The Erskine Street Sewage Pump Station in Dubbo (NSW) will soon receive its first upgrade since 1985. The $7.3 million upgrade will commence in August to address operational, environmental, safety and high maintenance requirements for this essential infrastructure.
Chair of the Works and Services Committee Councillor Lyn Griffiths said the pump station, which is located at the corner of Darling Street and Erskine Street, was first commissioned in 1928 and is an essential piece of infrastructure that pumps sewage to the Dubbo Sewage Treatment Plant.
“In noting the report the Works and Services Committee also noted that Council staff are in discussions to addressing the removal of the four trees with new tree plantings in adjacent blocks of Erskine Street and working further on solutions to soften the visual impact external to the pump station site,” Councillor Griffiths said.
“The Sewage Pump Station upgrade is required to address problems of insufficient pumping capacity, lack of emergency overflow storage, lack of odour control and monitoring and insufficient emergency protections. However, it is important that proper consideration be given to the removal of the trees in relation to this project,” she said.
An independent Review of Environmental Factors and subsequent assessment by Council’s Environmental Services Division found the removal of the trees will not have a significant impact on the environment or the visual amenity in the area.
“The removal of the trees is needed to improve access from Erskine Street and provide the physical space to complete the upgrade,” Councillor Griffiths said.
“Council is also considering options to improve the amenity of the area with better fencing or appropriate landscaping to improve the overall visual appeal of this highly visible site,” she said.
Construction is expected to commence with the removal of the trees in the week commencing 31 August 2015.
