Buderim residents were treated to a spectacle in the skies as a new roof for the Buderim Water Reservoir was airlifted from Wises Road to its destination at the reservoir site this morning captivating onlookers between 7AM and 1PM.
The airlift operation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing renewal project by Unitywater which aims to ensure the Buderim Water Reservoir continues to deliver safe and reliable water to the Buderim community into the future.
Ben van Wegen, Manager Capital Delivery at Unitywater, says that this renewal will bring the Buderim Water Reservoir into the future upgrading to a new, corrosion resistant aluminium roof.
“This renewal project by Unitywater have secured a constant supply of 20,000,000 litres of water to the Buderim community for another 30 years into the future,” said van Wegen.
To complete the installation of the roof, the helicopter made 20 individual lifts of roofing materials with an average of 400 kilograms per load.
To ensure the safety of the community during the airlift operation, a 70-meter exclusion zone was established along the flight path, which necessitated the closure of the Eric Joseph Foote War Memorial Park, and the northern end of Grant Street.
Utilizing specialized lifting and rigging equipment, the helicopter transported roofing and structural materials measuring 13 meters in length to the Buderim Water Reservoir site.
This aerial transportation method bypassed the windy and steep driveway, eliminating the need for extensive
vegetation clearing.
"By opting for air transportation, we've been able to preserve hundreds of koala habitat trees that could have otherwise been impacted," said van Wegen.
The ongoing renewal of the Buderim Water Reservoir has been underway for seven months and is expected to be re-commissioned in early August.
Unitywater has over 100 potable water reservoirs in its network, with approximately six reservoirs undergoing renew works every year.
