CLIENT: Torres Strait Islands Regional Council
PROJECT: De-Sludging sewage lagoons
SCOPE OF WORK:
De-sludging 14 sewage lagoons in 3 communities across 2 islands in the Torres Strait.
CHALLENGES FACED:
Torres Strait is very remote, and you must be completely self-sufficient. All waste must be quarantined and returned to the mainland. We performed all works with no free-issue items from the client. The wet season is very wet! Also, a small crocodile living in one of the ponds kept the crew on their toes!
ACHIEVEMENTS/OUTCOMES:
Maxitool used our in-house designed and built mini-dredge and floc dosing rig. Spoil was treated and pumped into geotubes to capture the solids and return the clear water. A mini-tilt car trailer was modified to allow launching and retrieval of the dredge from the lagoons, as well as movement of the other equipment required. This allowed us to work self-sufficiently without any heavy cranes or machinery.
This project also offered employment opportunity for local workers, who completed on-the-job training and proved capable to take over the operation. Some of these team members subsequently continued to work for Maxitool on the mainland. Fuel, accommodation, and food was sourced from local businesses, in our continuing effort to support the local community.