Contractors have broken ground on a $2 million project to start replacing Cootamundra’s aging water main network.
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The work could not have come soon enough for some Cootamundra residents, who have been complaining for years, and sometimes decades, about the colour and odour or mains water in parts of the town.
Cootamundra resident Karl Zermat has approached Fair Trading NSW because he was “tired of paying for dirty water”.
“It’s mainly the colour for me but a lot of people are saying the water’s odour is a problem as well,” he said.
Killard Infrastructure was awarded the water mains replacement contract by Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council.
Cootamundra-Gundagai Abb McAlister welcomed the start of works to replace the water mains.
“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.
“It could take up to two years to do it, but it will be a blessing once it’s done.
“Killard are a reputable group and its good that they have kicked it off and they’ll certainly keep at it and good, clean water will be finally delivered to Coota.”
Cr Mcalister said areas of Cootamundra had issues with water quality.
“The mains, over the years from continually being repaired, have finally worn out,” he said.
Killard Infrastructure started work in Florance Street using a non-destructive digging (NDD) method to locate services.
According to a council statement, the NDD method significantly reduces the chance of damaging underground utilities.
A pump is mounted on a vacuum truck which generates powerful suction to remove earth and debris from an excavation.
Council stated that NDD is becoming the preferred method of excavation within the construction industry as it reduces cost and risk of damage to underground utilities such as telephone and gas lines.
Cr McAlister said the project would also benefit the council in the long term.
“Coota had a high percentage of burst water mains. This will stop all that and it will save council on the maintenance side of things.
“It got to stage where they were not repairable and we needed to do something and that’s why we are replacing them and we’ll save ourselves the cost of continual maintenance once they are all upgraded and renewed.”
The project’s funding has been sourced from the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund and administered by Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council and is part of Councils SCF major projects program.
Cootamundra MP Steph Cooke said she was pleased the project has started.
“This Stronger Communities Fund project will deliver to Cootamundra a water main network which the community deserves to have,” she said.
“I’m delighted the project has started and look forward to following the progress.”
Prior to the council’s announcement of the water main works, Mr Zermat said some residents had experienced decades of water issues.
“My parents are in the next street and they have been there ten years and I have been here three,” he said.
“When I first came here, my dogs were constantly sick and I went to the council four times and the first three times they said it was my house.
“The fourth time they said the whole town’s water pipes needed replacing and the situation could get worse when it rained.”
Mr Zemat said the council should not charge people for a product he described as “not fit for purpose”.
A Council spokesperson said staff had spent 12 months giving updates on the water project.
“The discolouration caused by the ageing main system does not make the water harmful to drink—the water quality is tested regularly by the government authorities and is perfectly safe to drink,” the spokesperson said.
“Council apologises for the annoying inconvenience and reassures the ratepayers it is doing everything in its power to reduce and eventually eliminate a problem which has been developing over the past twenty or more years.”