Hey Wonthaggi – happy Christmas, we’re ready to grow with you into the New Year

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

We know nobody likes to think what lies beneath our feet. Particularly the things we flush.

But we’re proud to tell you we have completed a combination of upsizing sewer pipes and laying new sewer pipes around Wonthaggi.

South Gippsland Water Managing Director Philippe du Plessis said the team started this major work in January and celebrated its completion this month.

“Wonthaggi is our region’s fastest growing town, and we want to make sure we’re putting in the infrastructure now, so the system can cope with any future growth,” he said.

“Since January we have upsized 1,636 metres of gravity sewer pipe across the town – 1,322 metres using our ‘pipebursting’ technique and 314 metres using the more traditional lift and relay method. We’ve also bored 636 metres of new pressure main pipe.

“I’m sure Wonthaggi residents would’ve noticed us working around the town, particularly on Murray Street. I’d like to thank all of Wonthaggi for its patience as these important works were carried out.

”We’ve got a little bit of tidying up to do, but all of the major works are now complete.”

The works represent a $1.9 million investment by South Gippsland Water in the Wonthaggi Sewer Reticulation System.

Without these upgrades there was a future risk to the growing town of sewer spills during wet weather and storm events. These upgrades are good for people and the environment.

South Gippsland Water has predominantly used a state-of-the-art, trenchless technology called ‘pipe bursting’. Old sewer pipes are left in place while a larger diameter pipe bursting head is forced through using a pneumatic hammer action. This splits the old pipe apart, pulling the new section of pipe in place behind it.

This technology means deep trenches are not required the entire of the length of the sewer, maintaining access to roads and driveways for most properties and businesses. Locating the new pipe in the same place as the old pipe is useful in busy areas such as Murray Street, where there are connections for water, communications and energy services already in place.

The $1.9 million investment is the first stage of a larger $9 million project by South Gippsland Water to help future-proof Wonthaggi’s wastewater systems.

This investment is part of our price, service, future plan.