2018 – Importance of Integrated Asset Management for Dams and Outlet Works – A Melbourne Water Perspective

Mark Callander

Melbourne Water (MW) has historically seen dam safety management as a civil discipline and has focussed on understanding and managing the civil assets at its dam sites. The recent addition of a mechanical engineering resource to the team responsible for the dam safety management has refocused attention on the mechanical and electrical (M&E) assets and provided a more holistic asset management approach to MWs large dams.

This paper discusses the process MW has developed over the past two years to improve their understanding and management of M&E assets. It centres on key process points for how MW has prioritised the development of M&E asset management programs on the basis of an autogenous ‘asset criticality’ rating system and has utilised ANCOLD comprehensive inspections to plan and implement new inspections and tests on dam M&E assets. The two case studies of Sugarloaf and Upper Yarra Reservoirs’ outlet works demonstrate the the benefits of the process to gain operational and technical knowledge of M&E assets, strategic importance to the water supply network, identifying risks therein and reallocate significant funding to address these risks as prioritised by asset criticality.

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