River health will be enhanced and the Tweed’s expanding population supported by a new $35 million wastewater treatment plant, which was officially opened last week at Banora.
Members of the community rubbed shoulders with council staff and politicians at the launch of the Banora Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will service the steadily growing areas of Tweed Heads, Banora Point, Terranora and Bilambil Heights – 27,000 homes.
The project was funded by Tweed Shire Council, with the assistance of a $16.8 million interest-free loan under the NSW State Government Local Infrastructure Fund.
The official opening was attended by the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Planning, Craig Baumann MP (representing the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure), Member for Tweed, Geoff Provest MP and Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland.
The facility, located off Enterprise Avenue, will have the capacity to meet forecast population growth, using new ultraviolet treatment processes and improved filtration to process wastewater from up to 27,000 homes.
It will also significantly improve the quality of the treated effluent, compared to the plant it replaces.
“One of the most pleasing aspects of this project is the high emphasis placed on improving the final quality of effluent which is discharged to the Terranora Inlet after the wastewater has been treated,” Mayor of Tweed, Barry Longland said.
“This upgraded facility will bring significant benefits for the health of the Tweed River system as the concentrations of phosphorus will be reduced by 90 per cent and nitrogen levels will be cut by 40 per cent.
“So while population growth will bring more homes in the area and higher levels of wastewater requiring treatment, the improved treatment process will ensure there won’t be any increase in the amount of nutrients entering the river system,” he said.
The enhanced quality of final treated effluent should also create further opportunities to recycle the treated water.
Tweed Shire Council already provides recycled water to the Tweed Heads/Coolangatta Golf Course and is investigating other potential uses for the treated water, including future supply to Council’s regional sporting complex, Arkinstall Park.
This will lessen demand on the district’s potable water supplies and cut the amount of effluent discharged to the Tweed estuary.
