More water and better quality promised to three villages with $2mil funding

Water supply for the villages of Urbenville, Muli Muli and Woodenbong will be increased in capacity from 600 to 700 people.

The Water Supply Project to these three villages will also improve the water quality as well with State Government funding of $2million to deliver the final stages to the Urbenville Water Treatment Plant.

State MP Janelle Saffin said the investment under the NSW Drought Fund will enable the project to be completed by December this year and comes on top of $1.42 million from the Australian Government’s National Water Grid Fund and $100,000 from Tenterfield Shire and Kyogle councils.

“Although the plant has been well maintained, it was completed in 2010 and its technology isn’t keeping up with modern standards for raw water treatment which is why it needs an overhaul, “Ms Saffin said.

 “The work will also include the construction of two new clarifier lagoons that will pre-treat the raw water sourced from Tooloom Creek allowing the existing filters to keep producing high quality water even during periods of poor raw water quality.”

The first stage of work is complete and it includes a new bore and storage tanks. An upgrade to the existing jetty offtake structure and the de-commissioning of a silo has also been finalised.

“New cages are pending installation to protect the pumps from excess debris which may end up in the river especially after periods of high rainfall,” Ms Saffin said.

Kyogle mayor Kylie Webster said the Urbenville, Muli Muli, Woodenbong Project is a great example of collaboration between the State Government, Tenterfield Shire Council and Kyogle Council.

“There are more than 250 properties in Muli Muli and Woodenbong that currently use the system and the project will benefit around 400 members of those communities,” Ms Webster said

Tenterfield mayor Bronwyn Petrie said completion  of the project has been a longtime coming.

“We’ve managed to work our way through covid delays, unprecedented wet weather, increases in construction costs and funding issues to secure the support we need to finish the project,” Ms Petrie said.

“Prioritising safe and secure water now and into the future is a no-brainer, so I am pleased we are getting closer to finalising the work which is great news for the community.”

DID YOU KNOW?

The Joint Tenterfield Shire Council and Kyogle Shire Council Drinking water supply known as the Urbenville, Muli Muli, Woodenbong, Water Supply System is a river based supply, with intake on Tooloom Creek. The water treatment is known as a Diffused Air Floatation, Filtration or DAFF and provides water through a network of reticulation to consumers for the towns of Urbenville, Woodenbong and the Indigenous community of Muli Muli.

Information for this report was provided by the office of Janelle Saffin MP and the Tenterfield Council website.