On the 30th of September 2020, TOBIN Consulting Engineers were proud to receive the 2020 Association Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) Project Management Award for the Swords Watermain Rehabilitation Scheme.
The Swords water main rehabilitation project centered on the rehabilitation of an old troublesome 30” watermain running through Swords Town Centre. The aging asset had erupted and caused extensive damage to the town Centre on several occasions, this was in spite of having a proactive maintenance crew tending to more than 30 repairs since 2011. A more sustainable solution needed to be provided and funding made available to prevent the loss of over 44 million litres of water every month and avoid future occurrences.
The Swords water main rehabilitation project was one of the largest water main rehabilitation projects, through one of Dublin’s largest towns, undertaken on behalf of Irish Water. TOBIN acted as Employers Representative in the successful delivery of this large scale water main rehabilitation project, which was planned for and delivered:
- with minimal traffic disruption,
- with no utility strikes,
- while maintaining continuity of water supply through the worst drought conditions in living memory,
- on an accelerated project programme, and
- within budget.
Taking an innovative approach to the design and management of the project and facilitating greater Contractor flexibility to innovate, through the correct choice of procurement option, permitted us to work proactively with the Contractor in optimizing the best available solutions while simultaneously improving on programme delivery. The project is undertaken by a traditional method that would have required a 24-month construction programme and would have presented higher risks associated with finding a new route corridor and managing unforeseen ground conditions associated with items of archaeology and utilities. The alternative approach proposed reinvigorating the old concrete pipe, to use as a conduit for a close fit PE watermain, installed by the slip-lining technique. This approach was proven right as it reduced the construction timescale to 11 months, due to the speed at which the existing watermain could be slip lined. It also presented a safer method for construction and helped to reduce the Carbon footprint by an estimated 45% when compared to a more conservative and traditional approach.
Our collaborative approach in working with Irish Water, Fingal County Council, and GMC utilities as the main Contractors in project managing the delivery of this project has resulted in very positive feedback from key stakeholders that may otherwise have been adversely affected by the project.
