An unusual sight greeted residents and commuters this morning, with a helicopter being used to place a new roof on the Buderim Water Reservoir.
The helicopter made 20 individual lifts of materials with an average of 400kg per load to complete the installation of the roof.
The materials were airlifted from Wises Road to the reservoir, between Sheoak Court and Grant Street, between 7am and 1pm.
To ensure safety, a 70-metre exclusion zone was established along the flight path, which forced the closure of the Eric Joseph Foote War Memorial Park and the northern end of Grant Street.
Utilising specialised lifting and rigging equipment, the helicopter transported roofing and structural materials measuring 13 metres long to the site.
This aerial transportation method bypassed a windy and steep driveway, eliminating the need for extensive vegetation clearing.
“By opting for air transportation, we’ve been able to preserve hundreds of koala habitat trees that could have otherwise been impacted,” Unitywater manager capital delivery Ben van Wegen said.
The renewal of the Buderim Water Reservoir has been underway for seven months. It is expected to be re-commissioned in early August.
“This renewal project by Unitywater has secured a constant supply of 20,000,000 litres of water to the Buderim community for another 30 years into the future,” Mr van Wegen said.
Unitywater has more than 100 potable water reservoirs in its network, with about six reservoirs undergoing renewal works every year.
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