An additional $50million has been placed by the WA Government in the 2015-16 State Budget to extend the Western Australian Infill Sewerage Program.
State Water Minister, Mia Davies, confirmed funding over the forward estimates period for 10 projects comprising traditional infill sewerage and Septic Tank Effluent Disposal (STED) schemes, with construction starting in a number of areas as early as 2015-16.
Traditional infill projects will progress for City Beach, Halls Head, Bunbury, Esperance, Bridgetown and parts of Toby Inlet. Kukerin, Bindoon, Leonora and Boyup Brook will receive STED schemes. This will enable almost 2,000 more residential lots to connect to public sewerage systems.
“This is great news for these locations as it provides both social and environmental benefits for the community,” Ms Davies said.
“Many of the larger populated areas have already been investigated and can move straight to construction. Kukerin has been waiting for a sewerage solution since it was included in the Small Town Country Scheme Review in 1999.
“With a recent trial in Hyden proving that STED is a viable option to deliver wastewater services to small communities, we can now include STED in the infill program to deliver a solution to these areas, including Kukerin.”
State Treasurer, Mike Nahan, said the establishment of both infill sewerage and STED schemes would have a positive impact on public health and the environment. Traditional infill projects under construction as part of the existing infill program are Busselton, Bunbury and Dawesville.
“To date, the Infill Sewerage Program has enabled more than 92,000 households in metropolitan and regional Western Australia to access the central wastewater system,” Dr Nahan said.
“This is a worthwhile program with real benefits and I’m pleased to see the State Government’s commitment to infill will be reflected in the 2015-16 State Budget.”
Fact File
- Infill sewerage projects install a system of buried pipes and pumps in residential areas to take wastewater to wastewater treatment plants for safe processing and disposal
- STED schemes are designed to take wastewater that has already been partially treated in household septic tanks through a pipeline system to an evaporation and infiltration disposal pond system