage facility just south of Broken Hill to aid in the prevention of circumstantial drought where water is not directly accessible.

Before the implementation of the Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline local communities were left without a long-term solution to a water supply which caused water outages and other difficulties. Since the New South Wales Government commissioned the project, there has been upkeep in the wellbeing of local residents as well as improvement to living circumstances.

How was Yellow Hire's dry hire service involved?

Leading the project were contractors John Holland and MPC Kinetic JV who commissioned over 2300 truckloads from Melbourne and Perth in efforts to get pipes delivered along the pipeline route. Yellow Hire was proud to have supported over 500 workers during the 18-month construction period, supplying telehandlers, excavators, graders, water trucks and rock breakers for dry hire.

Building a project of this scale, in industry record time, meant using Yellow Hire fleet of machinery to ensure optimum productivity at all times and most importantly delivering it safely. Yellow Hire’s telehandlers were operated for the lifting and installation of the pipes during the process, relying on the telehandler’s stability and top-quality condition to lift the pipes safely. Because of the remote nature of the project, Yellow Hire also assisted by providing water truck hire, which was used for providing a reliable water source on site. Yellow Hire’s small and large excavators with the rock breaker attachment worked to dig trenches and was used to reduce large rocks into small manageable debris during the project. Yellow Hire also assisted with grader hire, which was utilised to create flat surfaces throughout the project.