Water and Drainage Infrastructure Construction

Introduction

Water supply networks, sewers, storm drainage, treatment plants and pumping stations are essential to public health and urban life. Building and renewing this infrastructure involves deep excavations, work near live services, groundwater, traffic disruption and strict quality requirements for pipes, joints and structures that must perform for decades.

This Water and Drainage Infrastructure Construction training course provides a practical understanding of how water and wastewater infrastructure is planned and built. Participants learn about pipe materials and design principles, open-cut and trenchless installation methods, manholes and chambers, pumping stations and treatment plant construction, testing and commissioning, and the management of safety, traffic and community impacts.

The course is suitable for engineers, managers and supervisors working for utilities, contractors and consultants.

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the components of water and drainage infrastructure
• Understand hydraulic and structural design principles for pipelines
• Select pipe materials and jointing systems appropriately
• Plan open-cut pipeline construction and trench support
• Compare trenchless installation and rehabilitation methods
• Manage construction of pumping stations and treatment structures
• Plan testing, disinfection and commissioning
• Manage safety, traffic and community impacts of utility works

Target Audience

This training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, including:

• Civil engineers in water and wastewater
• Construction managers and site supervisors
• Utility project managers
• Consulting and design engineers
• Municipal infrastructure officials
• Contractors' commercial and planning staff

Training Methodology

The course uses technical briefings, drawings and case studies from water and drainage projects. Participants plan a pipeline installation, select between open-cut and trenchless methods, review test results and plan traffic management, working in groups on realistic scenarios.

Target Competencies

• Pipeline design awareness
• Pipe material selection
• Open-cut construction planning
• Trenchless method selection
• Testing and commissioning
• Utility works impact management

Day One: Water and Drainage Systems

• Water supply, sewerage and storm drainage systems
• Network components and their functions
• Hydraulic principles for pressure and gravity pipelines
• Regulatory and public health requirements
• Ageing infrastructure and renewal programmes
• Climate change and urban drainage challenges
• Exercise: reviewing a network layout

Day Two: Pipes, Materials and Design

• Pipe materials: ductile iron, plastics, concrete and steel
• Jointing systems and their installation requirements
• Structural design of buried pipes
• Bedding, backfill and pipe support
• Manholes, chambers and valves
• Corrosion and durability of pipeline materials
• Workshop: selecting pipe materials for scenarios

Day Three: Open-Cut and Trenchless Construction

• Planning open-cut pipeline construction
• Trench support and groundwater control
• Working near existing utilities safely
• Pipe jacking and microtunnelling
• Horizontal directional drilling for pipe installation
• Pipe rehabilitation and relining techniques
• Exercise: choosing between open-cut and trenchless methods

Day Four: Pumping Stations and Treatment Plants

• Pumping station design and construction
• Wet wells, dry wells and deep shaft construction
• Building water-retaining concrete structures
• Mechanical and electrical installation coordination
• Treatment plant construction sequencing
• Working on live operational sites
• Case study: building a sewage pumping station

Day Five: Testing, Commissioning and Impact Management

• Pressure testing of water pipelines
• Air and water testing of gravity sewers
• Disinfection and water quality sampling
• CCTV surveys and acceptance criteria
• Traffic management and community communication
• Handover, records and asset information
• Personal action plan for water infrastructure construction