Toogoom STP to pump recycled water for Fraser Coast farmers

The Toogoom Sewage Treatment Plant will soon pump recycled water through 5km of pipelines to a dam on Toogoom Road, to be used for irrigation, with works now underway to install a new pipeline.

Fraser Coast Regional Councillor, Jade Wellings, said Council has started work on installing a new pipeline from the Toogoom plant to cater for growth in Toogoom.

“Recycled water from the plant is currently used to irrigate a plantation on land beside the treatment plant,” Ms Wellings said.

“More land was needed to cater for the increasing volume of treated water being produced.”

As part of the $1 million project a 150mm diameter pipe will be installed down Oregan Creek Road, Toogoom Road, crossing the Pialba-Burrum Heads Road, to the farm.

“We anticipate that the project, being undertaken by Wide Bay Water staff, will take about seven months to complete, weather permitting,” Ms Wellings said.

“The pipelaying team can lay about 100m of pipe a day.

“Although there may be some traffic interruptions while the work is underway, a borer will be used to extend the pipe under the Pialba-Burrum Heads Road to avoid the need to hold up traffic.”

The recycled water will be suitable to irrigate a range of agricultural uses such as pasture, sugar cane or a hardwood plantation.

Fraser Coast Mayor, George Seymour, said, “The works will ensure that Council continue to maximise the beneficial reuse of effluent from the Toogoom sewage treatment plant and minimise any impact on the environment as the population in the Toogoom catchment increases.”

Currently about 500 million litres of recycled water are used each year by Council to irrigate hardwood timber plantations and Maryborough and Hervey Bay farmers on various crops including sugar cane.

“That’s good for the environment and good for the ocean,” Mr Seymour said.

“Our recycled water scheme, which has been in place for more than 25 years, routinely uses 90 to 100 per cent of the Fraser Coast’s treated wastewater for tree plantations, golf courses, turf farms, sporting fields and sugar cane crops.”

Feature image: Toogoom Sewage Treatment Plant pipeline. Provided by Fraser Coast Council.