Better quality drinking water is around the corner for Willawarrin residents as shovels hit the ground on a new $8 million state-of-the-art water treatment plant.
Thanks to more than $2 million from the New South Wales Government and over $6 million from Kempsey Shire Council, the project is delivering a new and fully automated plant to replace the existing 1960s-era infrastructure.
“I am absolutely thrilled to see the sod turned on Willawarrin’s new high-tech water treatment plant, marking a significant milestone for the local community who deserve access to safer and more reliable drinking water,” NSW Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, said.”
“We know the severe weather events between 2017 and 2022 had a huge impact on the quality of the bore, so that’s why we have put $2 million on the table to help Kempsey Shire Council build the infrastructure it needs.”
Willawarrin relies on bore water, which varies in quality and can become unsuitable during extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. In these circumstances, the current system is unable to treat the water to a safe and acceptable level.
This leaves the 180-person village relying on water being carted from Kempsey, which is expensive and unsustainable.
“As a resident of Willawarrin, I know firsthand how unreliable the current water supply is. Treatment is basic, there is only rudimentary chemical dosing, and the facilities are at the end of their useful life,” Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Kinne Ring, said. “The new water treatment plant means water will consistently meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which is great news for the local community’s health.
The new plant, located south of the town’s sports field, will include modern technology that will treat bore water to a higher quality and provide the community with safer and more reliable water.
The project includes a 0.25 megalitre (ML) per day ultrafiltration water treatment plant, which includes high-tech UV disinfection, water storage, reticulation pumps, and chemical dosing systems.
“The new plant will lock in clean, high-quality drinking water for decades to come, which is great news for locals who have long been waiting for improvements. I look forward to seeing it cross the finish line,” Ms Jackson said.
New pipelines have already been installed, and additional works, including refurbishing an existing reservoir, will be completed after the water treatment plant is commissioned.
“We’ve been in talks with the community since 2018 on the best options for boosting water quality and security for Willawarrin, and this new treatment plant will tick all those boxes, which is a great outcome for the village,” Mayor Ring said. “Besides the local benefits, this is the first major project to start construction in our multi-million-dollar water and sewer works program. We have secured substantial funding from both the NSW and Australian Governments to push our program forward to bolster water security, reliability and improved water services for thousands of households.”
The Willawarrin Water Treatment Plant project is expected to be finished by early 2026.
