City Budget invests in future water and sewerage needs

Date: Tuesday, 21st July 2009

The City Budget is investing heavily in the basic building blocks to support the city’s expansion.

Construction of state-of-the-art sewerage and water supply facilities to meet the city’s growth are priority infrastructure projects in the $374.2 million capital works budget.

The 2009-10 Budget has allocated $76.8 million for the $189 million Wastewater Upgrade Project, with construction work scheduled to begin in September.

Mayor Cr Les Tyrell said the centrepiece of the project was a complete upgrade of Townsville’s oldest sewerage treatment plant at Mt St John, with the facility’s capacity set to more than double.

"The wastewater upgrade will transform the Mt St John Plant into a modern, regional facility that will meet Townsville`s future growth for decades to come," Cr Tyrell said.

"We’re also mindful of our obligations in meeting new Environmental Protection Agency requirements, which is why this work will lead to a reduction in harmful nutrients entering local waterways that eventually flow out into the reef.

"The upgraded Mt St John plant will also enable the council to decommission existing smaller plants near residential areas."

The 2009-10 Budget has also allocated $64 million for the Water Supply Upgrade Project, which will allow for the construction of a new water treatment plant near Rollingstone to improve water quality for the city’s rapidly expanding northern suburbs.

Other budget highlights for Townsville Water include:

• $4 million to replace water pipes that have reached the end of their asset life
• $3 million on sewer pipe rehabilitation
• $1.1 million on sewerage services in Picnic Bay to replace septic systems
• $110,000 to improve water supply to Bushland Beach by upgrading the Mount Low High Level Booster Pump Station
• $500,000 to improve water quality and reliability for Cungulla through upgrades to the Giru Water Treatment Plant
• $800,000 to upgrade pump stations around the city to reduce sewerage overflows during wet weather events
• $500,000 to rehabilitate, raise and replace sewer manholes around the city to reduce stormwater sewer inflows and sewerage overflows in wet weather events
• $200,000 to install a biogas generator at the Cleveland Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, as part of sustainability initiatives being developed by Townsville Water.