KEMPSEY Shire mayor Liz Campbell is a glass half-full kind of gal – so she was tickled pink that a long planned project for a new water treatment plant at Crescent Head is now in the starting blocks.
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The State Government has tipped in $1.3 million to get the venture underway – and council will stump for the remainder of the $5 million cost.
Both mayor and local MP Melinda Pavey and senior council staff were onsite at the old treatment plant this morning to announce the progress.
Council’s Wesley Trotter – just two weeks into his gig as manager, Water and Sewer – told the Argus the new plant would be open by mid-2020 and it would address issues of turbidity and organic particles in the supply from the bores 12km away at Maguires Crossing.
The permanent population of 1600 at Crescent Head “will notice a big improvement in water quality,” Mr Trotter said.
His offsider, Bala Vigneswaran, said the project would deliver a “continuous supply of good water that is safe to drink”.
But the water from the new plant won’t taste great as, Mr Vigneswaran noted, “water shouldn’t have a taste”.
Cr Campbell said while water treatment might not ring the bells of most – without basic infrastructure, places such as Crescent Head could not continue to grow.
The mayor asked Mrs Pavey to say a few words, “so we can get the diggers going”.
“This funding enables council to start the tender process for the design and construction of the new plant,” Cr Campbell said.
Mrs Pavey said the State’s ante for Crescent Head would be drawn from the Government’s $1 billion Safe and Secure Water Program.
The Member for Oxley said she’s been “a bit cheeky” lately in response to critics who claim the Nationals take the seat for granted.
Mrs Pavey said if taking the seat as a given equalled stunning investment in water and sewer schemes, the Pacific Highway, and the hospitals at Kempsey and Macksville – she’d take that any day.
“This funding from the Government’s $1 billion Safe and Secure Water Program shows we are getting on with the job of delivering critical local water and wastewater infrastructure in and around the Macleay Valley.
“The funding will support Kempsey Shire Council towards the total expected cost of approximately $5 million to construct a new water treatment plant,” Mrs Pavey said.
Cr Campbell said she welcomed the State’s support.
“This important, long-awaited infrastructure project will be of great benefit to the Crescent Head Community and I’d like to thank the NSW Government for contributing,” Cr Campbell said.
“This funding enables council to start the tender process for the design and construction of the new plant.”
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