Sewerage systems servicing Coffs Harbour have been progressively developed over the past 45 years. However, with the pressure of population growth and the need to ensure environmental protection of the neighbouring Solitary Islands Marine Park, Coffs Harbour City Council has embarked upon a major project to upgrade its sewerage infrastructure.
A comprehensive sewerage strategy has been developed for Coffs Harbour. It is an integrated package of works and actions over 20 years to meet the following objectives.
- Safeguard public health
- Provide sewerage to present and future urban development
- Satisfy stringent environmental safeguards
- Protect the coastal environment and the Solitary Islands Marine Park
- Maximise the beneficial use of reclaimed water
- Ensure the strategy is affordable for the community
- Stage implementation to take advantage of developing technology.
Works in the $170 million strategy include replacing three existing shoreline outfalls with one 1.5 kilometre deep sea release point discharging outside the marine park, upgrading treatment plants, providing sewerage reticulation to northern beaches suburbs not yet sewered, refurbishing existing infrastructure, and constructing a 41 kilometre transfer pipeline and a storage reservoir for distribution of reclaimed water. Council has already made significant progress with the project, having completed the Environmental Impact Statement for the strategy, provided sewerage reticulation at two of the identified northern suburbs, upgraded a reclamation plant, and completed substantial works to develop the use of reclaimed water.
Council purchased a farm, now known as Morgans Road Farm, and engaged Southern Cross University to undertake trials of reclaimed water on commercial crops, through funding assistance from the Coast and Clean Seas Program. The 2001/2002 financial year also saw the commencement of the irrigation of Morgans Road Farm. Negotiations were also finalised to lease five acres to a hydroponics grower, who has constructed a 4,500 square metre greenhouse to grow tomatoes commercially using reclaimed water.
Successful trials of the use of reclaimed water on tomatoes had previously been carried out, as had trials of reclaimed water on the High Street playing fields at Woolgoolga. Morgans Road Farm is now trialing the use of reclaimed water on bananas.
Construction of the reclaimed water pipeline from Graham Drive to the planned reservoir site was completed in 2001/2002. Council called for tenders for construction of the Morgans Road Reservoir, a five megalitre reinforced concrete facility which will provide a continuous supply of reclaimed water to users. Construction of that reservoir commenced in 2002.
High Street Playing Fields at Woolgoolga have been reconstructed and improved, and are now being irrigated with reclaimed water on a permanent basis.
Reclaimed water is now also being used by several banana growers, a hydroponics grower, a nursery, an avocado grower and small growers. Reclaimed water is also used at the Coffs Harbour Racecourse, the Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium, at three football ovals, a commercial nursery and at Council’s nursery, at the Sawtell Golf Club and Bowling Club, and at the Sawtell Croquet Club. Agreements are now being made with other potential users.
Coffs Harbour’s reclaimed water is treated to the National Reclaimed Water Standards. The State Government has provided a subsidy of $21 million towards the cost of Stage 1 works of the Sewerage Strategy, programmed for completion by June 2005. The remainder of the Stage 1 works are to be funded through the Sewerage Fund.
