To protect critical infrastructure, Unitywater is harnessing data-driven insights to assess whether key wastewater pump station assets should be raised to reduce the risk of future flooding and damage.
Using information provided by XDI (Cross Dependency Initiative), which provides physical climate risk data, Unitywater is identifying the pump stations and switchboards that are due to be renewed and constructing them higher than the existing asset – in some cases, they’re being raised on a high platform with stairs required for access.
Unitywater Head of Asset Management, Ivan Beirne, said the program was about reducing risk and increasing the resilience of assets to climate change.
“We are working with a range of datasets and climate scenarios to assess assets most at risk and particularly, the future financial risk of not doing anything,” he said.
“If the modelling suggests flooding or bush fire would cause damage greater than one per cent of the asset’s value, it is considered high-risk.
“Where that’s the case, we’re designing resilience into our replacement program by physically raising switchboards and other critical assets.
“We renew about 20 switchboards a year and the data is telling us that many of them will need to be raised between 100mm and 500mm.”
Mr Beirne said switchboards typically have a life of about 25 years and for those due for replacement, crews and engineers were performing additional inspections to determine if other works were required on the assets to protect and prolong them.
“The projects are looking at risk up until the year 2100 and we’re particularly focusing on riverine flooding, tidal inundation and bush fire risk,” he said.
Mr Beirne said a single switchboard replacement and constructing the platform to physically raise a switchboard could cost upwards of $300,000, so it made sense to raise it as part of renewal works to avoid repair costs later.
“This way, we can help avoid costs associated with rectifying damage in the event it is impacted by future flooding,” he said.
“This work is important to maintain reliability and resilience of our wastewater assets for our customers now and in the future.”
XDI Head of Science and Technology, Karl Mallon, said Unitywater is showing exactly how physical climate risk data should be used – not just to understand risks, but to act on them.
“XDI’s analysis helps identify where infrastructure is most exposed to climate hazards like flooding and fire, so investments can be made where they matter most,” Dr Mallon said.
“Building resilience into upgrades is cost-effective, reduces the risk of disruption and provides community confidence.”
The projects are part of Unitywater’s $400 million replacements and renewals program in the next five years. This is part of the utility’s overall $1.8 billion investment to improve water and wastewater assets – the largest capital program in its history.
