Project Overview
In June and July of 2022, a major leak was discovered in the main pipeline that was the single feed to the town of Morawa and surrounds. The leak posed a significant threat to the town’s water supply and needed to be fixed immediately.
The high-pressure main and the responsibility of dealing with a single feed to a farm community and township presented significant challenges for Saltire. The company had to quickly mobilize pipe, materials, and personnel to the remote site, which was located approximately 500km from their base in Perth Canning area. The job had to be completed during Covid restrictions, adding to the challenge.
Client:Water Corporation
Scope:Emergency Water Main Isolation & Repair
Value:$400k
Key Elements
Saltire’s crew were mobilised to the farm town to solve the leak. The company utilised 3 in-house technologies to replace the existing main, while continuing to supply water to the town of Three Springs. Firstly, two S-Gate valves were installed on the outer limits of the proposed pipe replacement. Second, hot tapping was performed on each side of the main, to facilitate a by-pass main set-up and third a DN 110 PE by-pass was connected using Hawle System 2000 mechanical couplings. Once the by-pass was in place, the S-Gate valves were used to shut down the leaking section of the pipeline, and the road was cut, the old pipeline was dug up and removed. The new pipeline was then placed and welded, and after treating the pipe with chlorine and testing the pressure, the new section was connected to the main and the by-pass was removed. Finally, the road and side road was reinstated.
Saltire’s quick and efficient solution to the major leak in Three Springs demonstrates the company’s expertise and ability to handle challenging and time-sensitive projects. The use of a combination of technologies provides a unique offering within W.A. for this type of urgent repair works.
Significant Achievements and Benefits
Despite the challenges, Saltire delivered all aspects of the project, including hot tapping, S-Gate valve installation, pipeline construction, commissioning, and road reinstatement. The company mobilised to the site to undertake the emergency repair work in just three days after the client’s approval and completed the job in approximately two weeks. The successful completion of the project ensured that the towns of Morawa, Koolanooka and multiple farms had a reliable water supply without disruption during the urgent repair works. The client for the works has commended Saltire for the ability to perform the task to completion at the highest quality in such a short timeframe.
The Saltire Advantage
Eliminate Shutdowns & Outages
Ensuring the continued operation and supply of water to stakeholders.
Reduce Construction Footprint
Reduce excavation work and traffic management with location-specific isolation solutions.
Safer Equipment
Safe, modern and efficient equipment engineered to comply with international and Australian standards.
Reduce Environmental Impact
Eliminate loss of treated water on the network by redirecting supply during maintenance work.
Save Money
Save an average of 40% of installation and repair work by eliminating 100% of the costs related to system shutdown.
Service
Saltire provides reliable and emergency services you can count on and customised for your needs.
Innovate
Our dedicated focus on the water services sector means we have our finger on the pulse in the latest technologies and industry developments. We think outside the box to develop the best solution for each product.
Deliver
Our commitment to safety and professionalism means our focus is on projects being delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of safety, quality, and environmental management.
Excel
Our mission is to exceed client expectations in terms of safety, presentation, engagement, and delivery. Our performance is monitored through both formal and informal feedback as part of our continuous improvement initiatives.
Our Capabilities
At Saltire, we pride ourselves on delivering intelligent, tailored solutions for water infrastructure. Our expertise spans from major project consultancy in civil construction to rapid emergency repair works, ensuring reliable and efficient water networks at every scale.
Wastewater Infrastructure
We deliver wastewater infrastructure that’s built to last—prioritising durability, performance and client needs across every project.
Design and Construct
End-to-end design and construct solutions delivering smarter, sustainable water infrastructure—engineered for efficiency, durability and performance.
Project Management
From concept to completion, we manage projects with precision, collaboration, and a focus on delivering results.
Civil Construction
Saltire delivers end-to-end civil construction services with a flexible, client-first approach—ensuring quality outcomes across roads, drainage, earthworks, and concrete works.
Dry Vac Excavation
Saltire’s dry vac excavation services for safe, non-destructive underground asset exposure, ensuring precision and environmental responsibility.
Pipeline Condition Assessment
Saltire offers expert asset condition assessment services for pressurised pipeline inspections, leak detection and mains tracing.
Valve & Hydrant Replacements
Saltire’s efficient valve and hydrant replacement services, ensuring minimal disruption, future access, and reliable infrastructure solutions.
Emergency Repair Works
Swift and efficient emergency repair services ensure pipeline integrity and minimise downtime, safeguarding communities and resources.
Industry Leading Technology
We harness a unique mix of technologies and solutions to ensure your system continuity during repairs. This includes hot tapping, flow stopping and s-gate valves.
Live Water Mains Inspection
Advanced live inspection technology detects issues in pressurised pipelines—maintaining network integrity without isolations, shutdowns, or service disruption.
Hot Tapping
Saltire Infrastructure utilises high-pressure rated Hot Tapping Equipment for the fast and safe installation of new branch connections and bypass mains, with the current capability to install DN25-DN400 offtakes.
Flow Stopping
Line Stopping allows works to be undertaken on water mains without interruption to customer supply. Deploying a stopper and bypass system, the rig set-up allows for sections of pipelines to be made dry allowing safe repair or replacement of the existing network.
S-Gate Valve
Saltire Infrastructure’s S-gate Valve System is a WSAA-approved live insertion valve system, designed to be used on live under pressure pipelines, providing mechanical isolation on the network to operator’s requirements and a future asset on the pipeline network to be used time and time again.
Our clients rely on us to innovate, deliver and excel.
Our team possesses a strong understanding of client requirements and we focus on building long term professional relationships and exceeding expectations within safety, quality, and environment. Being a Western Australian owned and operated company, Saltire supports local communities by prioritising partnerships with WA suppliers and Contractors.
"I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the excellent work your team did during the hot-tapping operations in Allanooka. The quality of work and professionalism exhibited by everyone on the team was truly impressive. We were particularly impressed with the care and precision with which all equipment was operated."
P. Lee
Senior Project Manager - Rob Carr"The whole job was exceptionally organised and the teamwork between the crews was seamless. That is the level of preparedness and safety we strive for on all work, especially nightshift. The feedback from the Operations Manager, Communications Advisor, and local customers have all been full of praise for the work."
J. Collier
Project Leader - Water Corporation“Saltire successfully delivered works for the Armadale Line Upgrade Alliance (ALUA), including self-performed Water Corporation relocations for the Beckenham, Cannington, and Wharf Street packages. Saltire demonstrated strong performance, meeting the standards expected on a Tier 1 project.
Despite site complexities and programme challenges, Saltire maintained a strong commitment to safety and delivered the works in alignment with the ALUA schedule.
Saltire’s proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and problem-solving was a key factor in the project’s success. Their flexibility in adapting to evolving site conditions and ability to coordinate efficiently with other contractors contributed significantly to minimising disruptions and ensuring the seamless delivery of critical project milestones.”
S. Doogan
Delivery Manager - Armadale Line Upgrade Alliance“Being unable to carry out our traditional in-house inspections under isolation due to no contingency for supplying over 30,000 homes, we had to look for an alternative solution.
Previously working with Saltire on other projects using other equipment, we were confident the job would be delivered successfully. Working in an environmentally sensitive area and in a complex excavation, the team delivered beyond expectations. Utmost professionalism from scope to delivery”
Specialist, Inspection & Condition Assessment, Engineering Department
Water Corporation WA
