Urgent funding for aging sewer network secured

Jonathan O’Neill oneill.jonathan1@outlook.com

Aging plumbing infrastructure in the Southern Downs is set to receive a major upgrade, thanks to a state government funding boost.

New sewer pumps and emergency alarm systems will be installed in Stanthorpe and Warwick to reduce the risk of sewer overflow and address the aging infrastructure that has plagued the region.

$1.24m in funding has been secured by the Southern Downs Regional Council through the Queensland Government’s 2021-24 Works for Queensland program which will see the installation of emergency storage tanks, pumps, overflow meters, telemetry and alarms at three Stanthorpe pump stations, and a refurbishment of the access platform at Warwick’s pump station on Condamine Street.

Southern Downs Mayor, Vic Pennisi said Council has prioritised a number of important asset renewal projects across the region. “Council has identified several pressure points within the sewer network as needing attention and it is working collaboratively with all levels of government to address the issues that potentially impact the delivery of essential services to the community,” Cr Pennisi said. “Council is prioritising funding opportunities to address aging infrastructure ahead of creating new assets.”

The project aims to meet the Department of Environment and Sustainability’s legislative and compliance requirements of the environmental authority, by minimising accidental sewer overflows to the environment during power failure and wet weather events.

Sewer overflows impacting the environment are considered breaches of the environmental authority and failure to comply with its guidelines can result in financial fines from the state environmental department.

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi told the Town and Country Journal that Council needs to have a plan by December this year regarding the future of the Stanthorpe sewage plant.

“Are we going to make it bigger? Are we going to move it up? Move it out? Are we going to make it bigger? What are we going to do with that plan, because the environ- mental department has requested it, and we must comply with that,” Cr Pennisi said.

In regards to the ageing infrastructure, Mayor Pennisi continued to say that there is a significant number of projects needed to address the issues with the regions ageing infrastructure.

“We’ve got about half a billion dollar’s worth of assets underground… some of it was built in the 1930s, and at some stage will need to be replaced… it’s failing… we can’t ignore it forever,” he said. “What we have been doing is putting smart metres in Stanthorpe and we’re looking to roll that out right across the region.

“They found 77 leaks on the customer side of the metre, and we’re going to retrofit some metres on our network, on major pipe and trunk infrastructure, because if there’s a leak underground on the customer’s side, there’ll be leaks on our side.

“We need to conserve that water… it’s a reflection of our aging infrastructure, so hopefully, when it comes to water, over the next couple of years, we’ll be able to handle repairing anything that’s broken under the ground without losing water,” Cr Pennisi said.