Townsville City Council getting closer to fixing Wulguru’s sewage back-flow problem

Townsville’s long-running sewage backflow problem in some suburbs, dubbed the ‘poonami’, could soon be flushed for good. See what’s being done.

TCC Water and Resource Recovery general manager Travis Richards praised Wulguru residents for their co-operation with smoke testing. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Townsville City Council has praised residents for their co-operation with sewerage network testing aimed at flushing away Wulguru’s “poonami” problem, once and for all.

For more than 30 years in some cases, residents around the Wulguru area, dubbed the ‘Poonami Army’, have sought a solution to prevent raw sewage from overflowing into their yards during significant rain events.

The overflows were caused by rain water inflow or infiltration into the sewerage network, through broken and damaged infrastructure.

It was also caused by illegal rainwater connections and landscaping diverting stormwater into manholes or overflow relief gullies.

To understand the scope of the problem and begin working on solutions, Townsville City Council embarked on an ambitious smoke testing program across three suburbs in late March.

A fountain of sewage in a Wulguru property’s backyard during a rainfall event. Picture: Evan Morgan

Leanne Dobbin stands in sewage in her backyard. Picture: Evan Morgan

With over 500 properties tested so far in parts of Annandale, Cluden and Wulguru, the council’s Water and Resource Recovery general manager Travis Richards said around 4.5 per cent had defects identified – both in private and council infrastructure – with a three month time frame given to rectify the situation.

He said smoke testing was the next step after council commissioned a new Wulguru Pump Station earlier this year, as part of the $20m stage three of the Southern Suburbs Rising Main Project.

“We want to work with the community on something that’s really important and essentially keep sewage underground,” Mr Richards said.

“Wulguru is a long-established area so just through the shifting of the ground, the pipes under the ground can crack and break.

Poonami Army leader Leanne Dobbin has an array of equipment to deal with sewage flooding at her property. Picture: Leighton Smith.

“It makes sense that we go and look for these contributions in this area because we’ve got this brand new pump station (where) we know exactly what it’s designed to do and how it’s designed to work.”

After residents are advised in writing two or three days before testing began, council crews are gaining access to around 90 per cent of properties, with alternative arrangements made for the remainder.

“We don’t approach this trying to catch anybody. The way (the legislation is) written it gives plenty of time for people to understand what the issue is to rectify, rather than be penalised,” he said.

While council was responsible for the wastewater network outside residential property boundaries, he said household drainage within the property boundary was the responsibility of property owners.

Townsville City Council’s Water and Resource Recovery general manager Travis Richards at a smoke testing site in Wulguru. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Smoke emerging from a Wulguru property’s ventilation pipe during TCC's smoke testing program. Picture: Leighton Smith.

The council’s site supervisor said the proactive program was testing up to 80 properties per day by using a fan to force smoke into the sewerage network.

Council officers fan out to see whether smoke was emerging from places where it shouldn’t, like the ground, drain pipes, or overflow relief gullies.

“(Illegal connections are) not a common thing that we come across so much anymore. Some areas of Townsville are worse than others I find,” he said.

“If there’s a potential problem, we take details, take photos, and if the person’s home, we’ll bring them out and explain the situation to him.

“A letter will come to them outlining the defect with the photo of what we found, a number is provided, and a (three month) time limit to have this (rectified).”

After testing wraps up at the end of June, the council plans to evaluate parts of Kirwan and West End during the next financial year.

For more information, visit: www.townsville.qld.gov.au/water-waste-and-environment/waste-water

Originally published as Townsville City Council getting closer to fixing Wulguru’s sewage back-flow problem