THE State Budget has acknowledged the huge program of work ahead of both the South Gippsland Region Water Corporation of almost $407 million and Westernport Region Water Corporation of almost 47 million.
While the budget notes only one “existing project” for Westernport Water, the San Remo to Newhaven bridge pipeline and fittings renewal project worth $4.24 million, expected to be completed in the 2023-24, there is a large number of “new projects” on the list, including the following:
- Biogas waste to energy project $2.031m (Completed 2025-26)
- Cowes wastewater treatment plant $3.228 (Completed 2027-28).
- Information and communications technology road map (Newhaven) $2.434. (completion 2026-27.
South Gippsland Water, which serves an area from Wonthaggi to Yarram, has a huge program of works; completed, existing and new including the Wonthaggi Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade and Baxters Beach Outfall project, a growth-driven project that’s expected to be South Gippsland Water’s largest major project in the current price period starting in 2028 and requiring planning, community engagement and design to be undertaken between 2023 and 2028.
The Budget notes funding of almost $8 for Baxters beach effluent handling upgrades (Est completion date Q4 2032-33).
Among the projects which are under construction at the moment is the $12.8 million sewer upgrade for the growing town of Inverloch.
After preparing the site last December, works in Meanderri Drive, on the eastern side of town, are going ahead at-a-pace, with a large capacity pumping station to service expanding residential areas.
Works in Veronica Street Inverloch are set to commence in the next phase in early June.
Last month, SGW Managing Director, Robert Murphy, said the upgrades would ensure the current system copes with predicted growth.
“Maintaining safe wastewater systems is one of the outcomes our customers have clearly told us they want us to invest in, to ensure our towns’ future sustainability and liveability.”
Existing South Gippsland projects include:
- Cape Paterson waste water treatment plant augmentation $2,518,000 (Q4 2027-28)
- Carbon emission reduction upgrades (regional various) 4,633,000 ($2,754,000 by June 30, 2023)
- Computers/supervisory control and data acquisition security system (regional various) 15,277,000 ($918,000 additional, ongoing funding).
- Foster waste water treatment plant reuse and pipeline (Foster) 20,279,000 (Q4 2032-33)
- Headworks dams (regional various) $5.651m.
- Inverloch sewer system upgrades (Inverloch) $1.542m
- Inverloch waste water treatment plants augmentation $4.905m
- Korumburra sewer system upgrades $12.856m (Completed Q4 2030-31)
- Leongatha sewer system upgrades (Leongatha) $6.533m (Completion Q6 2026-27)
- Leongatha waste water treatment plant augmentation $8.805m
- Manholes upgrades (regional various) $2.905m
- Operational vehicles replacement (regional various) $10.546m
- Poowong Loch Nyora additional connections and renewals (Poowong Loch Nyora) $2.287m
- Poowong Loch Nyora water distribution system augmentation (Poowong Loch Nyora) $11.114m.
- Venus Bay outfall renewal $21.911m (ongoing).
- Water reticulation augmentation (Korumburra) $1.367m (Q4 2023-24)
- Water reticulation augmentation (Leongatha) $2.157m
- Water supply augmentation (Leongatha) $14.850m (ongoing)
- Wonthaggi sewer system upgrades (Wonthaggi) $22.604m (ongoing)
- Wonthaggi water mains expansion (Wonthaggi) $3.890m