Potato Point Sewerage Scheme

Project: Provide a reticulated pressure sewerage scheme to service 164 lots in Potato Point.

Funding: A $3.22 million grant from the NSW State Government

Start: Financial Year 2017-18

Completed: Late 2022

Last updated: June 2022

Details

We are working to:

  • install a reticulated pressure sewerage system throughout Potato Point
  • built a sewage pumping station and rising main.

Benefits to the community: The new system will replace the existing on-site sewage management systems, significantly reducing the risk of harm to the environment and public health.

The pressure sewerage system requires a small pump unit to be installed at each dwelling. This unit will collect and pump the sewage into the street mains. The new pump station will transfer sewage 6.7km along a new rising main to the Bodalla Sewage Treatment Plant.

The treatment plant has been designed to service Potato Point as well as Bodalla. To minimise environmental impacts of the new scheme, effluent disposal will be via irrigation of surrounding agricultural land. Discharge to Borang Creek will only occur during extended wet periods.

The project has been identified in Council’s long term water and sewer strategic plan, the Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy.

While the construction works are underway, Council will take the opportunity to renew all reticulated water mains within the village. The renewed water mains will ensure greater reliability of the supply for the community. Council will also install a new trunk water main in the same easement as the new sewage rising main adjacent to Potato Point Road. These works will minimise future disruption to residents and visitors.

A Preliminary Environmental and Planning Overview was completed assessing various sites for the location of a Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) and rising main. A proposed concept design was then developed.

Four locations were considered for the SPS and the area adjacent to the Rural Fire Service shed was selected because:

  • impact on amenity is minimised for residents and visitors
  • reduced space to minimise impact on existing uses of the fire shed and surrounding area
  • vegetation clearing not required.

The SPS will include a 100kL concrete tank (3m tall x 7m diameter) and a single storey brick building (approximately 90m 2).  All equipment, including pumps and electrical equipment, will be housed within this building. Odours from the SPS will be minimised through the use of an odour control system.

View plans of the Sewage Pumping Station

A reticulated pressurised system will be installed throughout the village to collect sewage from individual properties and pump it to the Bodalla Sewage Treatment Plant. The new system will replace existing on-site sewage management systems and will reduce the risk of harm to the environment and public health.

A pump unit will be installed below ground on each property to collect and pump sewage to the street mains via a new pipe and a boundary kit. The pump unit is approximately 1m in diameter and 2m deep.

In comparison to a traditional gravity-fed system, a pressure sewerage system has lower installation costs and reduced environmental and social impacts. The small diameter pipes can be installed at a shallow depth requiring minimal site disturbance. Pipes can be installed using horizontal drilling technology, avoiding deep excavations throughout the village.

The system allows for power failure with approximately 24 hours of storage. Our on-call sewer operators will be available at all times to attend to any issues.

Ownership and maintenance of the sewerage infrastructure from the pump unit to the street mains will remain Council’s responsibility.

The following works will be carried out with no cost to property owners who have an existing on-site sewage management system:

  • installation of pump unit, pump, pump control panel, boundary kit and discharge pipe
  • plumbing to connect each existing house to the pump unit
  • electrical connection to the pump and any electrical capacity upgrades required (provided the existing electrical works comply with current standards).

The following works will be at the expense of the property owner:

  • decommissioning of existing on-site sewage management systems following NSW Health Advisory note 3.
  • rectification of any existing plumbing that doesn’t conform to current standards
  • rectification of relevant existing electrical works that do not conform to current standards.

Once connection is complete the following costs will be ongoing:

  • the standard annual sewerage charge, currently $1030 annually (2022-23 financial year) for residential properties
  • electrical running costs for the pump, estimated at approximately $50 per year.

Vacant lots (and houses under construction without an on-site sewage management system) will only have a connection point (boundary kit) installed.

Future development applicants (for new dwellings) will need to liaise with our Water & Sewer Division regarding the location of new pressure sewerage assets. In line with our standard procedures (and as a cost of developing the lot) a standard fee, currently $12,500 (2022-23 financial year), will be charged for the installation.

Project updates

December 2021

  • Ledonne have disconnected on-site sewage management (OSSM) systems and connected household plumbing to the new pressure pods.
  • Ledonne have handed over the operational responsibility to Council.
  • Property owners can now decommission their old OSSM systems.
  • View information about how to decommission your old OSSM system.

October 2021

  • The new sewer main and pump station are complete and ready to transfer sewage from Potato Point properties to the Bodalla Sewerage Treatment Plant.
  • Ledonne will soon begin hooking up individual properties to the new pressure system. The contractors will continue to look after the system until such time as we advise you otherwise. Once you have received notification Council has taken over ownership, it will be time to organise decommissioning of your onsite sewage management system.

September 2021

  • Construction of the new sewerage system within the village is on schedule, with over half the components already installed on properties.
  • Over the next few months Ledonne will install the remaining infrastructure and connect households to the new system. Ledonne will undertake operational checks before confirming that each dwelling is operating on the new system.
  • We expect all dwellings to be up and running by mid-December 2021.
  • Once all works are complete, property owners will need to arrange an authorised contractor to decommission their on-site sewerage management system in accordance  with the NSW Health Advisory note 3.

July 2021

  • Construction of the water and sewer mains along Potato Point Road is nearly complete.
  • Most of the sewer mains are in the ground throughout the village and Ledonne Constructions are now focusing on installing the new infrastructure at individual properties.

March 2021

  • We have awarded Ledonne Constructions with the contract to install the pressure sewerage infrastructure in Potato Point. Ledonne will install street mains throughout the village as well as the boundary kits and pump units on properties.
  • Construction on properties is expected to begin in April and take several months to complete.

February 2021

  • Construction of the sewage pumping station at the RFS shed has begun. We expect the works to continue until mid to late 2021.
  • Works are continuing on the new water and sewer mains to Bodalla.
  • We have awarded the contract for installation of the pressure sewerage scheme in the village to Ledonne Constructions Pty Ltd who will start work on the ground in the coming months.

December 2020

  • Work is coming along nicely to install the new water main along Potato Point Road. In order to minimise environmental impacts within the Eurobodalla National Park, the mains are being installed using horizontal directional drilling, a technique that requires limited ground disturbance.
  • While the risk is quite low, it is possible that the existing water main could be damaged during this time which could affect the water supply to Potato Point.
  • In such an event we would work as quickly as possible to restore water supply. We anticipate any such interruption would be limited to approximately two hours.

November 2020

  • Fewster Brothers have kicked off works on-site locating services and preparing the roadside for pipe installation.
  • Later this month they will start installing the pipes along Potato Point Road using both trenching and underboring methods.

August 2020

  • Construction of the new sewage pumping station, sewer rising main and water main are set to begin later this month. These three infrastructure components are integral parts of the Potato Point Sewerage Scheme.
  • Fewster Brothers Contracting Pty Ltd (FB) will undertake the work with several crews focusing on the different parts of the job at the same time.
  • Folks should anticipate heavy machinery to be active along Potato Point Road, around the Potato Point Rural Fire Service (RFS) shed and the adjacent area of Eurobodalla National Park over the following months.

July 2020

  • Looks like we'll see some action on the ground soon with work along Potato Point Road.
  • The contract for construction of the sewage pumping station, sewer rising main and water main has been awarded to Fewster Brothers Contracting and they expect to be onsite in August.

March 2020

  • We’ve updated the timeframes for the different aspects of this project. It will be up and running a little later than originally planned due to the decision to first renew the water mains throughout Potato Point. We now expect the scheme to be operational by late 2021.
  • We are ready to call for tenders for the construction contract of the new sewage pump station and sewer rising main. We expect to award the contract in June 2020 and see construction kick off in August.
  • We plan to award the contract for the installation of the pressure sewer system late this year, with construction in the village beginning early 2021.

November 2019

  • It's going to take a bit longer than originally planned to replace all the water mains as the skills of the water crew have been needed elsewhere.
  • We now expect to complete the water work by June 2020.
  • When on-site the water crew are working their way through the village having started at the southern end and heading north.
  • Borang and Trunketabella streets now have brand new water pipes servicing each property.

September 2019

  • The tender package for the sewage pumping station, sewer rising main and water supply trunk main is almost complete and will soon be advertised.
  • The design for the pressure sewerage scheme is 95 per cent complete.

June 2019

  • Our water crew has been busy renewing the water mains in areas around the village.
  • Designs are progressing for the pressure sewer street mains and property plans.

May 2019

  • Our engineers have been working on the detailed design of the village water mains upgrade.
  • A crew will begin the upgrade works in May and continue through to December.
  • Individual households will be notified if water supply will be interrupted or if property access will be affected.

April 2019

  • To minimise future disruption to the community, we will upgrade the Potato Point water infrastructure prior to construction of the sewerage scheme. The work involves replacing of 3.3km of water mains, stop valves, hydrants and service connections throughout the village as well as a trunk main from Bodalla to Potato Point. Once the new water and sewer infrastructure is in place it will provide a trouble-free service for many decades to come.
  • Data collected from recent survey work has assisted designers to develop accurate pressure sewer plans ensuring that all new sewer components are located within the property boundaries.
  • A separate tender will be advertised for the construction of the pressure sewer reticulation system within the village.

March 2019

  • Property owners will soon receive the results from their property electrical service audit. If works are required, property owners will need to engage a licensed electrician to rectify any faults identified.
  • Council has added trunk water main works to the design and tender process for the Sewage Pump Station and rising main.

February 2019

  • Public Works Advisory is managing the design and tender processes for the construction of the pump station and rising main. We expect the tender process to begin soon.
  • Landmark Surveys are finishing up locating services throughout the village.

January 2019

  • Landmark Surveys are progressing with the cadastral and engineering surveys which will be completed in February.
  • PS Solutions have consulted with most property owners and are now finalising property designs.

November & December 2018

  • PS Solutions have been working closely with property owners to determine the location of pressure sewer infrastructure to be installed on individual properties.
  • Landmark Surveys have been engaged to undertake cadastral and engineering surveys throughout the village between November 2018 and February 2019.
  • The survey data is required to ensure that accurate plans can be developed to ensure all new pressure sewer components will be located within the property boundaries.
  • The design process is in the closing stages for the new Sewage Pumping Station to be built adjacent to the RFS shed.

October 2018

  • Pressure System Solutions Pty Ltd (PS Solutions) have been meeting with owners on properties to create individual plans for the new pressure sewerage system.
  • An information session at the local RFS shed on 8 October provided the opportunity for the community to have a chat with Council and contractors and see the sewerage components to be installed.
  • The Bodalla Sewerage Treatment Plant has become operational and is receiving flows as properties in Bodalla undergo their final connections. The treatment plant will also service Potato Point when the pressure sewerage system is installed in the village.

September 2018

  • Property owners are notified that PS Solutions will engage with each landowner to discuss individual needs regarding installation of new components on private properties.
  • Construction of the Bodalla Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), which will take sewage flows from Potato Point, is nearing completion, with commissioning of the plant to begin this month.

More info

For more information about the Potato Point Sewerage Scheme, please contact our Water & Sewer Cadet Civil Engineer, Billy Alves: