The Central Coast Council has dedicated more than $2 million for the ongoing inspection and replacement of critical sewerage infrastructure across the region.
A rolling sewer pipe rehabilitation project will take place alongside essential services to improve the network’s performance and reliability.
The project sees existing pipes rehabilitated with structural relining to extend their service life by up to 50 years – end-of-design-life equipment will be replaced.
The funding has been earmarked for the 2019-20 financial year.
The Central Coast Council manages an extensive sewer network with 2,649km of sewer pipelines across the region, as well as eight sewage treatment plants and more than 320 sewage pumping stations.
The council is using innovative techniques to rehabilitate damaged sewer pipelines during the work.
It starts by clearing the pipe and assessing the conditions of sewer lines via CCTV camera, then inserts a liner to reinforce the existing pipe structure that seals any leaks, significantly reducing the risk of future damage, particularly from tree roots.
This technique reduces the need to excavate, minimising disruption to services during works and reduces repair costs.
This essential maintenance on local sewerage infrastructure will improve asset and network reliability, lower the risk of environmental discharges and help ensure the council has adequate and sustainable infrastructure to meet future demand.
The council also issued a reminder that tissues, paper towels, napkins, nappies and wipes, even if they are labelled ‘flushable’, need to go in the bin.
When it comes to the network’s sewers, these materials do not break down properly, and when mixed with other materials that shouldn’t be poured down sinks like fats and oils, can cause ‘fatburgs’ creating blockages in sewer systems.
