Mackay Regional Council to undergo vital sewerage maintenance

The call to hold off on the curries on election night this weekend for vital sewerage repairs has been postponed. Read the new date of works here.

The message to hold off on the spicy curry dinners and leave your wee in the bowl on Federal Election night has been delayed until June 4.

Last week’s heavy rainfall has forced Mackay Regional Council to flush the planned sewerage works on Paradise Street and wait for the excessive flow to ease.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the sewer main was currently pumping double the amount of wastewater than usual and with more increment weather forecast over the weekend, to go ahead with works would be “imprudent”.

“It is essential that we avoid sewage overflows at all costs and our responsibility to do that comes first,” Mr Williamson said.

‘Let it mellow’ is council’s instruction during works. Picture: File.

When the works do go ahead, the council is pleading for community co-operation as it aims to conduct a major sewer repair to the Paradise Street main and avoid costly leaks into the environment.

The works will involve more than 55 crew members working from 6pm on Saturday, June 4, to 8am, Sunday, June 5, as they aim to replace 18 metres of pipe in the southern sewage rising main, which carries more than 18 million litres of sewage every day.

Throughout the 10-hour period, pumping stations will be shut down and nearby residents may experience odour and noise.

Cartoonist Harry Bruce takes a wry look at election night sewage system shutdown in Mackay.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson described the works as “an enormous undertaking”.

“(It) will involve turning off 88 sewerage pump stations in the Mackay sewerage scheme. These pump stations enable the sewage to continue to flow throughout the length of the sewerage network and out to the Mackay South Water Recycling Facility,” he said.

“By switching them off, sewage will cease flowing at the required location, enabling the crews to repair the pipe,” he said.

All residents in the Mackay urban area, excluding the Northern Beaches are being directed to reduce their water usage to prevent the possibility of sewage overflow.

The map indicates those suburbs where residents are being asked to reduce water usage during a major repair on Saturday, June 4, from 6pm until 8am Sunday, June 5. Picture: Mackay Regional Council.

Mr Williamson said residents would still have water access but overuse across the community “could cause harmful discharges to our environment”.

“Any overuse of water in the identified areas could cause the sewage pumping stations to become inundated while they are shut down,” he said.

“In other words, if it’s yellow let it mellow. Have an early shower, leave those dirty dishes until tomorrow, and who wants to do laundry on a Saturday night anyway?”

The council believes the new pipeline will “ensure the longevity of the pipeline into the future”.

Residents can phone council on 1300 MACKAY (622 529) if they have any questions.