selby/belgrave sewerage backlog back on

It's great news to hear that construction works have resumed this month on a new reticulated sewerage system for Belgrave and Selby.

Locals will notice work crews in the area as part of the $20 million project aimed at protecting public health and the environment from the risks associated with poorly maintained septic tanks.

South East Water report they are continuing sewerage backlog works in Belgrave and Selby and hope to have the reticulated system completed within the next six to eight months. They also expect to be in a position to undertake individual property connections from early 2014.

This project will see 700 households in Belgrave and Selby connected to reticulated sewerage which is a great outcome for the local environment.

As with the Belgrave South project South East Water will hold a community information session  speak with residents and businesses about how they can connect to the new system once the connections schedule is confirmed.

South East Water has been in close communications with council over the works to ensure there's minimal construction impacts. I was impressed by their performance as part of the Belgrave South project, South East Water did not remove one single tree as part of the project and are committed to ensuring minimal environmental impacts.

So far the community is very positive about the works. There’s been a recognition of the problem of failing septic systems for a long time and, in an area which values the environment, locals are keenly aware and supportive of the environmental benefits of a sewer connection.

The environmental impacts of failing septic tanks they are immense. Polluting ground and surface water, creating native vegetation dieback and an influx of weeds, not to mention E Coli being released into our streets during storm events from septic tanks.

I'm delighted to see the works re-commence. The construction of a reticulated sewerage system in Belgrave and Selby has immense benefits for the environment and our local waterways.

If you're in the project area and would like to know more you can contact South East Water on 1800 055 465 or visit southeastwater.com.au for more info.

samantha in the press

Some Belgrave and Selby residents could be waiting until 2018 to be connected to sewer network
by Emily Webb
Free Press Leader
13 Mar 2013

State Government accused of finding excuses to delay Rowville Rail Link after report release
by Laura Armitage and Tim Michell
Knox Leader
12 Mar 2013

No Monash Uni train station for at least a decade
by Daniel Tran
Monash Weekly
11 Mar 2013

“More buses” needed during Rowville Rail wait
by Matthew Crawford
The Next Station
10 Mar 2013

samantha in the press

belgrave south & heights sewerage gets closer

Today I went along to the community consultations about the proposed sewerage program for Belgrave South and Heights being held by South East Water.

The project has been brought forward on the sewerage backlog program because of the significant environmental benefits it will deliver to waterways and the environment in the region. The sewer system being proposed is called a hybrid system. Most of the system will be pumped under pressure and directed towards Zigzag Road, where it will then become a gravity flow system down to the valley to the existing sewer at Birdsland.

From left to right: Cr Samantha Dunn – Lyster Ward councillor, Gordon Burr – Project Manager Pressure Systems South East Water and Barbara Ferry-Smith Manager Customer Relations South East Water.

Engineers for the project advise that they plan to install most of the pipes by directional boring, rather than open cut trenching as this helps avoid impact on vegetation, however boring could be challenging given the amount of rocky terrain in the region.

South East Water will take core samples every three to five hundred metres to try to ascertain what techniques they will need to use to install the system. I have been told that approximately 30 trees will require removal as part of the project, however I’ve yet to see details about what trees and where. The sewerage project will need to come to council for planning approval.

On day one of the weekend consultation over 200 community members attended to find out more about the program. Residents were very positive about the program, many not believing they would ever see sewerage come to Belgrave South. I congratulate South East Water for their efforts in getting the message out there to community members.