Central Coast Council Water and Sewer will allocate $35M towards the upgrade of the Bateau Bay Sewage Treatment Plant to not only future-proof the asset but help address the presence of odour.
Director of Water and Sewer Jamie Loader said the main goal of sewage treatment is to create a volatile-free effluent that can be safely discharged into the environment or reused as recycled water.
“Controlling odours can be one of the most important and yet most challenging aspects of sewage treatment,” Loader said.
“There are three main reasons why odours can occur, which include inappropriate chemicals entering the sewerage system, operational breakdowns and ageing infrastructure.
“This funding will help us future-proof the Council-owned asset, provide better services to our community and hopefully help identify the sources of the odours so mitigation measures can be implemented.”
Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart said work was anticipated to start in late 2023, with a proposed completion date of mid-2027.
“The Bateau Bay Sewage Treatment Plant currently services a population of approximately 40,000 people, bounded by the suburbs of The Entrance North, Killarney Vale and Bateau Bay,” Hart said.
“Across the Bateau Bay Catchment, Council is adjusting the odour injection facilities at various sewage pumping stations, to help improve the quality of the sewerage entering the plant.
“However, there is a process, and this will take time.
“While the odour is unpleasant, there is no threat to public health from the sewage treatment plant odour … and we continue to appreciate the community’s patience while Council progresses these works.”
For more information on the eight treatment plants across the region, search ‘sewage treatment’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au
Source:
Central Coast Council