WATER TREATMENT PLANTS

 

Ballina Shire Council operates the drinking water treatment plant at Marom Creek which supplies the communities of Wardell and Meerschaum Vale with high quality drinking water. Rous County Council operates the other two plants.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

Ballina Shire Council operates several wastewater treatment plants that treat our community’s wastewater.  

Council has to meet strict guidelines about the quality of drinking water, treated wastewater and recycled water.

Click here for more information on our water quality standards

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TOURS

By touring our facilities you will be able to go behind the scenes and understand the important process of wastewater treatment. 

Lennox Head Recycled Water Treatment Plant you will see how your water is being recycled and reused.

Each tour is led by a Wastewater Engineer or Treatment Plant operator and can take about 30 - 45 minutes to complete. Tours are free and are arranged periodically. If you are interested in attending a site tour, please call Council's Wastewater Team on 1300 864 444. 

Please note: The availability to tour our treatment plants, may be impacted by current COVID-19 restrictions. 

NSW Health COVID-19 Sewage Surveillance Program

The NSW Sewage Surveillance Program tests untreated sewage for fragments of the COVID-19 (SARSCoV- 2). Testing sewage can help track infections in the community and provide early warning of an increase in infections.

These tests provide data to support NSW Health’s response to COVID-19. An infected person can shed virus in their faeces even if they do not have any symptoms, and shedding can continue for several weeks after they are no longer infectious. For more information about this program visit the NSW Health website. 

Ballina Shire Council is currently providing wastewater samples to NSW Health from our Lennox Head, Ballina and Alstonville Treatment Plants. NSW Health is responsible for publishing these results. Results are regularly updated and available to the public on the NSW Health reporting website. 

The current NSW testing locations have been determined by NSW Health based on areas of concern with advice from a steering committee and direction from the NSW Chief Health Officer.

(website updated 2 September 2021)