A $92 MILLION price tag to build a new wastewater treatment plant has driven Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s decision to instead upgrade the existing Wauchope facility, despite concerns about flooding at the site.
Councillors last week unanimously endorsed a staged upgrade of the Wauchope Wastewater Treatment Plant, backing a $17 million retrofit as the most affordable and practical option for ratepayers.
Council officers advised that the plant, originally constructed in the 1960s and last upgraded in the early 1990s, is facing capacity and asset condition issues.
The deteriorating inlet works were identified as the most urgent priority, requiring immediate investment regardless of whether the plant is upgraded or relocated.
A detailed options assessment considered relocating the plant to a new site outside the floodplain, expanding onto adjacent land, or upgrading the existing facility.
The report found that acquiring land and constructing a new plant would cost around $92 million, compared with about $17 million to upgrade the current site.
Even if a new plant were pursued, council would still need to complete a $7.7 million inlet works upgrade at the existing Wauchope site, as the current infrastructure cannot be deferred.
Flood risk was a central concern in the assessment.
While the site is flood prone, council officers said flooding typically occurs with low water velocity, and past events in 2021 and 2025 caused minimal disruption to operations.
To manage risk, the concept design incorporates flood mitigation measures, with all new critical infrastructure, including electrical systems, switchboards and mechanical equipment, to be constructed above designated flood planning levels.
Non-critical components such as sludge lagoons would remain below those levels.
Council also noted that the State Government has recently approved a new wastewater treatment plant at North Grafton within a floodplain, with similar flood mitigation measures in place.
The proposed upgrade will be delivered in stages, beginning with replacement of the inlet works.
Further capacity upgrades to secondary treatment systems can be deferred until around 2040, as population growth drives demand.
The upgraded plant is expected to meet Wauchope’s wastewater needs until at least 2055, with capacity able to be expanded further to support long-term growth.
By Matt TAYLOR
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