Dewatering & Water Treatment at Perth Busport Project, WA

NPE were involved in this project for the drilling and installation of a series of pumping wells within the excavation and recharge wells outside the excavation to create an efficient dewatering system that depressurised the aquifers and lowered and maintained the groundwater table by eight (8) metres next to the existing underground tunnel. The biggest challenge of the project was to ensure dewatering extraction did not cause any settlement to the neighbouring infrastructures.

Extracted groundwater was recharged into the aquifers via recharge wells outside the excavation zone. The dewatering system was designed to recharge at 35 litres per second at a suitable operating pressure.

Water was treated via a new and improved customised water treatment system designed to perform inline adjustments to water quality by correcting pH levels and removing iron and other harmful heavy metals before being recharged and discharged into the environment. The project saw progress in technology innovation and improvements in environmental aspects by introducing a custom-built sludge press as the key to sludge management.