Prime Pump expertise, a kilometre of lay flat hose, and three BBA pumps helped deliver a seamless sewer line remediation project in Gisborne city late last year. As if a Christmas deadline and long hours was not enough, there was the added complication of working around peak traffic.
Lead contractor on the job to protect the ageing, cracked and vulnerable sewer pipes was Reline NZ, who were using their state-of-the-art trenchless Alphaliner.
Alphaliner is a complete pipe rehabilitation system which uses UV curing technology. Pipeline sections rehabilitated with Alphaliner can expect a service life of around 50 years, providing a prolonged depreciation period without the cost and disruption of digging up roads and footpaths.
Hire Account Manager, Hayden Powell, who oversaw the overpump project for Prime Pump says the job had its challenges. Not least, that the lay flat hose needed to be protected as it crossed roads and driveways, and wound around a popular park.
Also, it needed to be set up in one day.
To shield the hose from punctures, Prime Pump built and installed 12 special ramps along its very busy, urban route.
Over the duration of the overpump BBA BA180, BA150, and BA100 pumps were used depending on the flow, size of the pipe and pressure required. When the project was at its busiest, all three pumps were deployed simultaneously.
Reliability was key. So, for peace-of-mind, Prime Pump fitted warning lights on the top of the pumps which would’ve flashed if there had been any issue with pump performance.
There wasn’t.
Hayden says having the pumps running at their peak is always a priority. “Naturally we make sure that the pumps’ performance and quality is right up to scratch.
” Fully bunded, very fuel efficient, low maintenance and exceptionally quiet, Hayden says the Netherlands designed and manufactured BBAs are a good match for work in built-up areas. The pumps have also been used in other environmentally sensitive and high-profile projects including on the Queenstown waterfront and at Moa Point, Wellington.
Making use of Prime Pump’s extensive hire fleet also makes economic sense for councils, Hayden explains.
“The advantage of hiring the pumps is eliminating the need for capital expenditure. At the height of the Gisborne project, there would’ve been gear there worth $350,000 to $400,000. They got the job done, and they didn’t pay even a fraction of that.”
