Water infrastructure refurbishments

Port Hedland International Airport

Port Hedland International Airport (PHIA) wished to significantly upgrade its terminal building water infrastructure. Their goal? To enable the growth and development of freight and passenger services while improving safety, security, flexibility, and capability. The challenge? Our fire protection, hydraulics, mechanical, and structural consultants had to design the refurbishments of the existing terminal and new extension so that all construction could be carried out while PHIA continued to operate.

In addition to a site-wide upgrade of the water infrastructure (adding metering and leak detection capabilities), we resolved a major sewer connection issue through the provision of new sewer infrastructure and an onsite wastewater treatment system. A series of water tanks enable the filling of airport trucks, provide 48 hours of emergency supply to the airport, and capture condensate from the A/C system for irrigation use. Our Hydraulic team also designed site-wide pump and tank emergency infrastructure, with extra capacity to deliver sufficient flow and pressure for airport fire brigade use. The new terminal design features a siphonic roof drainage system to cope with the heavy tropical rains prevalent in the area.

The repurposed modern terminal will offer first class functionality and aesthetic appeal, improving the travelling experience for people in the northwest communities who rely on PHIA as a transit hub to Brisbane, Perth, and Bali.​