Snells Algies | Wastewater Pipeline

The Snell Algies wastewater pipeline Watercare project is designed to improve water quality in the Mahurangi Harbour. Once completed, it will deliver an upgraded wastewater system for this fast-growing region.

Once again, McConnell Dowell contracted Aimecs to weld a pipeline. This time, it is a 2.2 km trenchless pipe that will go under farm land.

Project details:

• Pipeline: 2065 lineal metres, 1200mm OD, 32mm thickness
• Type of weld: butt weld
• Material: steel pipe, supplied with a double bevel

The pipeline is divided in 22 strings. Where each string consists of 8 x 11.8m pipes that must be butt welded to each other.

Of the 8 welds, 7 are to join the string and the 8^th (golden weld) is to join the strings together. So in total, we are doing 175 welds.

Challenges:

• Fitting the pipes. Think for yourself pipes which weight roughly 11 ton each to be moved into place as they get dropped off. This can be a real challenge.
• Weather. Hot summer, rainy days and cold nights – weather is always a challenge when you don’t work in an office.
• Working under the unprecedented lock-down situation. On top of standard H&S procedures, we put in place new measures to maintain perfect hygiene and safe distance at all times while monitoring our team’s health.

Although we had challenges, we also have a strong team that put up to them and could keep up with the schedule and quality.