Unitywater Value and Hydrant Renewal Program
Unitywater operates and maintains a water supply network with more than 6,200 kilometres of watermain pipelines, including more than 30,000 valves and 50,000 hydrants across the Sunshine Coast region.
The Valves and Hydrants Renewals Program coordinates priority replacement of valves and hydrants across the Unitywater network. The program supports improved water quality, enhanced firefighting safety, reduced water loss and improved asset knowledge through opportunistic condition assessment of the water network.
RPS provided embedded project and program management support for the program, including planning, execution and closure phase management, contract administration, risk management, stakeholder management and continuous reporting.
The challenge
Following findings from a Unitywater inspection program, the size of the FY22–FY23 Valves and Hydrants Renewals Program was increased significantly, with more than 1,400 assets nominated for replacement.
The program spanned Unitywater’s entire water network, covering three local government areas and works within road corridors. The scale and spread of the program created complexity across planning, customer communication, traffic management, isolations and critical water supply management.
The works were delivered through two primary activity streams: planning, scoping and trial-shut activities, followed by water outage and replacement works. The nominated assets were grouped into more than 170 defined sites, each requiring careful coordination to support safe and efficient delivery.
Our approach
RPS provided an embedded project management resource within Unitywater to support day-to-day delivery and broader program coordination.
The role included project management across planning, execution and closure phases, as well as program management for overall delivery. RPS also provided contract administration, risk management, stakeholder management and continuous reporting support.
Working within Unitywater’s delivery environment, RPS supported the coordination of planning and scoping activities, trial-shut requirements, outage planning, replacement works and stakeholder interfaces across multiple sites.
This embedded approach helped provide consistent oversight across a geographically dispersed program, while supporting the practical coordination needed to manage customer impacts, traffic requirements and critical supply considerations.
The result
RPS helped Unitywater coordinate a large and complex renewals program across its water supply network, supporting delivery planning, execution oversight, contract administration, risk management and reporting.
The program provided a structured pathway for priority replacement of valves and hydrants across more than 170 defined sites, helping Unitywater manage asset renewal activity across multiple local government areas and operational contexts.
Through embedded project and program management support, RPS helped strengthen visibility, coordination and control across the program, supporting Unitywater’s ongoing management of critical network assets and service outcomes for customers and communities.
The project demonstrates RPS’ ability to support utilities with practical program delivery, project controls and stakeholder coordination across distributed water infrastructure renewal programs.
