❓ Question regarding a 'dead leg' pipe within the QEII Health Campus water supply, its removal, and associated water testing. The answer includes test results and political commentary.
AnsweredQoN 40Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In regard to the water supply ring main within the QEII Health Campus, and in particular the "Dead Leg" mentioned in the report by the Building Commissioner, can the Minister advise: (a) how far from the new inlet pipe to the Children's Hospital was the "Dead Leg pipe; (b) what diameter is the ring main at the location of the Childfen's Hospital inlet pipe; (c) what is the diameter of the inlet pipe/pipes for the Children's Hospital and its material composition; (d) what was the pipe diameter of the removed "Dead Leg" and its material composition; (e) how long was the "Dead Leg" pipe; (f) what testing was done on the water and scale within the removed "Dead Leg" pipe; (g) what location within the "Dead Leg" pipe was the testing done; (h) what was the results for all contaminants within the "Dead Leg" pipe; (i) when was the presence of the "Dead Leg" pipe first brought to the attention of the North Metropolitan Health Services Executive; (j) when was the presence of the "Dead Leg" pipe first brought to the attention of the Children's Hospital Project team; (k) when was the presence of the "Dead Leg" pipe first brought to the attention of the Children's Hospital builder,John Holland; and (l) when and why was the "Dead Leg" pipe removed, and who undertook this work?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 June 2017
Responded by
Minister for Treasurer
Response time
9 days
(a) The “Dead Leg” pipe was located approximately 54m from the northern feed inlet to the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) basement and approximately 9m from the southern feed inlet to the PCH basement.
(b) The diameter of the ring main at the location of the PCH inlet pipes is 300mm.
(c) The diameter of the PCH inlet pipes is 150mm. The material composition at the “take-off” from the ring main is epoxy coated ductile iron, changing to stainless steel as it enters the PCH site.
(d) The diameter of the “Dead Leg” pipe is 300mm. The material composition is epoxy coated ductile iron.
(e) The “Dead Leg” pipe was approximately 54m in length.
(f) Both ChemCentre (on behalf of the State) and ALS Environmental (on behalf of John Holland Pty Ltd) completed testing of sludge and water samples in the “Dead Leg” after its disconnection in September 2016, more than six months prior to the state election, and when the Member was a Cabinet Minister of the previous Government.
(g) The testing of the disconnected “Dead Leg” pipe completed by John Holland Pty Ltd’s subcontractor ALS Environmental used samples taken from a location approximately 20m from the point where the “Dead Leg” has been disconnected from the ring main. The Department of Treasury’s analyst and advisor, ChemCentre, tested 8 samples from within the “Dead Leg” pipe extracted from a similar location within the “Dead Leg”.
(h) The John Holland Pty Ltd results from samples taken in September 2016. These results would have been available then and the Member’s interest would have been placed when he was a Member of Cabinet and he could have got the answers nine months ago. However, being in Opposition has clearly brought a new appreciation for openness and transparency. The contaminants in the “Dead Leg” pipe are as follows:
Metal
ADWG (mg/L)
QEIIMC Dead Leg (mg/L)
Arsenic
0.01
0.004
Cadmium (Cd)
0.002
0.0048
Chromium (Cr)
0.05
0.034
Copper (Cu)
2
14
Nickel (Ni)
0.02
0.137
Lead (Pb)
0.01
0.282
Zinc (Zn)
3
1.37
Manganese (Mn)
0.5
23.1
Iron (Fe)
0.3
159
The Department of Treasury’s results are as follows:
No
Cd_total
Co_total
Cr_total
Cu_total
Fe_total
Mn_total
Ni_total
Pb_total
Zn_total
Limits
0.0001
0.0001
0.001
0.001
0.02
0.0005
0.001
0.0005
0.005
Units
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
1
<0.0001
0.0014
0.002
0.22
5.2
0.46
0.002
0.0053
0.018
2
<0.0001
0.0002
<0.001
0.021
1.3
0.074
<0.001
0.0012
0.009
3
0.0009
0.024
0.017
4.2
72
8
0.032
0.062
0.2
4
<0.0001
0.001
0.002
0.16
3.5
0.45
0.002
0.0039
0.02
5
0.0008
0.02
0.012
3.4
56
6.7
0.027
0.053
0.17
6
<0.0001
0.002
0.002
0.3
6.2
0.6
0.003
0.007
0.023
7
0.004
0.1
0.052
20
350
41
0.13
0.36
1.4
8
0.0008
0.0084
0.014
4.3
1600
3.8
0.021
0.026
0.61
(i) Please refer to the Minister for Health.
(j) The Department of Treasury’s PCH project team was made aware of the “Dead Leg” pipe in approximately September 2016. However, the previous Liberal/ National Government chose to hide this information from the WA Public.
(k) John Holland Pty Ltd was made aware of the “Dead Leg” pipe in approximately September 2016. However, the current Opposition Leader maintains his highly implausible stance that he was never informed.
(l) The disconnection of the “Dead Leg” pipe was undertaken by NMHS in collaboration with the Department of Treasury. The work was carried out on 29 September 2016. Of course, despite the Department of Treasury PCH project team, John Holland Pty Ltd, Sanwell Plumbing and Civil all knowing about the problem and acting to remedy it, the then Treasurer and current Opposition Leader was apparently the one man who was still unaware that it existed. Sanwell Plumbing and Civil undertook the works. These works were undertaken as a precautionary measure to remove the possible contamination risk by replacing a section of the ”Dead Leg” pipe as preventative maintenance to enable the installation of a scour valve to the QEII potable water ring main. The works were completed under direction from NMHS. Technical advice was provided to NMHS by the Department of Treasury’s hydraulic engineering advisor, Jacobs Australia.
(b) The diameter of the ring main at the location of the PCH inlet pipes is 300mm.
(c) The diameter of the PCH inlet pipes is 150mm. The material composition at the “take-off” from the ring main is epoxy coated ductile iron, changing to stainless steel as it enters the PCH site.
(d) The diameter of the “Dead Leg” pipe is 300mm. The material composition is epoxy coated ductile iron.
(e) The “Dead Leg” pipe was approximately 54m in length.
(f) Both ChemCentre (on behalf of the State) and ALS Environmental (on behalf of John Holland Pty Ltd) completed testing of sludge and water samples in the “Dead Leg” after its disconnection in September 2016, more than six months prior to the state election, and when the Member was a Cabinet Minister of the previous Government.
(g) The testing of the disconnected “Dead Leg” pipe completed by John Holland Pty Ltd’s subcontractor ALS Environmental used samples taken from a location approximately 20m from the point where the “Dead Leg” has been disconnected from the ring main. The Department of Treasury’s analyst and advisor, ChemCentre, tested 8 samples from within the “Dead Leg” pipe extracted from a similar location within the “Dead Leg”.
(h) The John Holland Pty Ltd results from samples taken in September 2016. These results would have been available then and the Member’s interest would have been placed when he was a Member of Cabinet and he could have got the answers nine months ago. However, being in Opposition has clearly brought a new appreciation for openness and transparency. The contaminants in the “Dead Leg” pipe are as follows:
Metal
ADWG (mg/L)
QEIIMC Dead Leg (mg/L)
Arsenic
0.01
0.004
Cadmium (Cd)
0.002
0.0048
Chromium (Cr)
0.05
0.034
Copper (Cu)
2
14
Nickel (Ni)
0.02
0.137
Lead (Pb)
0.01
0.282
Zinc (Zn)
3
1.37
Manganese (Mn)
0.5
23.1
Iron (Fe)
0.3
159
The Department of Treasury’s results are as follows:
No
Cd_total
Co_total
Cr_total
Cu_total
Fe_total
Mn_total
Ni_total
Pb_total
Zn_total
Limits
0.0001
0.0001
0.001
0.001
0.02
0.0005
0.001
0.0005
0.005
Units
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
1
<0.0001
0.0014
0.002
0.22
5.2
0.46
0.002
0.0053
0.018
2
<0.0001
0.0002
<0.001
0.021
1.3
0.074
<0.001
0.0012
0.009
3
0.0009
0.024
0.017
4.2
72
8
0.032
0.062
0.2
4
<0.0001
0.001
0.002
0.16
3.5
0.45
0.002
0.0039
0.02
5
0.0008
0.02
0.012
3.4
56
6.7
0.027
0.053
0.17
6
<0.0001
0.002
0.002
0.3
6.2
0.6
0.003
0.007
0.023
7
0.004
0.1
0.052
20
350
41
0.13
0.36
1.4
8
0.0008
0.0084
0.014
4.3
1600
3.8
0.021
0.026
0.61
(i) Please refer to the Minister for Health.
(j) The Department of Treasury’s PCH project team was made aware of the “Dead Leg” pipe in approximately September 2016. However, the previous Liberal/ National Government chose to hide this information from the WA Public.
(k) John Holland Pty Ltd was made aware of the “Dead Leg” pipe in approximately September 2016. However, the current Opposition Leader maintains his highly implausible stance that he was never informed.
(l) The disconnection of the “Dead Leg” pipe was undertaken by NMHS in collaboration with the Department of Treasury. The work was carried out on 29 September 2016. Of course, despite the Department of Treasury PCH project team, John Holland Pty Ltd, Sanwell Plumbing and Civil all knowing about the problem and acting to remedy it, the then Treasurer and current Opposition Leader was apparently the one man who was still unaware that it existed. Sanwell Plumbing and Civil undertook the works. These works were undertaken as a precautionary measure to remove the possible contamination risk by replacing a section of the ”Dead Leg” pipe as preventative maintenance to enable the installation of a scour valve to the QEII potable water ring main. The works were completed under direction from NMHS. Technical advice was provided to NMHS by the Department of Treasury’s hydraulic engineering advisor, Jacobs Australia.
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