More than $5 million has been invested in major electrical upgrades at the North Pine Water Treatment Plant, including the installation of a high voltage (HV) switchboard, to ensure the plant continues to operate at peak performance.
The plant, which primarily supplies drinking water for the Moreton Bay, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast areas, is capable of producing 250 million litres of drinking water each day – about one hundred Olympic swimming pools.
Queensland Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said recent floods in the south east highlighted just how important Seqwater’s network of infrastructure is.
“The North Pine Water Treatment Plant is a critical cog in the wheel, so I’m thrilled this upgrade was able to happen, to ensure it continues to meet demand into the future.
“I want to commend Seqwater staff for their hard work over the past few months, because it has been vital to the region’s water supply during the extreme weather we experienced” he said.
Seqwater Chief Operating Officer Stuart Cassie said the upgrade project improved the longevity of the plant and ensured it was ready to meet long-term demand for water supply.
“As well as supplying Moreton Bay locally, drinking water treated at the North Pine Water Treatment Plant can also be transported north to augment supplies on the Sunshine Coast and south to Brisbane when needed,” Mr Cassie said.
“The plant is one of our most important assets within the SEQ Water Grid, and as the population grows it needs to be operating an optimal level to meet water demand.
“Projects like this highlight how Seqwater is planning now to ensure water security for the region into the future.”
The new HV switchboard, which is 20m long and weighs more than 16 tonnes, can operate at 11,000 volts, almost double the previous switchboard which was reaching the end of its service life.
“Similar to the switchboard in your home, the HV switchboard controls the electrical circuits and distributes energy to ensure the plant operates efficiently and safely,” Mr Cassie said.
“The switchboard features remote monitoring and automation systems which have improved safety onsite, allowing day-to-day operations to be performed from an adjoining room.
“The installation took more than two months and involved intricate swap overs between multiple areas of the plant and extremely complex switching operations which were carried out while the plant was still supplying water.
“The team designed an innovative solution to install the switchboard, improve electrical safety at the plant and ensure the reliability of this critical asset for the next 25 – 30 years.”
