Work has commenced on upgrades to the Newcastle West 1 Wastewater Pump Station located next to the Marketown Shopping Centre car park. This follows successful preparatory work that was completed late last year.
The upgrade will reduce future maintenance, improve the existing pump station fixtures, improve amenity and support population growth in the area.
The site has been set up in recent weeks and construction has started. It will continue into early next year, assuming the weather is fine and Hunter Water experiences no major issues.
Hunter Water is installing a permanent odour control unit (OCU). An interim unit has been in place since last year. The project will also remediate existing concrete and some pipework, covers, and hatches at the pump station.
Hunter Water project protects infrastructure
Hunter Water Asset Solutions Group Manager, Justin Watts, said the upgrade will help to protect the pump station and pipework from corrosion and improve community amenities.
“The pump station next to Marketown, Newcastle West 1, is one of our biggest wastewater pump stations. It transfers wastewater to Burwood Beach treatment works from all or parts of 15 inner Newcastle suburbs. The project extends from New Lambton to the Newcastle CBD.
“During the next six months of the major upgrade, we’ll switch out the interim OCU we put in late last year with a large permanent unit. This permanent OCU will continue the greatly improved experience for residents and shoppers. It will extract and filter bad-smelling gases like hydrogen sulphide, known as rotten egg gas.
“The added benefit of dramatically reducing hydrogen sulphide also limits corrosion, extending the sewerage system’s operational life and making network management and maintenance more efficient.”
There may be some odour and noise along. The movement of personnel and construction vehicles will also occur while this upgrade takes place. Hunter Water will make every effort to reduce these impacts as much as possible.
Some areas of the Marketown West car park will be fenced off and unavailable to the public for the duration of the project. Hunter Water has advised Marketown management, nearby residents and tenants. They are in frequent contact with them.
For more information, visit the Hunter Water website.
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