Off-River Water Storage Wins Award

Each year the Water Directorate sponsors an Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater award at IPWEA’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards.

The 2015 winner is Nambucca Shire Council.

The problem: The Shire was faced with the need to drought proof against major droughts, or curtail the expansion of the area.

The solution: Bowraville Off-River Water Storage project was constructed, comprising a 5,000ML earth-filled dam that stores water from an expanded bore field, together with upgrading head works, pipelines and pump station. The dam is designed to enable future increase of the wall height to contain 14,000ML and will allow for the growth of the Shire for many years to come.


Gary Mitchell with Nambucca Shire Council’s Richard Spain, Paul Gallagher and Mayor Rhonda Hoban

Kempsey Shire Council was highly commended for the award.

The problem: Kempsey was facing a highway bypass with consequent job losses - and no water supply to a new employment-generating land zone.

The solution: South Kempsey Pump Station Refurbishment and New Trunk Water Main was delivered ahead of time and on budget. This $2m seed-funded project was designed to be equitable to all stakeholders and was based on developer and community cost-sharing and risk sharing.

Congratulations also to one of the Water Directorate’s founding members Stewart McLeod (Dubbo City Council) who was awarded lifetime Emeritus Membership of IPWEA for many years’ contribution to the industry and the association.


Gary with Kempsey Shire Council’s Anne-Maree Burke and Lalji Rathod