Parkes Shire Council made the decision to replace its 80-year-old water treatment facility as it was nearing its capacity to properly service residents.

The Parkes Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Program saw the replacement of the existing plant with a new water treatment plant (WTP) and a sewage treatment plant that would provide a long-term solution for the residents of Parkes Shire Council. The project also included an advanced water recycling facility (AWRF), a recycled water rising main (RWRM), a Lachlan River pump station and a Lake Endeavour dam upgrade.

This project required the co-ordination of a number of different stakeholders, including NSW Office of Water, Department of Health, Office of Environment and Heritage and Environment Protection Authority. Extra layers of complexity included issues regarding the use of a selected tenderer engagement process to enhance the project concept and design, and the management of a joint process for two distinct projects – the water treatment plant and the sewage treatment plant.

The Maddocks team on the matter was led by partners Patrick Ibbotson and Andrew Chapman, and included numerous other team members including partners Alicia Albury, Mathew Stulic, special counsel Joshua Same and senior associates Sarah Bellingham, Stefan Fenk, Matthew Frazer, Brian Henson, Andrew McGlashan and Mark Todhunter, associate Libby Sivell, and lawyers Anthony Daras and Jessica Dorricott.

Our role on the project included:

• advising on all aspects of the procurement process for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the new WTP and STP
• advising on contract documentation, including Council’s ability to engage a contractor to design and construction the AWRF without inviting tenders
• drafting procurement and contractual documentation for the RWRM and advising on all approval and land access requirements
• advising on Council’s response to the Contractor’s payment claim under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 for the Lachlan River Pump Station

The project was completed in 2018. It was announced as the NSW winner of the Australian Engineering Excellence Awards in 2018.