‘Poonami’ solutions

WULGURU residents are expected to have some relief from their stinky situation in the next 12 months, with construction on the third stage of the Southern Suburbs Rising Main to kick off within weeks.

Wulguru residents have been battling sewerage issues for the better part of a decade, after the community outgrew the infrastructure.

Sewerage is known to overflow during periods of extended rain and flood properties in Wulguru, which has been dubbed a “poonami”. The overflowing sewerage means residents are unable to use toilets or take showers because it will make the situation worse.

Townsville City Council has engaged Newlands Civic Construction to undertake the project.

The $10.4m tender is to construct the Wulguru gravity sewer and rising main, with a separate tender awarded for the construction of the pump station at Wulguru.

Mayor Jenny Hill said the project would relieve pressure on the wastewater network in Wulguru and surrounding suburbs, and allow for future growth in the area.

“Improving the capacity of our wastewater system in our southern suburbs has been an ongoing process and now that this tender has been awarded the final stage can begin,” Cr Hill said.

“The project has had $13m committed in the 2021/2022 budget and will include the construction of a new wastewater pump station in Wulguru, a new gravity main and a new pressure main.

“This will significantly reduce the pressure experienced by the wastewater system during the wet season and cater for the population growth of the southern parts of the city.”

Newlands is expected to start construction as soon as possible.

Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairman Russ Cook said that it was the council’s priority to make sure construction started as soon as possible, to ensure a key section could begin ahead of the upcoming wet season.

“Now that this tender has been awarded, we can move ahead with the construction and begin the section of work from Edison St across to the Turf Club,” Cr Cook said.

The council will have invested $54m in the issue when this project is complete.

Division 10 councillor Fran O’callaghan said the Wulguru community were still concerned about the wet seasons between now and when the project was complete.

“Listening to their stories, they break your heart,” Cr O’callaghan said.

“Waking up and their pets are slopping around in the sewerage in their house.”

Cr O’callaghan said she was delighted about the investment. “It’s one of the basics of the modern world that our waste is removed from the living area for health and sanitation,” she said.