Logan City Council recently engaged Pipe Management Australia (PMA) to remove some 52.26 tonnes of silt and debris from three box culverts in New Beith, saving approximately 220,000 litres of water.
Overgrown & Overladen Culverts
The box culverts, located beneath Tall Timber Rd, had last been cleaned approximately four years ago. Due to nearby residential development, the culverts had gradually built up with sediment. Downstream of the culvert, the creek had also become overgrown with vegetation, preventing the culverts from naturally self-cleaning.
Downstream photo of culverts once vegetation was removed
As a result, water had started to pool and stagnant at the upstream section of the culvert. Stagnant water, combined with the Queensland heat, can provide a breeding ground for bacteria, parasites and mosquitos. Blocked culverts also contribute to an increased risk of flooding, and associated hazards, like water over the road.
Water pooling at the upstream end of the culverts
Taking Action
As a preventative measure, Logan City Council set out to clean the culverts and restore flow to the creek bed.
Previously, the culverts had been cleaned using a high-pressure sled nozzle. This method uses high-pressure water to displace sediment and debris. While effective, this method can take time, use a lot of water and result in more waste. It took roughly five days to clean these culverts previously.
Related Article: TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL: THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE CULVERT
A Unique Culvert Cleaning Solution
In consultation with Council, PMA developed the unique solution to clean the culverts without the use of water jetting. Instead, PMA would use our remote-controlled culvert cleaner, the MicroTraxx. The MicroTraxx unit is akin to a miniature track loader, designed to fit within a culvert. It is controlled remotely preventing the need for confined space entry.
The remote-controlled MicroTraxx emptying a load
In this instance, PMA was able to save Logan City Council an estimated 220,000 litres of water compared to conventional jetting (equivalent to roughly four household swimming pools). This not only saves one of our most precious resources but drastically reduces the amount of waste removed from the site, decreasing the carbon footprint of the job.
The MicroTraxx is built for small spaces
Cleaning assets using waterless options like the MicroTraxx plays a vital role in saving water at a time when South East Queensland’s catchments are experiencing less runoff, despite recent rainfall.
Saving Time & Money
The MicroTraxx can also clean culverts faster, typically reducing project time by around a third. For this project, PMA was able to complete the job in just 15.75 hours on-site, down from the five days for jetting.
The PMA operator remotely controls the MicroTraxx as it re enters the culvert
Ultimately, PMA was able to deliver an efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly culvert cleaning solution for our client.
Learn more about Pipe Management Australia’s Culvert Cleaning Solutions
