Waste not at Tenterfield’s new sewerage plant

Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay was pleased to officially open the new waste water treatment plant at Tenterfield on Friday. The $7 million project was co-funded by the Tenterfield Shire Council and the NSW Government under the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program. Mr Torbay said the council’s tenacity over many years finally secured the additional funding to complete major upgrades and renewal of the sewerage treatment process.
“The Waste Water Treatment Plant is a project the community and council never gave up on,” he said.
“Despite some hurdles along the way, the final outcome is very pleasing and I firstly congratulate all involved for their tenacity and commitment. I remember a very determined delegation of council, including Mayor Toby Smith, sitting in my Sydney office determined to secure an improved facility for their community. They didn’t leave it there and I organised a meeting with the then-Minister for Water, Nathan Rees, who visited the region and made a promise to provide almost 50 per cent of the cost for the new plant. Clean water returned to the river system is an outstanding outcome and I commend the council and the community for working so hard to achieve this improvement.”
As part of the waste water treatment process, reclaimed water is of a very high standard and will be utilised on the Tenterfield golf course and an adjoining farm. The excess high grade recycled water will be returned to the river.
Tenterfield Shire Mayor Toby Smith was excited about the potential for growth afforded by this new plant. “The development of the sewerage works has taken a long time and Richard has been supportive over the past 12 years,” Cr Smith said. “The new works is a deserved infrastructure upgrade for Tenterfield and allows for economic growth by attracting industry with the option of being able to extend the plant as future needs grow,” he said.