The projects became a reality thanks to a grant from NSW Government as part of Restart NSW Water Security for Regions Program, who supplied $2.1 million, 42 per cent of the project. 

Council’s General manager Brett Stonestreet said that Griffith City Council will soon be commencing installation works on site within the three villages now that the planning and tendering phase of the Pressure Sewer Project is complete.

Mr Stonestreet said the project has been designed to ensure minimal impact on the village communities.

The project has been awarded to Hills to Harbor Plumbing for the installation and commissioning works for the scheme and for individual property drainage connections to the system.

Principle Constructor Robert Slade said consultation with communities has been extensive, with positive feedback abounding for the project.

“The positive impacts are that the residents will have a safe, reliable and hygienic system to take away their domestic effluent, as compared to a failing septic system that can overflow in their own back yards and which they have to pay to maintain,” Cr Stonestreet said.

“The net positive impact is it removes any septic overflows and soakage systems from entering overland flow paths or ground water systems that can end up in Lake Wyangan as could be the case with the Lake Wyangan and Nericon villages.”

The pumping units are powered from the property owners electricity supply. The home owners and residents will be responsible for the cost of this electricity supply but given the low power required to run the pumps it is estimated that this cost will be approximately $50 per year. 

Member for Murray Austin Evans said it was a pleasure to attend a briefing session on the sewerage scheme with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council staff and the scheme’s contractors.

“The new sewerage scheme will be a great asset to the residents in the three villages of Lake Wyangan, Nericon and Tharbogang.

“I am very impressed with the planning phase of the project and look forward to seeing the scheme come to fruition in the coming months,” Mr Evans said.

Installation of pressure pipelines within the roads will largely be by directional boring with access excavations only required for connections and installation of valves and flush points.

The first pipelines to be installed will be reticulation comprising the street mains to the property boundary valve and transfer mains.

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Works within private properties are expected to commence late March or April 2018 and all property owners and occupiers will be notified well in advance as part of the Contractor’s community liaison obligations.

Construction is set to be finalised in August or September depending on weather and construction variables.

Council originally expressed interest in funding opportunities with the State Government in 1996 for the villages sewer but was unsuccessful.

Planning and design concepts were also prepared in 2005 as part of the 2030 Growth Strategy. Griffith City Council was then invited to submit an Expression of Interest in 2015 which led to a successful funding announcement in 2016.

Detailed designs and planning for tendering commenced in 2016 and a public meeting was held on December 14, 2016 with the residents and property owners of the villages. 

Mr Stonestreet said that council has established a temporary project depot located on the corner of Boorga and Smeeth Roads at Lake Wyangan and residents are welcome to discuss aspects of the project once works commence.

Griffith City Council thanked village residents for their input into the project so far and welcomed the onset of this exciting project.