Case Study: Water Mains Locating and Potholing for Western Sydney Council
The Durkin team prides themselves on delivering innovative solutions to complex challenges. Recently, when a Western Sydney Council needed assistance locating and potholing various water mains—after a previous contractor had been unsuccessful—we stepped in to get the job done. Using advanced locating techniques, skilled technicians, and strategic planning, we provided the Council with the critical data needed to move forward with their project.
Project Overview
Durkin was engaged to locate and pothole water mains across a Western Sydney Council area. A prior contractor had attempted the work but was unable to locate or pothole the utilities, preventing Council from proceeding with its planned infrastructure design. Our task was to successfully locate, verify, and model these utilities, ensuring Council had the information needed to move forward.
The Challenge
The primary challenge lay in the prevailing ground conditions of Western Sydney. The region’s clay-based soil makes ground-penetrating radar (GPR) difficult to use, as the clay absorbs the emitted signals before they reach buried utilities.
Additionally, Durkin needed to price the project on a lump sum basis, meaning we had to guarantee results where others had failed—without exceeding the agreed cost.
Overcoming Barriers
To ensure success, Durkin took a strategic and proactive approach:
Site Assessment Before Tendering: We deployed a skilled GPR Engineer to the site during the tender phase to assess the feasibility of locating the water mains using a combination of Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) and GPR techniques.
Optimised Locating Strategy: By integrating Spatial Data Overlays, GPR, and EMF scans, we determined the best methods for accurately locating the water mains.
Precision Potholing: Instead of long exploratory trenches, we priced potholing using 300mm diameter forensic potholes, minimising disruption while achieving precise results.
Delivering Results
Thanks to our innovative approach, skilled technicians, and advanced technology, Durkin successfully located and potholed all water mains ahead of the scheduled timeframe and within budget.
Achieved What Others Could Not: Where a previous contractor had failed, Durkin accurately located all water mains, allowing Council’s project to progress.
Additional Value Provided: With some budget flexibility remaining, we completed extra potholing at no additional cost to confirm the end of a concrete encasement on one of the water mains, ensuring even greater accuracy in Council’s design process.
Council Ready to Proceed: With comprehensive data and verified utility locations, Council could confidently move forward with their infrastructure design.
Precision, Expertise, and Real Results
This project highlights Durkin’s ability to take on difficult locating challenges and deliver reliable results where others have fallen short. By combining expert knowledge, cutting-edge technology, and a problem-solving mindset, we continue to provide clients with the certainty they need for successful project planning.