Diona

31/03/2025

Diona’s Queensland Community Relations Team recently partnered with the Urban Utilities Education Team to bring the Water Warriors Show to Glenore Grove State School in the Lockyer Valley.

With the help of puppets Blocka and Wasteful Walter, alongside Lucy Loo and Drip Drop, the 250 students learned about the water cycle, the importance of protecting our water resources, and the three P’s of wastewater management. The energy in the room was electric—laughter and singing filled the air as the children became ‘Water Warriors’ ready and excited to take their new knowledge home and become advocates for water sustainability.

We are thrilled to support Urban Utilities in bringing water education to schools across the region. It was a fantastic day of learning, fun, and community connection—reinforcing our commitment to making a difference beyond project delivery and creating lasting, positive impacts in the communities where we work. By inspiring young minds to value water and sustainability, we contribute to a more informed and responsible future generation.

25/11/2024

Diona is proud to partner with Urban Utilities on the Esk Reservoir project as part of the Water North Zones Program, providing a secure and reliable water supply for the growing communities of the Somerset region. With all foundational works now complete, we’re excited to see the reservoir structure take shape in the coming weeks.

09/10/2024

We’re excited to share the latest updates on our Cameron Park Reservoir project, where our collaboration with Hunter Water is driving enhanced water resources for the community.

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?
We’ve achieved a significant milestone with the installation of the 26-metre diameter roof, which is centrally supported by a single column to meet Hunter Water's chlorine mixing requirements. The roof and stair tower structures, weighing just under 20 tonnes, were assembled using a 60-tonne crane and electric boom lifts.

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS
Considerable effort has gone into reaching this stage, including:

Directional Drilling: Completion of two major directional drills, installing DN 450 and DN 180 HDPE pipes with minimal environmental impact.
Water Mains Installation: Laying 1280 metres of DN 560 HDPE bidirectional water mains along the access road, integrating critical components such as Scour and Air Valve Tees for a fully operational water network. 50 meters of DN250 HDPE has been installed connecting the Cameron Grove lead in main.

Concrete Works: Pouring approximately 150 cubic metres of concrete for the reservoir base, engineered for long-term durability.

Reservoir Walls: Construction of the reservoir walls in 2.4-metre-high segments, culminating in a final 2.5-metre segment, reaching a total height of 7.3 metres. Each segment used around 60 cubic metres of concrete, creating a structure built to last.

LOOKING FORWARD
As we move closer to completing the reservoir, pump station, and associated pipework, our focus will shift to finalising stormwater systems, electrical installations, site remediation, and commissioning. It won’t be long before the reservoir goes online, securing future water supply for the communities of West Wallsend and Cameron Park.

OUR COMMITMENT
Every step of this project is taken with an eye on sustainability and efficiency. Our construction methods like horizontal directional drilling keep our environmental footprint small, proving that big projects don't have to mean big impacts.

We’re proud of the progress made so far and look forward to sharing more as we continue to build a better future for Cameron Park.

29/08/2024

The McConnell Dowell Diona Joint Venture is thrilled to announce the extension of our contract with SA Water as part of the utility’s capital delivery program, which will see our partnership continue until 30 June 2028.

This extension will enhance our collaboration with SA Water as we engage further upstream in the program lifecycle, applying our knowledge and expertise to plan, create, and optimise the program, providing long-term value for SA Water and the South Australian community.

MDJV Framework Manager, Marc Doyle commented; “SA Water’s capital delivery program is integral to securing a sustainable and resilient water future for South Australian’s and MDJV is proud to be a trusted partner in delivering these essential services. We remain committed to driving value for money across the program through a focus on safety, innovation, environmental sustainability, and positive social and economic outcomes.”

With significant investment in water and wastewater infrastructure to support South Australia's growth over the next four years, we look forward to a busy period filled with opportunities for our team and the community to participate in challenging and transformative projects that will benefit South Australians for generations.

Thomas Melvin, Executive General Manager of Diona said; “We are excited to continue our partnership with SA Water. This extension allows us to leverage our extensive experience and innovative approaches to ensure the success of SA Water’s 2024-28 capital delivery program. Together, we will continue to make significant contributions to the sustainable development of South Australia’s water infrastructure, enabling communities to thrive.”

28/08/2024

We are honoured to have contributed to the commemoration of the Sunnyside Mill workers who enlisted in World War II.

Well done to Central Highlands Water, the Mount Pleasant History Group, Ballarat Regional Trades & Labour Council, Ballarat RSL, and the City of Ballarat for collaborating on this wonderful initiative to preserve the memories and history of this location and recognise the people who served and sacrificed for our future.

We were humbled to gather alongside the Sunnyside Mill on Saturday to unveil a commemorative plaque and tree avenue honouring mill workers who enlisted in World War I.

This event was the result of a great deal of research and collaboration between Mount Pleasant History Group - Ballarat, Ballarat Regional Trades & Labour Council, Ballarat RSL, Ballarat Council, Diona and Central Highlands Water.

We greatly appreciate the willingness of these groups, and the community, who worked with us as we removed two trees at the site to make way for our major infrastructure project, the Ballarat Sewer Build. Together we’ve been able to replace those trees, plus add three more, to complete this avenue.

We commend those parties who explored the history of the Sunnyside Mill enlistees to enable us to recognise their commitment and sacrifice.

As we build infrastructure for the future, it’s heartening for us to have the opportunity, through this collaboration, to also remember the past.

12/07/2024

In recognition of NAIDOC Week, our Queensland team hosted a special morning tea featuring delicious native Australian ingredients from Fig Jam and Co, a local Indigenous-owned business. Emphasising the significance of artwork in Aboriginal culture for storytelling and knowledge sharing, we expressed our creativity through a hand and dot painting activity.

A heartfelt thank you to Zali Offer, a proud member of the Noongar people from Western Australia, for organising this event, guiding us through the painting, and sharing your Aboriginal heritage with us.

This week is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It provides an opportunity for us to deepen our understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures and traditions.

Thanks to everyone who joined in making this an enjoyable and informative event.

20/03/2024

We are thrilled to share a recent initiative by our Ballarat South team, who joined forces with Central Highlands Water and the Environment Protection Authority Victoria for a special cause. While our primary focus has been on the essential upgrades of Ballarat’s ageing sewer system through the Ballarat South Separable Portion 2 project, our commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond our project scope.

Understanding the importance of preserving our natural ecosystems, we recently took part in Clean Up Australia Day efforts, targeting the areas near Redan and Yuilles Wetlands and the Yarrowee River (Yaramlok). These beautiful areas are crucial habitats for wildlife, including the common galaxias, short-finned eel, Australian smelt, and even the endangered growling grass frog and iconic platypus. Sadly, these ecosystems have faced threats from illegal dumping.

Our project manager, Matthew Duckett, enthusiastically volunteered resources to help clean up these sensitive areas to support the regional Clean Up Australia Day efforts. Armed with a light tipper, hessian sacks, BBQ tongs, and a collaborative spirit, the team contributed positively, removing waste and helping to protect the local fauna.

This clean-up activity complements our ongoing infrastructure project, which aims to modernise Ballarat’s sewer system with minimal environmental disruption. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire Ballarat team for their enthusiasm and voluntary effort in making a meaningful difference in our community.