Frederickton is experiencing considerable growth given the recent addition of a multi-stage care retirement complex and that it is the interchange for vehicular traffic from the Pacific Highway that now bypasses Kempsey. A new wastewater treatment facility to replace both the existing West Kempsey and South Kempsey wastewater treatment facilities is to be constructed. Options for creating a regional sewerage scheme have included consideration of Frederickton being amalgamated with the new
wastewater facility.

The purpose of the project was to establish a new wastewater treatment works for a capacity of 20,000 people to:

  • Facilitate future development of South and West Kempsey as well as Frederickton
  • Comply with EPA licence requirements
  • Treat wastewater currently treated at West Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Works
  • Provide storage and maintenance facilities at the new wastewater treatment works
  • Provide capacity for future treatment of wastewater currently treated at South Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Works and Frederickton Wastewater Treatment Works
  • Improve the quality of effluent discharged into the Macleay River
  • Minimise the cost of wastewater treatment for Kempsey Shire Council
  • Enable the Principal to decommission the existing West Kempsey and South Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Works.

Hunter H2O was engaged by Council in the Owners Engineer role which included assisting Council in procurement and delivery aspects of the treatment plant along with preparation of detail design drawings for the scheme which includes the treatment plant, associated pumping stations and pipelines.