Ventia Utility Service Pty Ltd (Ventia) were engaged by Transport for NSW TfNSW) to remediate the 4 – 6 Grand Avenue, Camellia Site. This site is part of the Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) project, and at the completion of remediation will become the Stabling and Maintenance facility (SaM) for the Parramatta Light Rail.

The site will be used to maintain and house light rail vehicles, and a control centre to operate the light rail system. The project was approved by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, as a State Significant Infrastructure project.

The Camellia site has a legacy of Chromium production, amongst other co-contaminants. Ventia’s remediation approach includes the construction of hydraulic barrier around the perimeter and an engineered capping system and a containment cell. Ground improvement were required through the contaminated materials to facilitate the SaM construction. Management of surface water and treatment of groundwater was also required during construction.

RARE’s personnel have been engaged on the project since late 2019 assisting in:

• Implementation of the Construction and Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) and Sub-Plans
• Management of the Environmental Representative (ER) and TfNSW environmental representatives, weekly inspections and closeout reporting.
• Interface with environmental consultants for contaminated sites reporting
• Management of material tracking, compliance testing and offsite disposal, onsite reuse and onsite containment.

Working with Ventia, Australia largest remediation specialist, has been a valuable experience two-way experience. Our staff have worked in house with part of large team of professionals. The multidisciplinary interface, particularly through COVID-19 constraints, design challenges and externally applied program pressures have been both challenging and rewarding for all involved.