BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) have engaged Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's Mackay Branch to deliver a specialised Modular Underground Dewatering System at their Broadmeadow Coal Mine, located approximately 200km South West of Mackay, QLD.

The Broadmeadow Underground Coal Mine is a 'Top Coal Cave Longwall Punch' mine located approximately 30km from Moranbah. Located on BMA's Goonyella open cut mine lease, the Broadmeadow Mine was established in late 2003 and feature's BMA's first application of punch longwall mining - a highly efficient underground technique utilising an existing open cut pit for longwall panel access. Broadmeadow Mine delivered a number of synergies between BMA's underground and open cut operations, including utilisation of the existing Goonyella coal preparation plant capacity, increased flexibility to respond to market demand, improved reliability of supply for customers and optimisation of product quality through selective blending.

The Modular Underground Dewatering System (MUDS) was designed / manufactured and installed by Dowdens Mackay to optimise further development of BMA's Broadmeadow mining operations by improving on-site dewatering efficiencies. The MUDS has been utilised in developing Broadmeadow panels 12 & 13, and will help to advance mine site progression for the entire life of operations. The main objective of this project was to provide a unique, custom built air / electric pump system to improve Broadmeadow's dewatering efficiency. This was achieved through the automation of pumping systems supplied and lowering any ongoing maintenance requirements - thereby saving site operator input, lowering air / power consumption and reducing the need for BMA to further invest in dewatering pump systems.

Dowdens were engaged during the concept phase of this project to provide input and engineering advice to help BMA overcome the many operational challenges this site presented. With intimate product knowledge and via extensive direct consultation 2 unique transportable Quick Docking System (QDS) Fish Tank Dewatering POD designs were developed. Capable of operating under 1,000V power, these modular POD systems required the ability to remain operational during regular power outages, utilising the limited underground supply of compressed air. Each pump station needed considerable storage / retention capabilities (5,000L per POD) and the capacity to operate seamlessly 'in-sequence' thereby delivering zero overflows onto roadways even during loss of underground power.

The composition of the water derived from the mine's development process posed its own transportation challenges with a high water content ratio of rock, coal, trash and coal fines. A solids management system consisting of various sieves, hoppers and tank agitation components was developed and tested to ensure the coal fines and inflow management system was capable of continuous operation, whilst also delivering simplified maintenance and cleaning procedures.

The coal fines and inflow management system was designed with the ability to:

• Retrofit to existing POD systems recovered from the Crinum underground coal mine
• Bolster the developing site dewatering fleet - with continuity of all pumps, instrumentation & control equipment used.

With the negotiations finalised, Dowdens proposed the fabrication of 2 Teams of 4x Dewatering PODs. Each Team is led by the newly designed 5m³ EXD QDS transportable roadway POD. 3x additional specially modified 4m³ Elliptical PODs (a combination of EXD & IP66 rated) are then positioned at strategic intervals along the panel as main gate development advances.

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment was successful in BMA's tendering process due to:

• Vast in-house engineering, drafting/design, fabrication, servicing capabilities & proven competencies
• Over 20 years' experience designing & producing specialised underground dewatering equipment
• The proximity of Dowdens head office [Mackay] & ongoing presence in the region
• Providing a competitively priced solution to the clients unique challenges
• High level of detail provided in the preliminary engineering proposal

After a successful tendering process Dowdens team of engineers and draftsmen immediately began analysing the recovered Crinum mine 4m³ POD design. After much consideration, a plan was established to incorporate all new specifications and functionality required whilst retaining as much of the existing structure as possible, saving both fabrication time and money. This design was carried over to the new generation 4m³ Elliptical PODs.

The Narrow Gauge 5m³ Lead POD had to utilise every inch of its restricted underground foot print to facilitate the 5,000L capacity and extra-large solids screening hopper. All work access steps and ladders were designed to be stowed away to avoid contact by passing machinery. All equipment was to be readily accessible to operators, even while positioned hard against the roadway rib. The complete set of design drawings were completed within 5 days and construction began immediately ensuring delivery was made within BMA's tight project deadlines.

Specially equipped 1,000V electric motors were incorporated in the build to operate custom made hard-metal centrifugal pumps - primarily selected for water transfer between PODs operating 'in-sequence'. The Cast Iron WILDEN T15 Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump was selected to serve as the auxiliary system for its robustness and relatively small weight-to-flow ratio. The lower weight and lower capital cost of the T15 allowed two pumps to be incorporated into each pump station to serve in duty / standby, or duty / assist mode if required.

A pneumatic control system provides seamless switching between air and electric pumping modes. Non-powered level controls allow maximum tank differential between the air pumps 'on & off' functions saving air consumption. Potential overflows are prevented by a pneumatically operated, inflow regulating valve. Each of the POD inflow manifolds are equipped with 4 auxiliary 50mm pump inputs to integrate localised pumping to the 'outbye' system. Custom built electrical control panels incorporate all EX'd field devices providing temperature, pressure, flow & fault communications via a PLC to the site Citect system. Area lighting and visual pump status indicator lights can be positioned remotely ensuring clear viewing from the mines underground roadways.

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment design philosophy for this project was: Cost Effectiveness - Current Best Practice - Ease of Installation - Simple & Effective Plant Operation - Plant Reliability & Reduced Ongoing Maintenance.

Modular Underground Dewatering System's Key Components are listed below:

• Creation of a completely new Custom Narrow Gauge POD Design to suit clients space restrictions near Development Miner
• Supply of 2x teams of 4x PODs, 1 team for each main-gate under development (each team consisting of a special Narrow Gauge 5m³ Lead POD & 3x Modified 4m³ Elliptical PODs)
• Automatic Duty / Standby Cast Iron WILDEN T15 Air Operated Double Diaphragm Pump Backup with full starting / stopping control to minimise air consumption
• Automatic Shutdown of incoming water on High Tank Level (preventing overflows)

• Two levels of screening for incoming water to eliminate pump blockages
• Colour Coded POD visual lighting to indicate whether POD is healthy ('green') or in fault ('orange')
• System designed with site operators needs in mind - No entry to tank required to maintain field devices
• Supply of specially fabricated stainless steel canopies for Pump Starter (top & back) to protect against physical damage
• Provision of DN50 Camlock inlets - providing a readily accessible connection point for incoming water

Arabon Seafoods employed Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment [Mackay] to deliver a broad acre irrigation system watering their cattle feed pasture located in Bowen, QLD. Arabon Seafoods are a proud Queensland small business specializing in the sale and export of locally sourced live, chilled and frozen seafood.

Dowdens designed an efficient energy and water use irrigation system for Arabon Seafoods that utilises a Valley Two-Wheel-Linear Irrigator - the ideal irrigator for smallholder growers with limited access to electricity - together with a Nelson S3000 Spinner Sprinkler Package, Nelson 110VAC Shut-Off Valve, Valley Autopilot GPS Ready Control Panel and a Yanmar 10kVa 3-Phase Diesel Generator Set.

The Valley Two-Wheel-Linear Irrigator is a fairly standard machine in it's configuration but it's application to Arabon's cattle feed pasture is a departure from local practice. Most irrigation in this region is normally provided by low pressure boom type irrigators which are far less efficient in regards to energy and water consumption when compared to the Valley machine.

The system is required to pump water directly from onsite bores to the Valley Two-Wheel-Linear Irrigator watering 3.5 ha of cattle feed pasture. The irrigator's purpose is to provide water to a 'baleable' hay crop which is periodically onsold to local graziers as stock feed. The installation of a Valley linear irrigator has greatly reduced the number of irrigation runs that Arabon Seafoods has previously undertaken with their smaller boom type irrigator to water the same area of crop. Valley Two-Wheel-Linears deliver the ability to easily tow or swing the machine around to cover more acres.

Valley's 'easy to operate' Valley Autopilot GPS Ready Control Panel has enabled other Arabon Seafoods personnel to operate the irrigator which had always proved difficult in the past using a more dated irrigator. The GPS Ready Valley Autopilot Control Panel allows linears to automatically perform functions similar to a center pivot. The AutoPilot Linear measures the lateral position and direction of travel of the linear, allowing functions to be easily programmed to run automatically.

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment [Mackay] are the sole Valley Irrigation Master Dealers for the Mackay / Whitsunday region enabling the best possible pricing and unmatched product support for all of our customers.

Arabon Seafoods contacted Dowdens Mackay in mid-2015 and requested a site visit and quote. Within a week the Dowdens Ag Sales Team were onsite taking measurements and discussing options with the business owners. A system was designed to suit the area and application, and the quote was delivered. Arabon Seafoods was happy with the design and pricing and instructed Dowdens they would budget for this system in 2016.

Fast forward to mid-2016, working closely with the business owners Dowdens had successfully refined the quote and sourced all materials to be supplied. The purchase order arrived with Dowdens in late May 2016 - the irrigator was delivered to site on Friday 24th of June. The installation commenced Monday 27th of June and the machine was fully operational and commissioning was completed by Wednesday 29th of June.

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's design philosophy for this project was: Cost Effectiveness - Current Best Practice - Ease of Installation - Simple & Effective System Operation - System Reliability & Delivering Reduced Ongoing Maintenance Requirements.

The entire project was overseen and managed by Brett Hayes from the Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment [Mackay] Agricultural Sales Team.

Key Project Features:

• Valley Two-Wheel-Linear 'hose-drag' Irrigator with a 2.74m Overhang & 2 x 43.37m Lateral Spans
• Valley Autopilot GPS Ready Control Panel
• Nelson S3000 Spinner Sprinkler Package
• Nelson 110 VAC Shut-Off Valve
• 16.9" x 24" Tyre Package
• Yanmar 10kVa 3-Phase Diesel Generator Set
• 220m of 3½" Crusader Irrigator Hose

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's Rockhampton branch working closely with Dowdens Pumping - Mackay's Industrial & Fabrication Workshops have successfully designed, manufactured and commissioned a Customised Dewatering Pump System for YANCOAL Australia. YANCOAL own and operate the YARRABEE Coal Mine & Boonal Joint Venture Coal Load Out Facility that is located 40 kilometres north-east of the township of Blackwater, QLD in Central Queensland's Bowen Basin. The Boonal Joint Venture is a coal load out facility located on the Capricorn Highway in Central Queensland, Australia. Coal from both the Yarrabee Coal Mine and Jellinbah Coal Mine are transported via rail link to the Port of Gladstone from the Boonal coal load out facility.

After initial site visits Dowdens Pumping - Rockhampton were able to measure the height and distance required for the dewatering pump system, as well as clearly establish pipe sizes and required flow rates to adequately meet the clients onsite dewatering requirements. This led to the in-house design of the unit by Dowdens Pumping - Mackay's Engineering Department. Once the proposal had been accepted by the client CAD drawings were immediately created and passed onto the Dowdens Industrial Fabrication Workshop.

Boonal Joint Venture's Customised Dewatering Pump System Supply Scope:

• The Yanmar diesel engine recommended by Dowdens Pumping - Rockhampton ensured long term problem free operation
• All fabrication, assembly and performance testing was conducted by Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment in-house & onsite guaranteeing product quality

As Dowdens Pumping are an authorised FLOWSERVE Pumps Distributor, we were able to quickly and easily size and source a FLOWSERVE Hydro Titan Pump. The Hydro Titan 100x65-250 Pump has a capable duty of 14 l/sec (@ 50m total head) and perfectly matched the clients site requirements. From here Dowdens Industrial Fabrication Workshop welded the skid base together which was then bunded and fully hot dip galvanised. This innovative system utilised a universal coupling, installed between the pump and motor to reduce the chance of miss alignment occurring between the pump and engine.

Dowdens Industrial Fabrication Workshop then proceeded to assemble and mount the 125l diesel fuel tank, Yanmar 3TNV84TEPP-PE 3-Cylinder Diesel Engine, Hydro Titan 100x65-250 Pump and install the universal coupling. Dowdens Electricians then connected the battery and solar array charger module to the canopy [pictured below], whilst mounting the Yanmar 'Engine Protection Unit'. The engine was then taken outside and tested. Once all this was completed it was transported to site where final commissioning was successfully completed.

The complete Boonal Joint Venture's Customised Dewatering Pump System was designed, installed and commissioned by Dowdens Pumping on time and within budget. Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's Rockhampton branches design philosophy for this project was: Cost Effectiveness - Innovation - Ease of Installation - Simple & Effective Pump Operation - Engine Longevity - System Reliability & Reduced Ongoing Maintenance.

Boonal Joint Venture's Customised Dewatering Pump System - Key Components:

• Hydro Titan 100x65-250 Pump with Universal Coupling
• Yanmar 3TNV84TEPP-PE 3-Cylinder Diesel Engine
• Mine Site Specification Compliance achieved

• Custom hot dipped galvanized pump base fitted with bunding to house diesel fuel tank
• Custom in-house design undertaken by Dowdens Project Engineering Department
• Custom in-house fabrication undertaken by Dowdens Pumping Industrial Workshops

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's Mackay branch was engaged by Anglo American - Moranbah North Coal Mine to design, engineer and build a boost pump station to supply raw water to the longwall area. Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment designed and built the longwall boost pump station utilising dual variable speed pumps to enable the station to cater for varying duties as the underground workings progress further away from the station.

Anglo American's Moranbah North coal mine began operation in 1998 as an underground longwall mine and currently supplies 4.5m tonne annually of high fluidity premium hard coking coal mainly for export to iron and steel manufacturers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

All design, fabrication, installation & commissioning of the longwall boost pump station was undertaken by Dowdens Mackay's in-house Engineering, Fabrication & Workshop Departments and all electrical componentry of the longwall boost pump station was supplied, installed and commissioned by Major Electrical. With a history of successful installations over the past 20 years throughout the Queensland Mining Sector Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment have the ability to expertly design / manufacture / install and commission specialised pumping and water treatment solutions that are built primarily in-house & onsite to our client's specific unique requirements.

Dowdens dedicated departments of industry trained engineers, draftsmen, project managers, sales staff and tradespeople including fitters, mechanics, polywelders, machinists, plumbers, electricians and boiler makers enable us to offer an unmatched range of world-class engineering solutions for any type of water management project. We truly are Queensland's premier one-stop-shop for pumping and water treatment systems!

The pump station boosts water pressure to the longwall currently some 6,000m away. Comprehensive 'pre-challenge' testing was completed prior to the station being transported to site, with all parameters being set during this time. Dowdens internal teams of specialised engineers, CAD draftsmen and tradespeople were able to design and build the station on time and to a tight budget, with Anglo American extremely happy with the work undertaken and product supplied.

Key Pump Station Features:

• All wiring / electrical installation & commissioning on these pump stations was undertaken by Major Electrical Pty Ltd
• KROHNE flow meter
• Pump station utilises four pressure transducers to feed real time pumping data to the computer control
• Two vertical stage pumps directly coupled to two 45kW motors
• As the booster pump station was dealing with high pressures all piping and flanges have a 3,000kPa rating
• Pump station fitted with QDS (Quick Detachment System) lift points - allowing the station to be transferable via the underground Line Eimco
• Touch screen interface enables underground miners access to real time amperage, bearing temperature and flow rate data
• The unit operates via a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system meaning it can be remotely operated from the mine control room on the surface, or underground via the unit's electronic controls

Total Water Volume Transfer: 30L/sec @ 80m head (currently)

Downer EDI Mining [a division of Downer EDI Limited] has engaged Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment [Brisbane] to design, manufacture, install and commission a Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay and associated plant treatment equipment at the Meandu Coal Mine located in Tarong, South East Queensland.

Since January 2013 Downer EDI Mining has been providing mining services at Meandu Mine as part of their long-term rolling contract with TEC Coal Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stanwell Corporation Limited. Downer provides a total mine service to TEC Coal, including mine management, planning, drilling, overburden removal (including dragline and truck-and-shovel operations), coal mining, coal processing, rehabilitation, and maintenance of mobile and fixed plant.

Downer EDI's Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay project tender was won primarily due to Dowdens ability to expertly design / manufacture / install and commission specialised equipment, built in-house & onsite to meet our specific client's unique requirements. With a history of successful installations over the past 15 years within the Queensland Mining Sector, Dowdens is Queensland's premier pumping & water treatment organisation.

Downer's project brief to Dowdens Brisbane was for the design / manufacture / installation and commissioning of a Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay capable of processing a minimum of 5 vehicles per day, with each vehicle taking approximately 1 hour to wash. Meandu Mine required this new Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay to be constructed after the mine had recently purchased a fleet of new generation trucks (KOMATSU 830E Trucks) which are considerably larger in size compared to their existing fleet.

To ensure Meandu Mine continued to meet their Environmental Discharge requirements Dowdens designed and incorporated 4x Settling Pits & 3x Oily Water Separators into the construction of the Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay. In Queensland it is a legal requirement for mine sites to treat (separate) any sludge or oil from any waste water coming from a Heavy Vehicle Wash Bay.

Pictured below you can see the 4x large Settling Pits (empty) that are used to catch / store (via gravity feed) waste water from the Wash Pad area. The waste water generally contains some grease, oil, coal fine and soil (mud). The coal fine, mud and other solid particles washed off the trucks is allowed to settle to the bottom of the Settling Pits - the pits are then intermittently emptied by a Bobcat excavator.

The waste water (still containing grease and oil) is pumped from the Settling Pits via progressive cavity pumps into 3 individual 'Oily Water Separators' to remove the remaining contaminants. Once the waste water has been through this treatment stage it is pumped back into Meandu Mine's network of onsite holding dams to be used in other site extraction and processing applications.

Dowdens design philosophy for this project was: Cost Effectiveness - Current Best Practice - Ease of Installation - Simple Plant Operation - Plant Reliability & Reduced Maintenance.

Key Project System Components are listed below (click for component specs):

• 3x 47kL Poly Tanks for onsite Raw Water storage
• 1x Southern Cross 100x65-250 Cannon Pump
• 1x Grundfos 3kW Hose Reel Pump
• 8x 65mm Orion Sentinel Water Cannons
• 6x Heavy Duty Hose Reels
• 2x Foaming Units
• 1x 13.5kL Detergent Storage Poly Tank
• 1x 1kL Dilution Poly Tank

• 1x Grundfos 0.55kW Detergent Transfer Pump
• 4x Grundfos 7.5kW & Tsurumi 3kW Submersible Sump Pumps
• 2x Oily Water Seperators, Associated Pumps, Instrumentation & Control Board
• 1x Oily Water Hydrocyclone Seperator with Netzsch iFD-Stator® 2.0 Pump, Instrumentation & Control Board
• 1x Skimmer Pump
• 2x Control Panels
• Custom Built Associated Galvanised Pipework

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's Mackay Branch has completed commissioning of the Moranbah 'whole-of-town' Automated Irrigation System. This Dowdens designed irrigation system was delivered to improve the control and ongoing maintenance of township irrigation within Moranbah, QLD.

Isaac Regional Council (IRC) specified a number of key criteria during the tendering process that the system was to deliver. These system criteria included, but were not limited to: provide the ability for night time automatic irrigation to numerous local Athletics Fields that have previously been irrigated manually (using static sprinklers and travelling irrigators) during the day; to replace an aging irrigation system located on Mills Ave. and achieve an overall reduction in labour relating to ongoing maintenance.

Dowdens Mackay successful tender was centred on an innovative Central Control System that enabled remote monitoring and maintenance of the 52 irrigation sites throughout Moranbah. The Dowdens designed controller is based in the Goonyella Road Council Depot. Dowdens Central Control System comprises of a desktop computer, irrigation software, an online weather station and localised communication/data collection infrastructure (routers, modem and radio transmitters/receivers).

This irrigation system is the first time Central Control System architecture has been utilised anywhere in the Isaac Regional Council shire. The system transmits all data collected / collated via several forms of communication i.e. radio frequencies, internet connection (Wi-Fi / 3G) and direct wired connections.

The Dowdens designed Central Control System has the ability to communicate to all Toro Sentinel Controllers via either radio frequency or internet connection. The operator has the ability to program and monitor all controllers via the Central Controller. The operator can set independent watering days, start times and run times for each and every station (valve) connected to Sentinel Controllers. Each day a detailed activity report is sent to all operators notifying them of all system activities, such as no. of actual stations operated, how long for, if any stations recorded abnormal flow (high or low), system communication success or failures, abnormal solenoid coil current (high or low) and the status of all soil moisture sensors. Reports can easily be generated to show the history of all/specific system activities such as those listed above.

A wireless Weather Station and remote Soil Moisture Sensors were installed and connected to the Central Controller to efficiently monitor the regions weather conditions in real-time, and then adjust the systems parameters accordingly. The Weather Station and remote Soil Moisture Sensors are used primarily to prevent irrigation occurring during and after localised rain events and to calculate Evapotranspiration (ET) based irrigation running times. For example the Central Control System is programmed to turn all irrigation off for 3 days (adjustable timeframe) when more than 10mm of rain is received on any 1 day (adjustable timeframe). Weather Station calculates the daily ET and automatically adjusts irrigation duration accordingly (lower ET = lower run time).

CLICK BELOW to hear Alan Pickering (Dowdens Turf Irrigation Design & Engineering Support) discussing the details of the
Moranbah Township Irrigation System with Meecham Philpott from ABC Radio's Tropical North Breakfast program

This systems has provided IRC control and monitoring capabilities of 52 irrigation sites throughout Moranbah from one central site. Delivering vastly improved energy and water use efficiencies this Dowdens designed irrigation systems features automatic shutdown of all irrigation during rain events; automatic adjustment of irrigation run times based on ET; daily automatic reporting of all irrigation sites activity; automatic irrigation for 75% of median strips located on Mills Avenue; addition of quick coupler valves to flush lateral lines thereby minimising blockages; automatic irrigation of Little Athletics / AFL Sporting fields resulting in reduced labour required for manual setup of irrigators; reduction of effluent contact with public via system only watering at night; filters on effluent mainline have minimised blockages to irrigation valve and sprinklers, thereby reducing labour required to clear blockages.

Dowdens Pumping & Water Treatment's design philosophy for this project was: Cost Effectiveness - Current Best Practice - Ease of Installation - Simple & Effective System Operation - System Reliability & Delivering Greatly Reduced Ongoing Maintenance Requirements.

Moranbah Township Irrigation ~ Key System FEATURES & Components:

CENTRAL CONTROL ROOM Components

TORO Sentinel Water Management System software - EATON Computer with Printer, Router, UPS - DAVIS Vantage Pro2Plus Weather Station Console (Inside Temperature, Humidity, Barometric Pressure Sensors) - DAVIS Vantage Pro2Plus Integrated Sensor Suite (Anemometer, Tipping Rain Collector, UV Sensor, Solar Radiation Sensor, Outside Temperature Sensor, Outside Humidity Sensor) - WEATHERLINK Software - TORO NSN Support Systems (24/7 Phone Support for IRC operators)

FIELD CONTROLLERS Overview

Field (or Satellite) Controllers were installed at 52 sites throughout Moranbah. These units control the irrigation at their respective sites by direct wire connection to solenoid valves. The field controllers act as stand alone units, operating independently from the central controller. However all of the Controller's programming information comes via the Central Controller. This allows Field Controllers to operate even if the Central Controller is not operational for any reason (loss of power, phone network outages etc.). The Central Controller and Field Controllers automatically communicate at the end of each day to tabulate current programming changes, and again each morning to receive detailed system activity reports. The Field Controllers can be powered by AC if available on site, or DC via by 12V batteries trickle charged by solar panels.

Controllers were either mounted on existing structures or on Dowdens fabricated galvanised steel posts, hinged to allow access from ground level. Each of the 4 irrigated Sports Field sites have a wireless soil moisture sensor attached. The Field Controllers can be set to prevent watering when the soil moisture is above 50% of capacity (all are adjustable). A Mobile Soil Moisture Sensor was also supplied to allow IRC operators to manually test and record soil moisture levels at any location. All Field Controllers have a built in radio for communication to a 'Base' or 'Node' Controller. Base Controllers also have a 3G modem to communicate with the Central Controller.

MILLS AVENUE - MEDIANS IRRIGATION Overview

This portion of the project involved the design, supply and installation of 17 irrigation systems for all median strips on Mills Avenue, Moranbah (running from Goonyella Road to Clements Street). The existing systems were old, had unreliable battery powered controllers and required high levels of IRC operator maintenance. Most of the medians were generally turf with established large trees, approximately 10 metres wide, ranging anywhere from 10 - 230 metres long.

Each median irrigation system that Dowdens supplied consisted of: DC Sentinel Controller with radio, battery, panel, antenna, hinged pole, connection to existing Effluent mainline, flow sensors, isolation ball valves, solenoid valves / valve boxes, Toro T5 pop-up sprinklers with flexible risers and quick coupler valves placed at the end of the lines for flushing purposes.

LITTLE ATHLETICS / AFL FIELD IRRIGATION Overview

This portion of the project involved the design, supply and installation of an irrigation system for the Moranbah Little Athletics Field. The existing system consisted of a large travelling irrigator, which involved the IRC operator setting up the machine, manually turning it on and off and moving it to each position on the field. This produces uneven watering and often resulted in irrigation needing to undertaken during the day which goes against the applicable effluent re-use guidelines.

The irrigation system that Dowdens supplied incorporated: AC Sentinel Controller with radio & antenna (also incorporating AFL coverage), connection to existing Effluent mainline, 80 mm semi-automatic filter, flow sensors, isolation ball valves, solenoid valves / valve boxes, Toro 640 pop-up sprinklers with articulated risers and a wireless soil moisture sensor was installed on the AFL field to monitor soil moisture content.

MAINLINE FILTERS Overview

This portion of the project involved the design, supply and installation of semi-automatic filters at various locations along the effluent mainline. A 200 mm filter was installed in the mainline behind Moranbah High School, a 100 mm filter at Tallon Street and an 80 mm filter at the Athletics / AFL Field. Each of these filters included galvanised steel pipework to allow filters to be mounted above ground, isolation valves, filter, concrete pad and a Dowdens fabricated lockable enclosure. The filters are easily cleaned by opening a valve / turning a handle to allow the suction scanners to clean the entire filter without needing the removal of the element - a huge time saver for the IRC operators.