MEDIA RELEASE
23 September 2009
Bulk Water Alliance gets green light to build Enlarged Cotter Dam
Abigroup, as part of the Bulk Water Alliance (BWA), has received the
client’s go-ahead to build what will be one of Australia’s largest dams in
the ACT.
A TOC (Target Outturn Cost) of $262 million, with a total project cost of
$363m, has been approved by the ACTEW Corporation, who together with
ActewAGL are the clients, and work is due to commence on the Enlarged
Cotter Dam in October.
The new dam will be 80 metres high, contain 400,000 cubic metres of
Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) and will be Australia’s third largest
concrete gravity dam – exceeded only by Warragamba and Burrinjuck
Dams.
Abigroup’s Managing Director David Jurd said: “Winning this project
demonstrates the vast diversity of work Abigroup can perform.
“While continuing in our traditional core areas of engineering and building,
we’re currently involved in constructing an extensive range of major
projects including the water desalination plant in Adelaide;
telecommunications work in Hobart; schools in NSW, Victoria and
Queensland; railway work in Newcastle; and the new Gateway Bridge in
Brisbane.”
The Enlarged Cotter Dam project involves building a larger dam wall
downstream of the existing one to increase the Cotter Dam’s capacity
from the current four gigalitres (GL) to around 78 GL: almost 20 times its
current size.
The enlarged dam has become necessary because of worsening drought
conditions in the ACT with 2009 shaping up to be amongst the worst years
so far of the current drought.
The two year project will require one million tonnes of aggregate mined
from an on-site quarry. Two Earth and Rock Fill dams with clay cores will
be built across two adjacent valleys to the main dam.
At its peak 190 employees will be working on the project with staff coming
from Abigroup and BWA partner John Holland. The dam was designed by
BWA partner GHD.
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To underpin the design and construction of the Enlarged Cotter Dam a
$3.2m geotechnical project was carried out which won a prestigious
Engineering Excellence award.
The Dam design includes measures to protect fish populations, particularly
to allow migration upstream for the endangered Macquarie Perch.
The Enlarged Cotter Dam will help diversify and secure the ACT’s water
supply for future generations and its building will provide a major boost
for the local economy, at a time when the global financial downturn is
causing reduced employment prospects and economic development.
Photo Captions
An artist’s impression of the Enlarged Cotter Dam.
Abigroup’s NSW Construction Manager Chris Bryce, (pictured left) shakes
hands with ACTEW Project Manager Ray Hezkial watched by some of the
employees who will be working on the Enlarged Cotter Dam project. The
photo was taken at a scenic lookout overlooking the site of the new dam.
Abigroup Contractors is a diverse national contractor with
experience in delivering works in water, building, roads, rail,
mining services, telecommunications, tunnels and bridges.
Abigroup is part of Bilfinger Berger Australia which is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Bilfinger Berger AG, one of the world’s top ten
multi-service construction companies.
Further information:
Peter Scott
Media Relations Manager
Abigroup Limited
Ph: 9499 0756
Mobile: 0404 469 823
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