Council is committed to sustainable development of the region and this is underpinned by Council's strategic approach to sewerage management. The sewerage augmentation project is designed to maintain capacity in line with Tamworth's projected growth at the same time as making sustainable use of our effluent, to reduce the environmental impact of that growth. Council is developing its water recycling capability by constructing a new sewerage treatment facility and reuse system, after receiving a $9.1 million NSW government funding. The scheme is designed so that virtually all treated effluent is delivered to a 1,500 hectare reuse farm, where it will be available for the irrigation of grain and green feed crops. In the meantime, Council is continuing to work with Trade Waste dischargers to reduce the environmental impact of liquid trade waste.
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Council's already extensive sewerage system, which includes five sewerage treatment works and 22 pumping stations, currently has the capacity to treat wastewater for approximately 54,000 people. This will be boosted by the new Westdale sewerage treatment plant and water reuse farm, which come on stream in 2010.
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On-site sewage management (OSSM) systems enable the safe and healthy disposal of wastewater in non-sewered areas. There are approximately 5600 non–sewered dwellings across the region, with the major areas for on-site sewage management systems based around Barraba, Bendemeer, Moore Creek, Kootingal / Moonbi, Manilla and Nundle. The goal of Council's On-Site Sewage Management Strategy is to ensure that Council’s development standards and approval criteria for the installation of OSSM systems safeguard public health and protect the environment.
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The discharge of liquid waste produced by a business, commercial or industrial activity into a council sewerage system must have council approval. Both the discharger and Council have responsibilities to protect the health and safety of workers in the system and the general public, to protect community assets from damage and ensure the environment is not adversely affected.
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Residential properties being built in the Forest Hills, Hills Plains East, Wentworth Ridge and Highlands Estate area of Tamworth’s Hills Plains development will be connected to Tamworth Regional Council’s sewer system via low pressure sewer, rather than conventional gravity sewer. A low pressure sewer system is generally required for rural/residential lots in the Hills Plain/Forest Hills estate subdivision, as outlined in the Hills Plain 2006 Development Control Plan.
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