North East Water’s Beechworth sewer upgrade project has seen great progress, with a 1 km continuous length pipe pulled through a horizontal bore from Beechworth to the sewage treatment plant in Woolshed.
The Beechworth sewer system is being upgraded to address sewage overflows after heavy rain events. The project involves a new sewer transfer pipe being constructed from the bottom of Church Street, along Last Street, Sydney Road and Old Chiltern Road then under the Historic Park to the wastewater treatment plant.
Without the upgrade, when prolonged rainfall occurs in Beechworth the sewer system is unable to cope and overflows from an outlet structure on Church Street into the Beechworth Historic Park.
Planning for the project began in 2016 and involved an extensive community engagement process. The upgrade is expected to be crucial in the coming years and will be necessary to take extra flow from the new transfer main, as well as anticipated and accommodate population growth.
Like any large-scale project, the upgrade has had some (and will likely continue to have) impacts on the community associated with construction work. This includes limited and altered road access, heavy construction vehicles present on residential roads and some noise pollution.
Construction activities began in late 2021 and is anticipated to take 12 months, depending on delays.
To view North East Water’s update, click here.