The multi-million dollar upgrades to the Parkes Shire’s water infrastructure are the largest capital works Parkes Shire Council has ever undertaken.
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And now they’re officially open thanks to Member for Dubbo Troy Grant.
The minister was in Parkes on Wednesday, March 21 on a number of duties – one of which included joining Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM to officially open the water infrastructure renewal projects as part of a $100 million program of works.
A ceremony and ribbon-cutting was held at the new Water Treatment Plant in Webb Street, where community members, Forbes Mayor Graeme Miller, Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf, Member for Orange Phil Donato and representatives from DPI Water, Parkes Shire Council and the project’s major contractor John Holland attended.
There were also official openings at the Sewage Treatment Plant in Akuna Road and the Lachlan River Pump Station in Forbes.
It’s been almost two years since the first sod was turned at the Water Treatment Plant site on April 20, 2016.
“$100 million projects like this just don’t happen,” Parkes Shire Council’s general manager Kent Boyd said at the gathering.
“It takes considerable amount of work over the years.
“It was delivered on budget within our resources and we only had to borrow $10 million.
“Parkes is quite unique in that it doesn’t have a major water supply.
“I would like to acknowledge my team, I’m very proud of them.”
The NSW Government contributed almost $36 million toward the Parkes Water Infrastructure Renewal Projects.
The Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program provided more than $18 million towards Parkes’ new Water Treatment Plant, working out to be 40 per cent of the $45 million budget.
More than $9.4 million went towards the new $27.5 million Sewage Treatment Plant and the Restart NSW Water Security for Regions Program contributed more than $2.1 million towards the $3 million upgrade and formalisation of the Lachlan River Pump Station (LRPS) and the refurbishment of Bore 8.
The new Water Treatment Plant replaces old infrastructure built – council’s Director Infrastructure Andrew Francis said – “up on the hill” in 1958, and uses state-of-the-art processes to treat the potable water supply.
“It operated without missing a beat and serviced 8500 residents,” he said.
“The new plant will service between 16,000 and 18,000 residents, and more if needed as the town grows.”
John Holland was the major contractor for the project and representing the company on Wednesday was its National Business Development Manager Jim Livas.
“John Holland has been building regional projects for over 50 years and this particular project is just as iconic,” Mr Livas said.
“I would like to say a special thanks to Parkes Shire Council and our delivery team for delivering a project of such a high standard as this.”
The raft of works also includes a new Sewage Treatment Plant that replaces the original wastewater plant that was built in 1936 and operated until October 2017, servicing 6000 residents.
The new sewage plant produces high quality effluent that increases treatment capacity and minimises impacts on the environment.
Local contractors were used where possible and all staff have been upskilled from the old treatment plants to the new ones.
“The new sewage plant will service 18,000 residents and potentially more if the town grows,” Mr Francis said.
“Kent lived and breathed these projects for 20 years, having been council’s (former) Director of Infrastructure.
“[The projects] have been done in sustainable fashion to allow the community to be sustainable into the future.
“The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) have three category levels – standard, excellent and leading. We are aiming for excellent, if not the leading category – if we were to get that, these will be the only water and sewage treatment plants owned and operated by one organisation to get that in Australia.”
Cr Keith said he believed Parkes will get that rating.
Solar panels have been constructed at both treatment plants, allowing the sites to generate their own power.
“It costs over $1 million to pump water from Forbes,” Cr Keith said.
“We wanted something environmentally friendly and environmentally sustainable...to reduce our environmental footprint.”
Council utilised the expertise of its Infrastructure Technical Manager Julian Fyfe to make that happen.
Cr Keith also thanked the NSW Government for its contributions to the water infrastructure projects.
“Council are incredibly proud of these new facilities, and of the flow-on benefits to the community,” he said.
“Not only have we delivered sustainable infrastructure that will protect our natural resources while minimising operational costs, the projects have contributed to the local economy by ensuring local engagement and procurement where possible.
“These projects have engaged 67 local businesses during construction, which provided employment for 329 individuals. This has seen around 45 per cent of the budget spent within the region.
“Minister Grant has a long history with Parkes Shire Council and we are honoured to have Minister Grant officially open these facilities for us today.”
Mr Grant said water security is vital to the life of regional towns and cities.
“These projects renew the town's entire urban water cycle, encompassing raw water supply, water treatment, as well as wastewater treatment,” he said.
“The Lachlan River Intake upgrades strengthen Parkes raw water supply and water security for Parkes.
“[And] these upgrades provide immediate amenity improvements for residents while future-proofing their water supply.”
An open day was held on March 24 to showcase the new facilities to the Parkes community.
Council is now turning its attention to establishing a recycling water scheme, with the first sod turning on the Parkes Advanced Water Recycling Facility last April.
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