The new plant is being constructed on a nine hectare site two kilometres from town – on Simmsville Road near the Stroud landfill – by contractors Arenco Pty Ltd. The new plant will be built to cater for 1500 ep (equivalent persons), double that of the existing plant – and has the capacity to grow to cater for 2000 ep.

Despite striking a large amount of extremely hard rock, progress on the construction site is good, MidCoast Water’s general manager Neil Hanington said.

“A number of structures are now being poured and we are about one-third of the way through the project.”

Work has been completed on both the sludge lagoons and clarifiers, with crews moving onto the construction of the inlet works and control building.

“Bulk earthworks are also complete, with the final trimming of the effluent lagoons currently underway.”

Mr Hanington said at this stage the project is about four weeks behind schedule due to delays experienced by crews striking extensive rock combined with a stretch of wet weather.

“This new plant will help to cater for the significant population potential of Stroud and the planned expansion of the urban area,” Mr Hanington said.

Once commissioned, the plant will treat effluent to a level suitable for use on agricultural land – extending MidCoast Water’s reuse program to see 95 per cent of recycled water from the new Stroud plant beneficially reused.

“This not only makes good use of a precious resource, it will minimise the amount of treated water going into the sensitive Karuah River.”

To achieve this reuse target the new plant will include the capacity to store up to 30 million litres of treated water.

“Once the new plant is commissioned, the old works at Spencer Street site will be removed and the area rehabilitated,” Mr Hanington explained.

The $10 million project has been supported by $1.1 million in funding from the State Government’s Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program.