A new council-built water treatment and filtration plant is now delivering clean water for customers connected to the Brogo-Bermagui waterline.
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Bega Valley Shire Council's water and sewerage services manager, Steve Marshall, said the Brogo treatment plant was fully operational and put an end to the need for boil water notices during wet weather.
"Our town water customers in Bermagui, Cobargo, Quaama, Brogo and the Wallaga Lake area will be relieved to know they are now connected to the shire's most innovative water treatment plant," Mr Marshall said.
"For many years, the topography and nature of the Brogo River drinking water catchment meant that silt and soil frequently found its way into the water supply following heavy rain.
"This problem was compounded following the Black Summer bushfires, where more than 80 per cent of the catchment was burnt and lost its groundcover, resulting in a significant drop in water quality as sediment entered the river.
"Temporary measures were introduced thanks to assistance from the Australian Defence Force and a NSW government funded short-term facility, however we knew a larger plant was needed and we were delighted in 2019 to receive funding and go ahead to develop a treatment plant the community deserved."
Mr Marshall said the combined funding from the NSW government and council allowed for development of a three-stage treatment plant that would deliver clean drinking water, regardless of the conditions.
"This new plant uses three key stages - a clever process called flocculation, filtration, and chlorination," Mr Marshall said.
"The first stage, flocculation, places an electrical charge through the water that causes sediment to clump together. Aeration is added, making the clumps float to the surface where they are then mechanically removed.
"Fine sediment is then removed through a filtration process before the water is treated to remove bacteria and pathogens.
"Together, these stages combine to deliver a reliable supply of clean and clear drinking water, able to cope with spikes in demand during our busy summer season."
Mr Marshall said the Brogo-Bermagui facility joined another in Bemboka as the second plant to offer filtration.
"With work under way for an upgraded water treatment plant in Bega and funding in place for a new facility in Yellow Pinch, we have within our reach the capacity to offer upgraded treatment to every town water customer in the Bega Valley Shire," Mr Marshall said.
"This will deliver a shire-wide town water supply that meets and exceeds the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
"I thank the NSW government, the Australian Defence Force for their early assistance, our contractors and project staff, and mostly the community for their patience.
"It's been a journey for everyone involved, and to mark this achievement we have developed an interactive StoryMap portal on our website that charts the process from the bushfires to the finished facility."
To view the StoryMap and learn more about the Brogo Water Treatment Plant, visit the project page on council's website.
This project was funded with a $10million grant from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment's Safe and Secure Water Program, along with a $2.5 million council contribution.
