3 Councillors Greater Taree 3 Councillors Great Lakes MidCoast Water General Manager Design And Construction Strategic Planning OperationsCorporate

2 Off-Stream Dams 3 Weirs 1 Borefield 4 Water Treatment Plants 34 Reservoirs 26 Water Pumping Stations 13 Sewerage Treatment Plants 180 Sewerage Pumping Stations

Manning Point Sewerage Scheme Tea Gardens Sewerage Strategy North Karuah Sewerage Scheme Taree/Wingham Effluent reuse Manning Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Nabiac borefield and WTP Hallidays Point Water Supply Upgrade

Pacific Palms Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Stroud WWTP Upgrade Old Bar WWTP Upgrade Hallidays Point WWTP Upgrade Nabiac Water Supply Upgrade Harrington Water Supply Upgrade Tea Gardens WTP

The Water Cycle MidCoast Water’s business

Communities under investigation

2000 Questionnaire results A questionnaire was circulated by direct mail to all properties in the high risk village areas in early 2000

MidCoast Water has applied for State Government funding to provide improved sewerage management for 9 villages in our region. Initial investigation funding was approved in May 2002 by DLWC and our program of implementing the investigation approved in October 2002 by DLWC

Collection and Transport - A system of pipes, pumps and storages that allow waste to be collected and transported to the treatment location. Treatment - A system where liquid wastes are treated to a standard suitable for the chosen effluent management system. Effluent Management - A system designed to return treated wastewater effluent to the environment by either discharge or reuse.

Centralised Effluent Management  Land based irrigation re-use  Urban non-potable re-use  Sand dune exfiltration / groundwater re-charge  Ocean release outfall  River, lake or port discharge  Connect to existing treatment and use its effluent management system (one of the above)

Land Based Irrigation Re-Use  Local climatic conditions  Soil properties – Physical, chemical & biological  Groundwater characteristics  Presence of surface water bodies  Topography  Size of wet weather storage to limit effluent discharge  Urban reuse

Sand dune exfiltration/groundwater recharge  Local soil must be sand or other rapid draining soil  Hydraulic properties  Groundwater characteristics – high quality groundwater

Direct discharge to ocean/river/port  Aquaculture industries and environment  Flushing characteristics  Nutrients

Decentralised effluent management ie onsite systems  Surface Irrigation  Sub surface Irrigation  Absorption trench  Evapotranspiration  Reuse in toilet flushing waters  Road tanker pump-out

Constructed Wetland for effluent polishing:  Local climatic conditions  Soil properties – Physical, chemical & biological  Groundwater characteristics  Topography  Size of wetland to achieve water quality

Conventional technologies Centralised Treatment & effluent management  Transfer wastewater to an existing WWTP  Construct a local raw wastewater treatment and effluent management system  Effluent reuse with treatment via a conventional WWTP, lagoon or wetland treatment system.  Effluent discharge with treatment via a conventional WWTP or a combination of a conventional WWTP with constructed wetland  Construct a local raw wastewater treatment system and transfer treated effluent to an existing WWTP for effluent management

Non-Conventional technologies  Decentralised (on-site) treatment and effluent management  AWTS  Composting toilets with grey water system  Septic tanks with sand filters  Septic tanks with constructed wetlands  Septic tanks with reactive filters

Non-Conventional technologies Combination on-site/centralised treatment and effluent management  Transfer septic tank effluent to an existing WWTP  Construct a local septic effluent treatment and effluent management system.  Effluent reuse with treatment via lagoon, constructed wetland or conventional WWTP  Effluent discharge with treatment via lagoon, constructed wetland or conventional WWTP  Construct a local septic effluent treatment system and transfer treated effluent to an existing WWTP for effluent management

Water Sources  Rainwater tank only  New water scheme such as Desalination – river, lake, port  Connect to existing water scheme  Combination rainwater tank and new or existing water scheme

Water Treatment  Rainwater tank top-up supply would require filtration and disinfection at each house  Centralised scheme would treat at central treatment plant

Centralised Delivery Systems  Large pipe for full indoor and outdoor use  Small pipe for indoor use only  Small pipe for top up of rainwater tank in dry times

Onsite collection of rainwater  May need regular roof and tank maintenance  First flush systems to minimise poor water quality into tank storage  Suitability of collection area materials

For a house with town water and standard water fixtures (shower, washing machine), each person typically uses 180 to 200 Litres per day For a house with town water and full water efficient fixtures (AAA shower rose, front load washing machine, 3L/6L dual flush toilets), each person typically uses 110 Litres per day For a house with onsite tank water only and full water efficient fixtures, each person typically uses 80 Litres per day For a house with onsite tank water only, full water efficient fixtures and no toilet water flushing (toilet waste composted or flushing water recycled), each person typically uses 60 Litres per day

Impact of reducing water use: Means less sewage to transfer, treat, and return to the environment for centralised and less sewage to pump out for onsite systems Means less water to truck in for rainwater tank users and less water to treat and supply to each house for a town water supply If the water and sewerage schemes use less water they become cheaper to build and operate

Presentation of the cost for each option: To obtain a $/house we have divided the total capital cost of each option by the average number of lots from those existing now to full development within the village. The Net Present Value (NPV) is a life cycle cost including capital cost and operating costs (future expenditure) brought into today’s $$$.

The costs presented for each option include all costs: associated with work on public assets (such as centralised pipes, pumps and ‘buying’ into existing systems) As well as work on private households (such as house connection to sewer main or rainwater tank)

Please note: The costs presented in the following tables are NOT what the householder will pay. Contributions to the final scheme would be expected from the Department of Land & Water Conservation (NSW Government), MidCoast Water and the householder. The exact cost from each is unknown at this stage.

MidCoast Water’s average cost of a centralised sewerage system is $7,700 per lot. A typical house connection cost to the sewerage main is $2,000 per lot Current sewer rate is $460.

MidCoast Water’s average cost of a centralised water system is $5,200 per lot. A typical house connection cost to the water main is $1,500 per lot. Current water rate is $330

Sewerage Scheme Example: Coopernook Capital $4M Existing 160 houses Future 220 houses For existing $27,000/house include householder costs For future $20,000/house include householder costs For average between existing and future $23,000/house include householder costs. Over 20 years a life cycle cost of $30,000.

Sewerage Scheme Example: Lansdowne Capital $3.2M Existing 138 houses Future 195 houses For existing $25,000/house include householder costs For future $18,000/house include householder costs For average between existing and future $21,000/house include householder costs. Over 20 years a life cycle cost of $28,000.

Sewerage Scheme Example: Manning Point Capital $4M Existing 166 houses Future 171 houses For existing $26,000/house include householder costs For future $25,000/house include householder costs For average between existing and future $26,000/house include householder costs. Over 20 years a life cycle cost of $34,000.

Sewerage Scheme Example: Wallamba Scheme Capital $10M (transfer within the Hallidays Point scheme and treatment costs not included) Existing 570 houses Future 1150 houses For existing $20,000/house include householder costs For future $10,000/house include householder costs For average between existing and future $14,000/house include householder costs. Over 20 years a life cycle cost of $18,000.

OptionEffluent ManagementTreatmentCollectionLife cycle costs $/lot ConventionalCentralised 1Ocean discharge ForsterTreatment plant ForsterGrinder pump Modified gravity $28,000 $26,000 2aReuse localTreatment Plant Coomba Park Grinder pump Modified gravity $26,000 $23,000 2bRiver/lake discharge localTreatment Plant Coomba Park Grinder pump Modified gravity $27,000 $25,000 2cRiver/lake discharge localTreatment Plant & Wetland Coomba Park Grinder pump Modified gravity $23,000 $21,000 3Ocean discharge ForsterTreatment plant Coomba Park Grinder pump Modified gravity $30,000 $28,000

OptionEffluent ManagementTreatmentCollectionLife cycle costs $/lot Non ConventionalDecentralised 4aIrrigation/toilet flushing/tanker off onsiteAWTS $53,000 4bDry Compost/soakage/ tanker off onsiteDry compost $54,000 4cWet compost/soakage/ tanker off onsiteWet Compost $60,000 4dIrrigation/tanker offonsiteSeptic tank & sand filter $55,000 4eIrrigation/tanker offonsiteSeptic tank & wetland $55,000 4fIrrigation/tanker offOnsiteSeptic tank & reactive filter $60,000 Non ConventionalCombination 5Ocean discharge ForsterOnsite/treatment plant ForsterSeptic tank pump CED $27,000 $25,000 6aReuse localOnsite/ Treatment plant Coomba Park Septic tank pump CED $25,000 $23,000 6bRiver/Lake discharge local Onsite/ Treatment plant Coomba Park Septic tank pump CED $26,000 $25,000 7Ocean discharge ForsterOnsite/ Treatment plant Coomba Park Septic tank pump CED $30,000 $29,000

No nothing optionAWT’sSeptic tank 52 pump outs/yr Septic tank 26 pump outs/yr Septic tank no pump outs/yr $/lot Capital for future blocks$6,100$4,100 Total life cycle$15,300$83,700$44,900$6,200

OptionDescriptionWater SourceService capabilityLife cycle costs $/lot Conventional 1Maintain existing systemRainwaterLimited indoor & limited outdoor $19,000 2Conventional town system, existing WTP ManningIndoor & outdoor$19,000 Non Conventional 3Existing WTP/indoorManning indoor Rainwater outdoor Indoor use only Onsite rainwater for limited outdoor use $13,000 4New WTP/indoor & outdoor Lake at Coomba Park indoor Indoor & outdoor$39,000 5New WTP/indoorLake at Coomba Park indoor Rainwater outdoor Indoor use only Onsite rainwater for limited outdoor use $23,000 6Existing WTP top-up by pipe onsite tank Manning & Rainwater Indoor & outdoor$20,000 7Onsite treatment and monitoring of rainwater tank, top-up by tanker RainwaterIndoor & outdoor$26,000