Byron Shire Council is upgrading critical communications links across its water and sewer networks to improve flood resilience, addressing vulnerabilities exposed during the 2022 Northern Rivers floods.
The project will deliver a high-speed wireless data network that connects water treatment plants, reservoirs, and sewage treatment facilities, allowing essential services to remain operational during flood events when conventional communications can fail.
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Why communications matter during floods
Flood resilience is not only about physical assets. Reliable communication is essential for monitoring, control, and response when sites are isolated or access is restricted.
Byron Shire Council Director of Infrastructure Services, Phillip Holloway, said the previous communications links were disrupted during the 2022 floods, limiting visibility and control across the network.
“This upgrade boosts the flood resilience of water and sewer service communication and control links,” Holloway said.
He said the new network will provide the reliability needed to keep services safe and functional, ensuring a clean water supply and protecting waterways during extreme events.
What the upgrade includes
The project involves installing new 30-metre tapered steel communications poles at five key Council sites:
- Ocean Shores Sewage Treatment Plant
- Brunswick Valley Sewage Treatment Plant
- Bangalow Reservoir
- Hayters Hill Radio Repeater Site
- Bangalow Sewage Treatment Plant
Each pole will be fitted with low-powered antennas that create line-of-sight wireless links between sites. The infrastructure is dedicated to water and sewer operations and cannot be used for mobile phone networks.
Once complete, the upgraded network will link assets across Ocean Shores, Mullumbimby and Byron Bay, strengthening operational coordination across the shire.
From survey to construction
Preliminary surveying and ground testing began in 2025, with construction underway in 2026 and expected to conclude by mid-year.
Some traffic impacts will occur during works at Hayters Hill on Bangalow Road, including lane reductions and short-term road closures to install the radio mast and associated equipment.
Funding and delivery model
The project is supported by funding from the Northern Rivers Water and Wastewater Repair and Recovery Program.
It is being delivered as a joint initiative with NSW Public Works, with Council funding the poles and antennas and Public Works responsible for installation.
Building operational resilience
The communications upgrade reflects a growing focus across the water sector on strengthening the resilience of digital and control systems alongside physical infrastructure.
As extreme weather events become more frequent, utilities are increasingly investing in redundant communications pathways to ensure treatment plants, pump stations and reservoirs can be monitored and controlled when conditions are at their worst.