An industry-leading approach to portfolio planning and capital delivery, focused on innovation and collaboration, is delivering efficiency gains and driving down the cost of capital projects at Queensland Urban Utilities.
The awarding of two major contracts to John Holland and Fulton Hogan – worth approximately $400 million over five years – to renew and upgrade metropolitan and regional sewage facilities in South East Queensland was the latest step towards the full implementation of the organisation’s Project Management Approach (PMA).
Queensland Urban Utilities General Manager of Infrastructure Delivery, Michael Kahler, said the water utility began its journey towards the new operating model in 2017 when they engaged industry leading program advisory company Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR).
“Ultimately, we see the PMA operating model as providing a new generation of industry leading performance in the water industry in Australia,” Mr Kahler said.
“Since 2017, we have successfully changed from a responsive only project management model, to one which creates shared value for us, our customers and our stakeholders.
“We’re currently delivering around $168 million of capital projects under the PMA approach, and we have already achieved efficiencies in certain areas of up to 15 per cent.
“We’re very excited that John Holland and Fulton Hogan are joining us as we continue the roll out of sewage facility renewals over the next five years and we look forward to working with the industry to future-proof the sewerage network for the benefit of our customers and communities.”
The PMA Operating Model is built around three areas of capability:
- Leading: providing new capabilities such as a customer-centred focus, strategic direction and supply chain integration.
- Core Business Operations: enhancing the “engine room” of the business through building capability in planning, solutions development, intelligent business hubs, capital delivery and service delivery.
- Enablers: building the capabilities that will assist staff to perform their roles effectively, with enhanced systems, analytics and insights, innovation and improvement.
Queensland Urban Utilities is one of Australia’s most innovative utilities, providing water and sewerage services to 1.4 million people in the Brisbane, Ipswich, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Somerset regions in South East Queensland.
The package of work includes the renewal and upgrading of existing sewage treatment facilities across Queensland Urban Utilities’ service area.
John Holland’s contract is for the Regional Treatment Plants Program, while Fulton Hogan’s contract is for the Metro Treatment Plants program.
