Road & Civil Surveys has been embedded within the John Holland Group delivery team since 2023, providing end-to-end construction surveying support for the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre — a $1.2 billion facility and one of the most advanced wastewater treatment plants in the southern hemisphere.

When completed in 2026, the AWRC will treat up to 70 megalitres of wastewater per day using reverse osmosis technology, produce high-quality recycled water for Western Sydney’s homes, businesses, and waterways, and form the foundation of a circular economy hub serving over 400,000 people across the Aerotropolis and surrounding growth areas.

Our Role

With 3–4 surveyors on site full-time, RCS operates as an integrated part of the JHG construction team — not an external provider passing through. Our team supports daily construction activities across the full plant footprint, attending engineering coordination meetings, pre-start briefings, and working directly alongside site engineers, foremen, and subcontractors.

Our scope covers set-out, verification, and as-built surveys for process buildings and structures, clarifiers, tanks, digesters, and deep excavations and foundations — all demanding tight tolerances in a complex, multi-trade environment where civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical works overlap.

Driving Value

Unlike a typical road or corridor project, a water treatment plant of this scale presents unique survey challenges. Structures are geometrically complex, tolerances are tight, and the interface between civil set-out and mechanical/process fitment means survey accuracy directly impacts whether equipment, pipework, and steelwork align as designed.

RCS has added value to the JHG delivery by identifying design clashes early through detailed data calculations and spatial verification — flagging coordination issues between disciplines before they reach the construction front and become costly rework. Our proactive approach to checking design data against field conditions has helped the project team resolve issues in the office rather than on the tools.

As the project moves toward commissioning, RCS is supporting the handover and commissioning documentation process, delivering accurate as-built survey data, and spatial records that meet Sydney Water’s asset handover requirements. This ensures the project team can demonstrate compliance and close out works packages efficiently.

Our scope has also included regular UAV flyovers for progress tracking and volumetric reporting, and stormwater management plan (SMP) survey works to support site drainage and environmental compliance.

• Construction surveying and set-out for process buildings, clarifiers, tanks, digesters, and deep foundations
• Data calculations and spatial modelling to support design coordination
• Early identification of design clashes to reduce rework risk
• 3D laser scanning for as-built documentation and commissioning support
• UAV flyovers for progress tracking and volumetric reporting
• SMP survey works
• Verification and as-built surveys across all civil and structural works
• Handover and commissioning survey documentation