Sewage Pump Station CN1 (Lily Street)

Completed

Infrastructure

UPDATE: The construction phase of the project has been completed and minor works are now underway to finalise the project (fencing, landscaping, general site tidy-up). These works are expected to be completed over the coming month and there should be no impacts on residents/businesses during this time.

Project summary

The sewage pump station (previously known as SPS K, now SPS CN1) located on the corner of Sheridan and Lily streets in Cairns North, plays an important role in providing efficient sewer services for the City of Cairns. This pump station is the largest in operation in the Cairns LGA and pumps more than 600 Litres per second of raw sewerage every day through the network transferring it to the Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant where it is treated. Given the age of the pump station, our growing population and the increasing density of the city, the pump station requires an upgrade in order to continue servicing the areas across the Cairns CBD and Edge Hill.

The $9 million project includes the decommissioning and demolishing of the existing pump station (SPS K) and the construction of the new pump station (SPS CN1) located toward the east of the existing site. The existing pump station is currently 65 years old and at the end of its useful life.

On completion of the project, the new sewage pump station will allow increased capacity to cater for the growing demand within the catchment, accommodate future connections within the sewerage network, address odour issues, and continue to provide a reliable sewer network to the community.

Construction timeframe

Works are programmed in two stages being (i) the preliminary works and (ii) the construction works.

Preliminary works are currently underway on site which include location of underground services, surveying, and site set out.

The construction phase of the program is expected to commence in mid-April 2020 and to be completed by mid-2022, subject to favourable weather conditions.

Residents and businesses in the nearby area will be continually updated throughout the life of the project. The community are encouraged to visit the Works In Progress page for project updates.

Design

The new sewage pump station (SPS NC1) includes equipment above and below ground level. Above ground is a painted single level masonry block building with pitched roof to house new switchboards for the pump station and a smaller second masonry block building to house Ergon equipment. It also includes re-use of the existing back-up power generator in a noise suppression enclosure enabling the pump station to continue functioning in the event of a power outage. An Odour Control Unit will also be installed which will address odours currently being experienced.

Below ground is a new wet well, pipes, and a chamber to house associated underground fittings and valves.

A new pressed point security fence in black will be installed around the new pump station building for safety purposes. The existing driveway will be upgraded and an additional driveway will be installed to create a u-shaped access to service the new pump station.

Landscaping and car parking

New vegetation will include new trees along the Sheridan Street frontage of the site and new trees along the Lily Street frontage. The majority of vegetation will remain however some removal is unavoidable in places – please refer to the Landscape Concept Plan ( PDF, 0.65 MB ) for further information.

Two car parks will be removed from Lily street in order to install the new driveway.