August, 2021

Work is about to start on Gunnedah’s new $8 million water treatment centre which will meet the Shire’s water needs into the next century.

The new centre will be located along Kelvin Road opposite Gunnedah Airport.

Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey said NSW Health was meeting $7.4 million of the cost of the plant through an agreement to provide a centralised centre that will include the new fluoridation system and a more modern gas chlorination system.

“Over the past five years, Council has been working closely with the state and federal governments to look at the big picture for Gunnedah and improve the overall infrastructure for our residents and for the anticipated population growth over the next 10 years,” Cr Chaffey said.

“Modelling for the new centre has been based on our heaviest days of water usage – in the midst of the drought – and then expanded again to ensure this facility has the capability to deal with the potential demand.

“On behalf of Gunnedah residents, I thank NSW Health for making this new facility a possibility and supporting the health of our community.”

Cr Chaffey said the new plant will allow for consistent water treatment across Gunnedah and Curlewis. It will also allow for the introduction of fluoridation to improve dental hygiene as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The contract for the work has been awarded to Newcastle-based Gongues Construction Pty Ltd, the company that completed the award-winning Gunnedah Sewerage Treatment Plant Upgrade in 2018.

Site preparation will/began in early August and the centre is expected to be completed in about June 2022.

Fast facts:
• The new centre will include two 1 ML concrete reservoirs
• It can treat a maximum of 20 ML per day, and 232 litres per second
• Gunnedah’s peak water usage came at the height of the drought in late 2019, with use of about 15 ML per day

Caption: Plans for the new water treatment centre on Kelvin Road.

ENDS

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