Repairs underway at Torrensville riverbank site

SA Water, on behalf of the State Government, has begun on-site remediation of a section of storm-damaged riverbank along the River Torrens near Hardys Road in Torrensville.

Management of the River Torrens and Linear Park is a joint state and local government responsibility, with SA Water sometimes called on to contribute its construction management and engineering expertise to help repair riverbanks.

SA Water’s General Manager of Asset Operations and Delivery Mark Gobbie said of the four most recent riverbank sites SA Water has helped repair, Torrensville is the most complex.

"At 100-metres, it’s the longest section of riverbank our crews are working on, and it’s also the highest at around seven-metres," Mark said.

"This requires a larger concrete base to be constructed as part of the gabion wall (specialised steel baskets filled with rocks), which will support the riverbank through any future high water events.

"Additionally, the area being repaired is at a sweeping bend of the river, which means water flows through here at a stronger velocity.

"Safety is always the highest priority at all of our work sites, but at Torrensville, extra precaution is being taken in the placement of equipment and how we time the use of pumps or other methods to lower the water level when needed."

SA Water is committed to keeping construction impacts to a minimum, and has been working with the City of West Torrens and Charles Sturt, as well as updating residents and businesses in the lead-up to the project starting.

"There will be increased vehicle activity during construction, and for the safety of the community and our contractors, temporary traffic management will be required during parts of the project," Mark said.

"This will allow trucks and other vehicles to access the site compound temporarily in place on the northern side of the river. During construction, the shared-use path on this side will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists, however the path on the southern side will be temporarily closed.

"Extra signage and fencing will be in place during works, and we ask people travelling near the area to follow these important safety measures."

South Australian contractor SEM Utilities will carry out the work from Monday to Saturday between 7am and 5pm. Some work may be required on Sundays, but neighbouring properties will be advised when this occurs.

SA Water has helped with similar riverbank remediation adjacent the brewery at Hindmarsh, and in Paradise.

"Since receiving funding in 2018 to progress repairs on behalf of the State Government at four additional sites along the Torrens, we have completed works at Gilberton and Lockleys, and started construction at Thebarton," Mark said.

"The experience and knowledge we’ve gained from working at all of these sites has greatly helped in planning and design for the more complex Torrensville riverbank section, and is one of the reasons it was prioritised as the final of the four sites.

"Subject to weather and river flow conditions, repairs at Thebarton and Torrensville are expected to be complete in the first half of this year.

"The completion of remediation at these sites will enable the relevant local councils to undertake repairs to their infrastructure within Linear Park and re-open adjacent walkways or bicycle paths to the public."

All repair sites were assessed and prioritised based on safety, the volume and frequency of visitors they receive, and the likelihood they might deteriorate further in the near-term.

Work being undertaken by SA Water as part of the overall $5.2 million project varies between locations, and includes:

• debris and unstable soil removal
• some vegetation removal to ensure bank stability and safety of our workers and the community
• installation of concrete pins and gabion walls
• temporary removal of existing infrastructure such as walkways and fencing, for better access during construction.

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