Bundaberg Regional Council has approved a Development Application for a waste water treatment plant at Rubyanna capable of servicing 90,000 residents.
The plant, to be sited on a 16.7 hectare section of a 332 hectare property bounded by Kirby’s, Rubyanna and Barron’s Roads will be built above the record flood level height achieved in January 2013.
Council Water and Wastewater portfolio spokesperson, Cr. Alan Bush said the approval marked “the first step in providing future infrastructure and the necessary steps forward to grow our region.”
“This is by far the biggest public consultation process undertaken by Council and indeed the biggest project undertaken by any Council of which I have been a part,” said Cr. Bush.
He said the development application provided for a Material Change of Use of the land; approved a reconfiguration of land; endorsed outfall of treated effluent to the Burnett River and approved the conducting of an Environmentally Relevant Activity.
“Council is negotiating the purchase of almost 125 hectares of the subject land from Bundaberg Sugar with 16.7 hectares being used for the treatment plant.
Cr. Bush said the remaining land will be leased back to Bundaberg Sugar for continued farming use and will be irrigated using effluent from the treatment plant.
“Once Rubyanna comes on line the East Bundaberg Waste Water Treatment Plant will be decommissioned. It currently services 30,000 people and this number, plus an addition 20,000 people in the coastal strip, will be serviced by the first stage of development of the Rubyanna plant.”
It is anticipated that the initial 50,000 person capacity would require upgrading after 2020 when it could be expanded to cater to 90,000 people.
“The East Bundaberg plant is currently in need of significant upgrade, is a cause for environmental concern and is flood prone. Council decided that funds would be better invested in a new facility that can handle current and future capacity.”
Cr. Bush said the development of the proposed Rubyanna treatment plant was in keeping with Council’s vision for population growth for the Bundaberg East and Bargara Coastal Regions over the next 30 years.
ENDS