Parkes Shire Council (NSW) will receive $18million in financial assistance for a new Water Treatment Plant.
The funding was announced by Member for Orange MP, Andrew Gee on behalf of the NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water, Niall Blair, MCL.
The funding represents approximately 45 per cent of the cost of the project and just over $9million or 38 per cent of the cost will go towards the new Sewerage Treatment Plant, under the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program.
Parkes Shire Council Director of Infrastructure, Andrew Francis, said the contracts for both the Water and Sewerage Treatment Plants have been awarded to John Holland.
“Council has over the past few months been undertaking a selective tender for the delivery of both the water and sewage treatment plant. This process included many workshops with the potential tenderers, looking at their safety records, speaking to previous clients and visiting existing sites,” Mr Francis said.
John Holland’s tender bid indicated approximately 35 per cent of their tender will be locally procured. Consequently many millions of dollars will be directly returned to the local economy.
Parkes Shire Council awarded the Parkes Mayor, Ken Keith, said, “I would like to thank the Minister for his support and this funding offer, and I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of our local member for Orange, Andrew Gee MP and thank him for his guidance and support through the funding process”.
Mr Keith said the funding means that Parkes Shire Council will be able to improve the drinking water quality and future proof the water supply to Parkes and Peak Hill, as well as implementing state of the art water treatment and management.
Parkes Shire Council worked with the Federal and State Governments and has undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure a safe and robust water supply. The council has also completed the Lake Endeavour upgrade and, with the assistance of a NSW Government Restart Grant, is also upgrading the Lachlan River raw water intake and refurbishing Bore 8 in the Lachlan River Borefield.
The council was also successful in receiving a grant from the Federal Government through the Building Stronger Regions Scheme for a recycle water ring main from the new sewage treatment plant around the town to enable the use of water that would otherwise be lost to be used on sporting fields and other open space areas.