In a $21 million upgrade project to help secure wastewater services in Melbourne’s CBD, a new 900m sewer will be constructed along Lonsdale Street with the works due to begin in September 2019.
Set for completion by late-2020, the project will help City West Water meet the city’s rapid population growth, with a projected 123,000 more people living in the CBD by 2036, fuelled by strong high-rise apartment development.
The project, which spans along Lonsdale Street between Elizabeth and William Streets, will connect with the Spencer Street sewer duplication, which was successfully completed in December last year.
General Manager Infrastructure and Delivery at City West Water, Maree Lang, said the project was part of an $80 million capital improvement program to maintain service reliability.
“An increase in the capacity of the CBD’s current sewer network is necessary to deliver efficient, safe and environmentally responsible wastewater services into the future,” Ms Lang said.
“There’s no doubt Lonsdale Street presents us with some logistical challenges given its location and daily use by many city residents, businesses and visitors, however we’ve been planning for many months to minimise disruptions throughout the works period.
“Importantly, no water or sewerage services will be impacted while work is in progress.”
The project, which will be undertaken in stages, will have some impact on traffic and pedestrians due to lane closures and some parking restrictions may apply.
Over the weeks leading up to the project, contractors will be undertaking early works, including the confirmation of existing service locations and ground conditions to help clarify the alignment and design of the project.
In preparation for construction, City West Water has been working closely with Melbourne City Council, Victoria Police, Metro Tunnel Project, Magistrates Court, transport operators and utility providers to reduce the impact as much as possible.
“We’re mindful of the impacts of our work and would like to thank local residents, businesses, commuters and visitors in the area for their support and patience in advance,” Ms Lang said.
The project will be delivered for City West Water by Rob Carr.
Further information will be available upon the completion of the design phase, before construction commences in September.
