A new stormwater pump station for Murwillumbah will be built to reduce the effects of flooding to private properties and public infrastructure in the vicinity of Murwillumbah Leagues Club.
As part of Council’s plan to mitigate and build resilience to natural disasters and the impact of climate change, the pump station will be constructed behind the Dorothy – William Street levee to remove stormwater.
The $284,000 grant is part of the NSW Government’s 2022-23 Floodplain Management Program designed to help ensure communities are better prepared for and protected from potential flooding. It will be matched by $142,000 from Council’s Flood Mitigation budget.
Council had already conducted the Murwillumbah Leagues Club Area Drainage Study of the football club site and surrounds. The installation of a pump station to remove stormwater that gets trapped behind the levee during flood events was one of its recommendations.
Council’s Director Engineering David Oxenham said the pump station would benefit the community by mitigating stormwater flooding and reducing stormwater entering the sewerage system.
“While a stormwater pump won’t flood-proof the area, it will reduce the frequency of flooding especially for the community sports facilities provided at Murwillumbah Leagues Club,” Mr Oxenham said.
“It will reduce the amount of time the area is out of action and clean-up costs borne by the club and other landholders.
“Planning for future flooding events as a result of climate change is crucial to ensuring the safety of our community.”
Planning, design and tendering for the new pump station must be completed before the station is able to be constructed, with completion not expected until 2024. The pump station will be built behind the levee, located near Council’s wastewater treatment plant to the north of Murwillumbah Leagues Club.
The Floodplain Management Program will provide $9.9 million to 65 council projects across NSW, with a focus on understanding risks and taking action to reduce the impact of floods on local communities.
