The TasWater Alliance, a collaborative partnership between TasWater, CPB Contractors, UGL, and WSP Australia, has been recognised for its outstanding achievement with the Government Partnerships Excellence Award at the 2024 Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Awards.
This award acknowledges the alliance's success in delivering infrastructure through a genuine partnership between the government and the private sector. It also acknowledges the alliance’s collaborative approach, namely how it maximised opportunities throughout the project lifecycle and enabled effective problem-solving.
The TasWater Alliance, also known as the TasWater Capital Delivery Office, is responsible for managing the delivery of significant elements of a 6-year TasWater capital works program, including the recently completed Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant Upgrade.
As Tasmania’s first-ever alliance, this award win acknowledges the effectiveness of a collaborative contracting approach and the benefits of working with and supporting local businesses.
The alliance developed innovative commercial arrangements specifically designed to engage a broader range of Tasmanian - based businesses on the project.
CPB Contractors Alliance Program Manager, Ian Dunbabin, elaborates, “A collaborative approach can really build the capacity of local businesses and the capabilities of local workforces.”
“For the Bryn Estyn upgrade, approximately 83% of contracts were awarded to Tasmanian-based businesses, which provided a significant economic boost and strengthened the state's overall delivery capability for future projects.”
UGL General Manager Utilities John Greaves said,“This excellence award recognises the genuine partnership and collaboration between the UGL, CPB, the Alliance contractors and TasWater in delivering TasWater’s largest ever capital works project in addition to providing water security in southern Tasmania. This collaborative approach extended to local business who were fundamental to the success, generating local economic benefits.”
The alliance’s delivery of the Bryn Estyn upgrade also stands out because it was delivered on time, significantly under budget, with zero environmental incidents. Project works included:
- Construction of a new 160ML/day capacity water treatment plant – the largest in Tasmania, with the flexibility to expand capacity by an additional 40ML/day as needed.
- Placement of over 2,800 tonnes of reinforced steel.
- Excavation of more than 93,000 cubic meters of soil.
- Employment of over 1,500 people, mostly from Tasmanian-based businesses.
CPB Contractors and UGL are both members of the CIMIC Group.