South Kempsey Pressure Sewer Scheme

Completion Date09 September 2022

Summary

Council recently constructed a modern, centralised sewerage collection system for South Kempsey. The system was built in the South Kempsey Employment Lands Hub, bound by the existing urban development to the north, state forest to the south and west, and state rail to the east.

Timeframe

Construction began on 9 December 2021 and was completed in September 2022.

Funding

Council was granted $2.32 million for the project under the NSW Government’s Growing Local Economies Fund.

Background

The lack of centralised sewer infrastructure in South Kempsey has adversely affected development potential and reduced employment opportunities.

Local property owners were previously required to manage sewage using effluent (septic) management systems. These systems require up to 25% of each allotment to be reserved for this purpose.

Septic tanks are not well suited to local soil types or industrial or commercial uses generally. This limits the size and types of businesses that can operate in the area.

A modern, centralised sewerage system was chosen to:

remove the land use limitations that septic systems impose on individual allotments
encourage the growth and expansion of existing businesses
promote the establishment of new businesses.

Who is eligible to opt into the scheme?

Land owners in the South Kempsey Employment Lands Hub are eligible to opt in.

What will the project cost?

Council has been granted $2.32 million for the project under the NSW Government's Growing Local Economies Fund. As the NSW Government grant will not cover the full cost of the project, estimated at $4,292,820, land owners who wish to connect to the scheme will be required to pay a minimum fee of $5,000.

What is involved if I opt in?

Council will enter into a deed agreement with each land owner who wishes to connect to the South Kempsey Pressure Sewer Scheme upfront. The deed agreement will outline Council’s rights and responsibilities, the land owner’s rights and responsibilities, the location of and type of infrastructure to be installed on each property, the fee payable and the timing of payment.

Please note the fee must be paid in full before the date your property is connected to the pressure sewer system. However, in some instances an instalment plan can be negotiated between Council and the land owner.

What type of system is being constructed?

The proposed pressure sewer design consists of an industry best practice reticulated sewerage system with a network of pressure pipes and grinder pumps. The advantage of this design is that the number of pumps connected to the system will not affect its performance. The new system will be able to effectively meet additional demand and increased flows, which will encourage the growth of local industry, housing and tourism.

Why is the new system being constructed in South Kempsey and not elsewhere in the shire?

The South Kempsey Employment Lands Hub has been identified as an area with strong potential for growth if the right infrastructure is put in place. The lack of centralised sewer infrastructure has led to businesses avoiding the area and an associated loss of employment opportunities for Kempsey.

Improved sewerage infrastructure in the Employment Lands Hub will encourage the establishment of large and diverse businesses which would otherwise require expensive tailored systems to manage site sewage. The hub currently includes an eastern service centre for southbound traffic on the Pacific Highway. In future, there is the potential for two additional service centres to be established on the western side of the highway at the southern entry to Kempsey.

How will my property and street be affected by construction?

During construction, small diameter underground pipes will be constructed to transfer sewage from individual properties to a treatment plant located in the area. In most cases, the pipes will be installed in nature strips on the side of the road.

Specialised construction equipment will be used to minimise disruption to residents and the environment. The sewer pipes will also be constructed using techniques that minimise environmental and community impacts wherever possible.

Will these works affect the environment?

Council will undertake a Review of Environmental Factors to assess the environmental and cultural impact of the proposed works. The current design option represents the best possible option to minimise the environmental impact.

How will Council minimise the impact on Aboriginal and cultural heritage sites?

As part of the Review of Environmental Factors, a full field study will be carried out in conjunction with local Indigenous groups to identify sites of Aboriginal and cultural heritage significance. The current design option represents the best possible option to minimise any cultural heritage impact.