Council invests in our water future

Bellingen Shire Council has invested in our shire’s water future, with a new two megalitre drinking water reservoir at South Bellingen, and a new 90 kilolitre wastewater pump station at Urunga having just come online.

The two projects, which were constructed during the past 12 months, have doubled Bellingen’s original drinking water storage capacity and tripled the capacity and performance of Urunga’s Pilot Street wastewater pump station.

Bellingen Shire Council Mayor, Cr Dominic King, said council has invested close to $2.5 million to ensure Bellingen had access to clean drinking water and to protect the environmental health of the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers.

“In the event of major treatment plant, pump or power failure we previously had to rely on our 0.9 megalitre reservoir, which provided less than one days’ emergency drinking water supply for Bellingen.”

“The new reinforced concrete reservoir stands 12 metres tall, has a diameter of 16 metres and boasts a two megalitre capacity, so we’ve more than doubled our emergency drinking water supply, which I think is a great result for the Bellingen community.”

Mayor, Cr Dominic King, said Urunga’s new Pilot Street wastewater pump station facility had significantly improved upon the 30 kilolitre capacity and performance of the old pump station.

“The new pump station’s 90 kilolitre capacity and improved infrastructure will enable this facility to meet the needs of the Urunga community and accept additional loads in the future from Mylestom, Repton and the Raleigh Industrial Estate.”

“We have a responsibility to efficiently and effectively transport the wastewater from our homes and businesses to ensure our waste does not impact the local environment, now and in the future, which is why we invested in this significant project,” Mayor, Cr Dominic King, said.