CITY’S $150M LOG JAM

Population growth plunging council into sewage treatment plant crisis

GOLD Coast’s booming population is putting pressure on the city’s biggest sewage treatment plant, with upgrades costing up to $150 million needed to meet demand.

A new council report says growth in the north requires the Coombabah and Pimpama treatment plants to be expanded before hitting capacity within just a few years. The expansion was originally proposed for an expected population of 70,000 but that has ballooned to 120,000.

Councillor William Owen-Jones said council needed to move quickly before entering caretaker mode.

POPULATION pressure in the Gold Coast’s fast-growing north is forcing the council to urgently upgrade the city’s biggest sewage treatment plant.

A council report, which was discussed in a closed session by councillors and is now available in a redacted form, reveals the cost of the Coombabah Sewage Treatment Stage 6 upgrade would be more than expected – up to $150 million.

The report says growth in the north requires the Coombabah and Pimpama treatment plants to be expanded.

“The Coombabah STP is the largest of the four STPs in the city, servicing an equivalent population of approximately 330,000 or 50 per cent of the city’s sewage,” the report says. “A capacity assessment of the STP identified that the treatment plant will be at or near capacity within the next few years.”

Officers had looked at options to improve performance and capacity of the plant since the last upgrade in 2011 but “these have been exhausted” and additional capacity would be needed by 2021.

They said a project review had led to a “significant increase in projected costs”, with the expansion originally proposed for an expected population of 70,000 now increased to 120,000.

“This is on the basis of significantly increased projected development and population within the catchment over the next 10 years,” the report says.

Preliminary treatment facilities need to be duplicated and the planned expansion moved to a new site, which was being used as a storage lagoon.

About 1000 piles are now required to support the new structures on swampy ground.

Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones said the council had to decide quickly because it would be in caretaker mode from February until almost April because of the local government elections, which are to be held on March 28.

“It’s basically one of the largest contracts we have. I can’t remember a bigger contract,” he said.

“It’s the local government infrastructure plan to continue

LETTERS, P14 investing in delivering services. This will effectively cater for the next 100,000 people moving into that catchment area in the next 20 to 40 years.”

The expansion of the plant would also help service about 50,000 more dwellings in Southport, Labrador, Biggera Waters, Harbour Town and Helensvale.

“It’s not sexy but it’s an important capital works infrastructure project that has to be done to accommodate growth over the next 20 years,” Cr Owen-Jones said.