Construction of a new $1.626 million stormwater pump station is underway in Murwillumbah, as part of efforts by the Tweed Shire Council to improve flood mitigation.
The project is being undertaken by Council in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Reconstruction Authority (RA) and the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
The new pump station is one of several projects being delivered in the Tweed Local Government Area as part of the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP).
The Federal Government-funded NRRRP provides $150 million to deliver flood mitigation and resilience projects across the Northern Rivers’ region, which was devastated by flooding in February and March of 2022.
The aim of the NRRRP is to drive long-term resilience and ensure communities are better equipped to withstand and recover from future disasters.
The pump station is being constructed behind the levee at Murwillumbah (Brothers) Leagues Club. Work started in early May and is expected to take about three months to complete, weather permitting. During construction, the levee wall and dirt track behind the Brothers clubhouse will not be accessible to the public.
Two new pumps will be installed, standing approximately 2m tall, which combined will be able to move almost 1,000L of stormwater per second at full speed – that’s the equivalent of filling up over six bathtubs of water per second.
Under the NRRRP, $6.67 million has been awarded for several other projects supported by an additional $2 million from the RA.
These projects are:
- Wharf Street pump station upgrade
- Lavender Creek pump station upgrade
- New pump system within east Murwillumbah levee
- Detailed evacuation procedures
- Alma Street modification
- Earthworks across Lot 4 on Quarry Road and modification of Condong Creek
Construction on the pump station began on 9 May 2024 with work to be undertaken from Monday to Friday, between 7am and 6pm, with occasional Saturday operations between 7am to 1pm.
During construction, the levee wall and dirt track behind Brothers Leagues Club will be closed, with site fencing erected around the construction area for safety purposes.
Occasionally, the park gate at the end of Murwillumbah Street will be used to transport equipment, such as excavators, pipes and trucks to the construction site. Murwillumbah Street will also serve as a temporary haulage route for occasionally bringing materials in and out of the construction site.
Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot, said that this project is an excellent example of how government funding can support communities in undertaking necessary steps to improve flood protection following the devastating 2022 flood events.
“The NRRRP is delivering real projects in the Tweed which are local priorities and will ensure communities like Murwillumbah are in a better position to recover from future severe weather events,” Ms Elliot said.
“I am very pleased to see construction is now underway with funding support from the NRRRP on this vital stormwater pump, which will boost flood resilience.
“The Federal Government is committed to helping the Northern Rivers on the road to recovery and ensure we are all better prepared for future events.”
Parliamentary Secretary of Disaster Recovery, Janelle Saffin, said that the work will make a big difference to the lives and livelihoods of people living and working in Murwillumbah.
“It represents real action on mitigation measures, so communities are better prepared and able to recover from the devastating impacts of floods,” Ms Saffin said.
“It demonstrates a willingness from all levels of government to get on with the job of increasing community resilience to future disasters.”
Tweed Shire Council Mayor, Chris Cherry, said that this stormwater pump station was a vital component of Council’s flood mitigation strategy for Murwillumbah and aims to reduce the impact of stormwater flooding in the area.
“The pump station will not eliminate all flooding, but it will reduce the frequency and magnitude of nuisance flooding due to storm events,” Mr Cherry said.
“While we can’t stop flooding from occurring, the pumps will significantly improve drainage of the area following a rain event, helping to reduce the impact of flooding on local residents and the Brothers Leagues Club in the future.
“Thanks to the generous support of NEMA, NSW RA and DCCEEW, this project represents a significant step towards strengthening our community’s resilience to flooding.”
Featured image: From left to right, Murwillumbah (Brothers) Leagues Club representative, Dave Orr, Tweed Shire Mayor, Chris Cherry, State Member for Lismore and New South Wales Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, Janelle Saffin, Brothers’ Glenn Weaver, and Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot inspecting construction of the new pump station.
