Sewage plant site remains top secret as negotiations start

The site for Logan City Council’s next sewage treatment plant has been nailed down to two spots.

A map showing some of the areas that will be serviced by the new treatment plant.

THE site for Logan City Council’s next sewage treatment plant has been nailed down to two spots.

But council’s Water Infrastructure chairman Cr Phil Pidgeon said the location would remain under wraps while council negotiated with land owners.

He said the shortlist was whittled down from 24 proposed sites in August but 19 were found to be unsuitable.

However, he said land resumptions were “a last resort” and council was talking with many parties willing to sell their properties for the $40 million, 80 hectare venture.

“Negotiations are with a number of property owners as there is more than one owner at one of the sites,” he said. “There is some community angst but it is minimal as many of the owners want to sell and they approached council.

“The locations are likely to be announced by about February.”

Cr Pidgeon said the two sites ticked the majority of boxes for the sewage plant — close to the river and more than 70 hectares.

He remained tight-lipped about whether long-time Stockleigh resident Margaret Hawkins’s historic Colbrae Braham Stud was one of the two short-listed.

However, Ms Hawkin’s relative Julie Birmingham said the family had been told “unofficially” that it would not be their property.

A 2016 report by engineers Cardno showing one of the preferred sites at Stockleigh.

Cr Pidgeon said council hoped thre plant would be a “first” for Queensland and involve local businesses using recycled waste water for non-food irrigation.

Council has plants at Loganholme and Beenleigh, and temporary facilities at Jimboomba and Flagstone.

A modern sewage treatment plant at Maleny, which council has based its designs on.

Cr Pidgeon said the new plant would service Yarrabilba, Logan Village, Chambers Flat and Park Ridge, while another one is planned for Cedar Grove.

He said the new state-of-the-art facility would have a much smaller footprint than traditional plants when built, and would use high quality odour treatment.

Council invests about $100 million in water and wastewater infrastructure each year.

Cr Pidgeon said the new plant would have to be built by 2021, which was when the Loganholme treatment facility would hit capacity.

The new facility will be fully funded by developer contributions.