Who we are and what we do COMMUNITY INFORMATION BOOKLET 2016 Contents

Introduction 3 MidCoast Water 4-5 Sustainable water cycle management 6 The water cycle 7 Our water supplies 8 The Manning Scheme 9-14 How does water get to our homes? 15 The treatment process 16-18 Other water supplies 19 Karuah River and Great Lakes Catchment 20 Water supply schemes 21-24 How much water do we use? 25 Let’s get waterwise 26 Don’t spray in the middle of the day! 27 Wastewater 28-31 Recycling 32 Wipes stop pipes 33 Think at the sink 34 Sewer spills 35 Water Quality Testing 36-37 Paying for it all 38-40 Does everyone have clean water? 41 For further information 42

2 Who we are and what we do Meet Whizzy: Introduction This is Whizzy the Waterdrop, MidCoast Water’s mascot. Whizzy Every day MidCoast Water cleans and pumps almost helps to remind us how 10 Olympic swimming pools worth of water through important it is to save a network of over a thousand kilometres of pipes to water and is a favourite of make sure that the people of the Manning, Great Lakes the children in our area. and Gloucester have ready access to safe water for all For more information on Whizzy email their needs. That water is used by almost 80 000 people community@ in 27 towns from Crowdy Head in the north, to Hawks midcoastwater.com.au Nest in the south, and Barrington in the west, before we take and treat the waste. All this without damaging the environments we take the water from and return it to after treatment.

How do we do it? Read on and find out!

3 Who we are and what we do MidCoast Water

MidCoast Water is a local government authority, providing water and sewerage services to the Great Lakes, Greater Taree and Gloucester council areas. We are responsible for five local water supply systems, delivering more than eight billion litres of treated water, each year to our customers. MidCoast Water’s area of operations on the mid north coast of NSW extends from Crowdy Head in the north to Tea Gardens in the south and west to Gloucester – a total area of 10,000 km2. We provide services to some 40,000 customers and play a role in the management and conservation of local water catchment areas. Our waste water management networks are also extensive, including 13 sewage treatment schemes and ten water recycling schemes. Our main water supply network is the Manning Water Supply Scheme, which serves customers from Harrington in the north to Pacific Palms in the south and west as far as Krambach. Smaller water supply schemes operate at Tea Gardens, Bulahdelah, Stroud and Gloucester. MidCoast Water also operates extensive waste water treatment networks, providing advanced treatment of waste water before returning to the environment, or recycling through beneficial reuse schemes. Our recycling schemes currently provide treated water for irrigation of farm lands at Taree, Wingham, Lansdowne, Coopernook and Stroud and public recreation areas at Hawks Nest, Tuncurry, Bulahdelah, Harrington and Gloucester. As a local government authority, MidCoast Water is governed by a board of six elected representatives, drawn from our constituent councils: Great Lakes, Greater Taree and Gloucester. The board serves a four-year term, under the guidance of a chairperson, elected annually.

4 Who we are and what we do MidCoast Water

The chairperson and councillors Each year the six councillors elect a chairperson. The councillors meet regularly to consider reports and recommendations from the staff. These reports cover lots of issues. They might be about building a new water treatment plant, or setting fees and charges for water and sewage. The councillors look at each report and then take a vote on the matter. The chairperson runs the meeting and makes sure all the councillors follow the rules of debate. If the majority of councillors agree with the decision, it becomes a resolution of council and can then be acted upon by the staff.

The general manager The person in charge of the staff at MidCoast Water is the general manager. The general manager reports to the councillors and sees to the day to day running of the county council.

The staff There are more than 200 employees on MidCoast Water’s staff. Some are based in offices at Taree and Forster, others are based in depots and some work at water and sewage treatment plants. There are many different skills involved in running an organisation the size of MidCoast Water. There are engineers to design and optimise new water and sewerage schemes, operators to run the treatment plants and water and sewer systems, maintenance crews, technical staff, inspectors to check new Some of the original decision makers - plumbing and trade waste and a range of administrative functions. Wingham Municipal Council in the 1920s

5 Who we are and what we do Sustainable water cycle management

Water is a precious resource. Every living thing on our planet needs water to survive. Without it there would be no trees, birds, animals, fish or people. Water is very precious. All the water that MidCoast Water delivers to people’s taps originates from a freshwater environment. There is only so much water in a river or groundwater aquifer at any one time. This water is required for the healthy functioning of ecosystems whose plants and animals not only help to sustain human life but have their own indisputable right to existence. It is also shared with other people, such as the upstream farmers who use it for their house water, stock water, and irrigation. Once town water has been used, the sewage has the potential to pollute the environment, as Water facts well as posing a significant health hazard. Sustainable Water Cycle Management refers to the way MidCoast Water The average human adult has 45 litres of water in their body. The delivers these town water and sewer services in a way that does not harm food we eat is also made up of water. Fruits and vegetables have a high water content - a watermelon is about 95 per cent water, the environment, and is economically and socially responsible and sound. It meat contains 70 per cent and bread about 30 per cent. means that our communities will be able to thrive now and into the future. Every day our body loses water. When it is hot, or we exercise we lose water in the form of sweat. We also lose water when we go to For more information on MidCoast Water’s Sustainable Water Cycle the toilet. To stay alive we need to replace 2.5 litres of water every day. Management Plan see our website, or contact us for a copy of ‘Our Water, Our Future’. Of all the water in the world 97 per cent is salty ocean water, 2 per cent is polar ice and only a very small 0.1 per cent is fresh water suitable for human needs.

6 Who we are and what we do The water cycle

All the water in the world is billions of years old - it continually cycles around and around in a process called ‘the water cycle’. So the water you used to brush your teeth this morning is more than four billion years old!

7 Who we are and what we do Our water supplies

MidCoast Water is reponsible for supplying a reliable and healthy supply of water to the Great Lakes region (from Tea Gardens to Tuncurry), the Manning region (from Coopernook to Hallidays Point) and the Gloucester region (Gloucester and Barrington). To do this MidCoast Water has five water supply schemes - the Manning (which supplies water from Coopernook to Pacific Palms), Bulahdelah, Gloucester, Stroud and Tea Gardens. The MidCoast Water service area has more than 40 reservoirs to provide water to 40,000 connections.

8 Who we are and what we do The Manning Scheme

The largest system MidCoast Water looks after is the Manning Water Supply Scheme, which supplies water to Wingham approximately 36,000 homes, businesses and factories in areas such as Taree, Wingham, Forster, Tuncurry, Pacific Palms, Nabiac, Dyers Crossing, Harrington, Coopernook, Lansdowne and Old Bar. MidCoast Water operates five town water supply schemes. Almost 90 % of our customers get their tap water from the Manning scheme. There are The Manning River approximately 36 000 connections. These include houses and apartments; businesses such as shops, factories, and farms; and other places such as schools, hospitals, churches, and sports fields. Taree Towns in the Manning Scheme include Taree, Forster, Tuncurry, Wingham, Old Bar, Pacific Palms, Nabiac, Harrington, Coopernook and Lansdowne (see the figure on page 10. Water is pumped from a pool in the Manning River one kilometre upstream of the tidal limit at Bootawa, which is south of Wingham. From there it is Bootawa Dam taken to Bootawa Dam; a large off-river storage. Next to the dam is the Bootawa Water Treatment Plant which cleans the water before it is pumped to 31 reservoirs across the supply area for distribution to all the customers. There are 10 pumping stations to carry the water through the system, 420 Tinonee km of main pipelines and 280 km of smaller pipelines to distribute the water. It takes water three or four days to travel from the dam to the most remote parts of the system! The following pages have more information on each of the stages of the Manning Scheme.

9 Who we are and what we do Lansdowne

Coopernook Crowdy Head

Wingham

Harrington Manning River Intake Taree Cundletown Manning Point Bootawa Dam and Water Treatment Plant Purfleet The Manning Scheme Tinonee Old Bar

The journey from The Manning River Wallabi Point

Krambach Hallidays Point

Nabiac Nabiac Borefields (future water supply)

Tuncurry

Forster

Green Point

Legend Water Intake Pacific Palms Water Storage Township 10 Who we are and what we do Smiths Lake The Manning River and its catchment

Fresh water is pumped out of the Manning River for the town water supply. The catchment area delivering water to the offtake point is approximately 7,200 km2. That space, bounded by the Barrington Tops, New England Tablelands and Mt Royal Ranges, is filled with forests and farms, with scattered small villages. Gloucester is the largest town, and there is one coal mine, and coal seam gas mining in development. Downstream, the freshwater flows into 52 km of tidal estuary, supporting ribbon grass beds which are productive nurseries for fish such as Australian Bass. Three major tributaries feed into the Manning: the Gloucester River, Barnard River, and Nowendoc River. Smaller tributaries include the Little Manning and Dingo Creek. MidCoast Water is investigating the water quality and quantity coming from these tributaries and prioritising activities to improve it. Activities to date have been undertaken in partnership with others, and include working with farmers to stabilise eroding banks and uptake sustainable farming practices; sealing unstable river crossings; and purchasing and rehabilitating land in the upper Barnard. • Find more information about MidCoast Water’s Manning River Catchment Program on our website, including our upper Barnard property ‘Glen Almond’. Contact us for a copy of ‘Working with our Catchment’. • Mean annual discharge of the Manning River is 1854 GL, which is roughly equivalent to 741 600 Olympic swimming pools, 3.3 Sydney Harbours; or what the Amazon River pumps out in 2.5 hours. • The Manning River has a species of turtle found nowhere else in the world. Flaviemys purvisi is known as ‘the Manning River turtle’ or ‘Purvis’ turtle’. • The Manning River is also home to extensive beds of freshwater mussels, which help to clean the water; and to healthy populations of platypuses.

11 Who we are and what we do Manning River Catchment

12 Who we are and what we do The Manning scheme

History of our water supply The Manning scheme was made up of several smaller schemes that were joined together in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In Taree and Wingham, houses were supplied by water taken from Dingo Creek, at Wingham. The Dingo Creek pumping station was built in the late 1920s by the Taree- Wingham Water Board and the Public Works Department. Water from the creek was pumped to reservoirs at Wingham, from where it ran down hill to service reservoirs at Kolodong, near Taree. When there were heavy rains or floods, the water would become dirty and unsuitable to drink. The water supply also suffered when there was a drought and the creek level dropped too low for the pumps. In the 1950s, it was decided to pump water from the Manning River, instead of Dingo Creek. A submersible pump was installed above Abbotts Falls in 1956 and a new pipeline was built from the pump site to the Wingham reservoirs. The water went straight from the river to homes. Later on, in the 1960s, people saw a need to expand and improve this water supply and work began on Bootawa Dam. The Lower Manning built its own scheme, operated by the Manning Shire Council, during the 1950s. It pumped water from a low level weir on the Lansdowne River, near the village of Lansdowne, to a service reservoir near Coopernook. The water was distributed to villages such as Langley Vale, Coopernook, Croki and Ghinni Ghinni and nearby farms. The scheme was extended to bring water to Lansdowne and Harrington, in 1969 and to Crowdy Head, in 1975. But there were problems with the Lower Manning supply because the river dropped too low during drought. This scheme was joined to Bootawa Dam in 1976. Construction teams building Bootawa Dam during the late 1960s. The townships of Forster and Tuncurry joined the Manning Water Supply Scheme in the late 1960s. Before that, people obtained their water from a variety of sources including rainwater tanks and water bores.

13 Who we are and what we do The Manning scheme

Bootawa Dam Bootawa Dam holds just over 2,200 million litres of water. On the average day, customers use about 21 million litres. Bootawa Dam is about 16 metres deep. However the water level can drop quite quickly when river levels are Dam facts too low to pump and we are relying solely on water stored in the dam. To keep the water fresh, it is important to make sure there is enough oxygen • Capacity 2,276 million litres in the dam. This is provided by a special aeration and mixing system. • Storage area: 26.3 ha This system uses paddles, like a big ceiling fan, to push water from the top • Length of bank: 102m to the bottom of the dam. This keeps oxygen at the bottom and stops • Maximum width of bank:137m unwanted algae growing. • Maximum height of bank: 29m Treating the water MidCoast Water commissioned an $82 million water treatment plant at Bootawa in 2010 to improve the quality of water supplied to customers of the Manning scheme. The new filtration plant is capable of processing up to 60 million litres of water per day and has provision for further upgrading when required.

14 Who we are and what we do The treatment process

Water treatment involves a number of processes. Firstly all the water goes through an inlet screen to remove large particles before going through the processes of coagulation and flocculation.

Coagulation River water can contain very fine suspended particles. ACH (aluminium chlorohydrate) is added as a coagulant to assist these particles to bind together and be removed in the next stage.

Flocculation The water dosed with ACH then flows into the inlet channel which provides gentle mixing and required contact time for the coagulated suspended particles to agglomerate and form flocs. These flocs are then easily removed in the membrane filtration phase.

Membrane filtration The flocculated water flows along the membrane inlet channel where it enters under gravity the four micro filtration cells. Each cell operates identically and in parallel. Water enters the bottom of each cell and passes over and around the micro-porous hollow fibre membranes. Clean water is drawn through the membrane wall by suction pressure into the centre of each membrane fibre. The membranes provide a physical barrier for organisms such as Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) and protozoa (e.g. Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia).

Ozonation Filtered water is treated with ozone gas which breaks down taste and odour-causing compounds. It is also effective against bacteria (e.g. E. coli) and viruses. Ozone gas is generated on site and is dosed at a rate which ensures no residual ozone remains in solution at the end of the process stage.

Biologically Activated Carbon Filters The ozonised water then flows via to Biologically Activated Carbon (BAC) Filters. Naturally occurring micro-organisms are used to remove organic material which can contribute to taste and odour problems.

Chlorination The final stage of treatment adds chlorine to the clear water to ensure adequate disinfection of the water as it travels through the long reticulation system, through reservoirs and out to customer’s taps. Fluoride is also added prior to water leaving the plant for dental hygiene.

15 Who we are and what we do The treatment process

The Manning River Raw Water Balance Tank Bootawa Dam The Manning River is the lifeblood of the Manning Water The Raw Water Balance Tank allows river water to be Bootawa Dam is the main water storage for the Manning Supply Scheme, winding its way 150 kilometres from the delivered directly into the Water Treatment Plant. This Scheme. It covers 26.3 hectares and has a capacity of Barrington Tops to the coast. Water is drawn from the helps avoid algal blooms in the dam (a risk to drinking 2,275 million litres. The dam water includes a oating Manning upstream of Wingham and transferred into the water quality) and minimizes the treatment required for mixer which creates an even water temperature, MidCoast Water system. the dam water. improving water quality.

TreatedPreliminary Water DosingReservoir Screening Membrane Filtration Lime and carbon dioxide are added to the water that Water goes through a lter screen which captures Water is drawn through polymer membranes (ne comes into the plant, either via the dam or the balance particles larger than 2mm before moving into the straw-like bres) to remove the ner particles. The tank, to improve the water’s alkalinity. This ensures occulation tank, where a coagulant is added to attract membranes are ne enough to remove many harmful treatment processes work e ectively and metallic the ner particles together to make larger particles micro-organisms. Water used to backwash the lters is plumbing is protected from corrosion. which are easier to lter out. claried and returned to the plant for processing.

16 Who we are and what we do The treatment process

Ozone Contact Tank BAC Filtration Chlorine Contact Tank Filtered water is mixed with ozone, a disinfectant which The Biologically Activated Carbon (BAC) lter is designed Chlorine is added to the water to destroy any remaining is generated in the chemical dosing building, to break to remove any remaining taste or odour in the water. The bacteria. It is also important that enough chlorine is down any compounds which can cause taste or odour lters are full of activated carbon which absorbs any of added at this point to ensure the water continues to problems. This tank is completely sealed to ensure the the nal contaminants. This area is also automatically remain free from bacteria as it passes through the integrity of the process. backwashed. reticulation system.

Treated Water Reservoir Pumping Station MidCoast Water System Small quantities of soda ash (for pH correction) and Water then moves from the Treated Water Reservoir into Quality ltered and treated water is transported to more uoride (for dental health) are added to the water as it Pumping Station 2B, which houses seven pumps to than 30 reservoirs and through a vast network of pipes moves to the nine million litre Treated Water Reservoir, distribute water into MidCoast Water’s network. This from Crowdy Head in the north to Tarbuck Bay in the where water is stored ready for transfer into the process is fully automatic and controlled by advanced south, arriving clean and safe for your family’s use. reticulation system. technology.

17 Who we are and what we do How does water get to our homes?

From the river, water is pumped to the treatment plant for processing before being pumped to reservoirs, distribution pipelines and eventually to homes. The pumps that relay water from Bootawa Dam are very big. Some of them have 750 kilowatt motors and can pump more than 700 litres of water every second. Smaller pumps are used along the way to help distribute the water. The water plant uses a lot of electricity and has its own special sub-station on site to supply the pumps.

Computer control The whole Manning water supply system is controlled by a computer network that allows staff to turn the pumps on or off from anywhere in the field. The computer automatically starts the pumps to fill up the reservoirs when their water level drops. It also alerts the operators to any problems in the system. The computer is so advanced that it can “think for itself” and make adjustments to the system. Every day it measures how much water is being used. Then it draws on information it has gathered before, such as how much water was used on the same day last year, what time of the year it is, what the normal temperature and rainfall range is for the season and predicts how much water will need to be pumped for tomorrow’s use.

18 Who we are and what we do Other water supplies

MidCoast Water has four smaller water supply schemes to service the remainder of our area. Water is drawn out of the Karuah River to supply Stroud and Stroud Road; from the Crawford River to supply Bulahdelah; from a groundwater aquifer to supply Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest; and from the Barrington River to supply Gloucester and Barrington. In the Karuah River catchment, MidCoast Water is working with Great Lakes Council and the local community to protect and improve the quality of the water. Water at the river offtake point is generally of very high quality, but becomes quite polluted after rainfall with mud and nutrients. The Tea Gardens aquifer is an excellent water source with very little external contamination. There are high levels of naturally occurring soluble metals, particularly Iron and Aluminium, and these are removed in the treatment process. The Barrington River is considered the Manning catchment’s most reliable water source, and it has a corresponding high use by surrounding farmers. MidCoast Water is working with these farmers and relevant state agencies to improve water quality. Actions include funding assistance to destock riparian zones through fencing and off-stream watering, river bank stabilisation and replanting projects, and improving dairy effluent management. The Crawford River has a number of catchment factors making it prone to water quality problems. MidCoast Water has been working with landholders – including farmers, State Forests, and National Parks, in partnership with Great Lakes Council and the Local Land Services for many years to improve the quality of the water. Water for Bulahdelah is pumped out of a weir pool at the lower end of the catchment. With financial assistance from MidCoast Water, farmers fronting the weir pool have done a fantastic job of almost totally excluding cattle from the waterway. • Barrington River water quality studies are available on the MidCoast Water website • Contact MidCoast Water for a copy of the Crawford River Catchment Management Plan

19 Who we are and what we do Karuah River and Great Lakes Catchment

20 Who we are and what we do Other water supply schemes

Stroud MidCoast Water provides water to 440 customers in Stroud and Stroud Road. The scheme was developed to overcome water quality problems with the previous supply. In the past, water was pumped directly from a weir on the Karuah River to the Stroud reservoirs, for distribution to homes. Treatment of the supply was minimal - there was a screen on the pump to stop large objects, such as sticks and leaves getting into the water and chlorine was added at the reservoirs. In times of high flow, from heavy rains or flood, and also during low flow periods, the water quality deteriorated significantly. To overcome the problem, an off-stream storage unit and water treatment plant were added in 1997. The water treatment plant is capable of treating two million litres a day. Water is pumped from the Karuah River to the treatment plant. Prior to entering the plant sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) is added to assist oxidisation of soluble metals. Activated carbon can be added before water enters the treatment plant to remove taste and odour issues, however this is rarely needed. Just before entering a flocculation tank, ACH (aluminium chlorohydrate) is added to promote coagulation. This helps particles in the water to stick together so they can be easily removed. Sodium carbonate (soda ash) can be added to the tank if required to adjust pH. Water then travels to settling lagoons where the larger particles sink to the bottom. Clear water is drawn from the top of the settling lagoons and travels to the off stream storage. This storage can hold 50 million litres of water. Chlorine can be added to the storage if required. Two solar powered destratifiers are used to keep the storage well mixed. From the off stream storage, water is pumped to sand filters to help remove smaller particles. When the clean water leaves the filters, chlorine is added for disinfection. Fluoride will be added in the future. Water is stored in a clear water tank until it is pumped to the reservoirs and reticulation system. There are three reservoirs in the system; two at Stroud and one near Stroud Road.

21 Who we are and what we do Other water supply schemes

Bulahdelah Bulahdelah’s water supply system was originally developed in the 1950s. The current water treatment plant was built in 1988 and upgraded in 1995. MidCoast Water provides water to 560 homes and businesses in Bulahdelah. Water is pumped directly to a treatment plant from a weir on the Crawford River, just near the old Pacific Highway bridge at Bulahdelah. The plant is able to treat two million litres of water each day. Prior to entering the water treatment plant, chemicals are added to the raw water. The coagulant ACH (aluminium chlorohydrate) is added to assist particles to bind together and settle. Sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) is added to assist the removal of soluble metals which can be removed in the filters further down the process. Sodium carbonate (soda ash) can be added to adjust pH and assist in water stabilisation. There is provision for activated carbon to be added to remove taste and odour issues, however this is rarely needed. Water passes through a clarifier where the processes of coagulation and flocculation take place. Clear water is drawn from the top of the clarifier and particles sink to the bottom and are removed. Clear water then travels through sand filters where smaller particles are removed. Chlorine is added for disinfection and fluoride is added for dental hygiene before the clean water is pumped to the reservoirs and reticulation system.

The Crawford River weir - water is gathered from here to serve the township of Bulahdelah.

22 Who we are and what we do Other water supply schemes

Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest residents derive their water from a borefield to the north-west of Tea Gardens. These bores tap the aquifer between 17 and 20 metres from the surface and can yield up to 12 litres per second. The borefield, which was developed in 1962, has been expanded and upgraded several times to meet the growing demands of the community. MidCoast Water completed an $18 million project to upgrade the Tea Gardens Water Supply Scheme in 2013, to improve quality and to increase security of supply. The project saw the construction of a new water treatment plant, an 8.1 million litre reservoir, high lift pump station and associated pipeworks. The new water treatment plant is capable of removing naturally occurring soluble metals in the groundwater, and will cater for the area’s growing population. Groundwater is treated with chemicals prior to entering 2 large aeration towers. Lime is used to adjust pH (which is naturally acidic). ACH (aluminium chlorohydrate) is added as a coagulant to draw larger particles together to assist in their removal. Sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) is added for the oxidisation of soluble metals, such as iron and aluminium to help remove them in the filters further down the treatment process. The water travels through aeration towers to ensure it is well mixed and allows gases to escape. It then passes through a microfiltration system. There are two filter racks, each containing 34 modules. These filters are capable of treating eight million litres of water a day. Small particles are removed by the filters and the clear water passes through to the final stage of treatment. Liquid chlorine is added for disinfection and fluoride for dental hygiene will The Tea Gardens Water Treatment Plant commissioned in 2013 be added in the near future. Soda ash can be added for final pH adjustment if required. The clear, treated water is pumped to three reservoirs, which have a total capacity of 14 million litres. The scheme has about 37 kilometres of pipelines and serves over 2000 homes and businesses.

23 Who we are and what we do Other water supply schemes

Gloucester MidCoast Water provides water to approximately 1700 customers in Gloucester and Barrington. The Gloucester water supply scheme comprises of a water treatment plant, three reservoirs, seven booster pump stations and one raw water pump station. The Gloucester Water Treatment Plant was originally built in the late 1930s/ early 1940s and underwent an upgrade in the 1980s and again in 2016. Water is drawn from the Barrington River, upstream of Gloucester, and transfered to the Gloucester Water Treatment Plant. A coagulant is added to the river water as it passes into a clarifier to draw the organic matter particles together. These particles then sink to the bottom and the clean water is taken from the top. The water then undergoes basic sand filtration where the water is drawn through a sand filter to take out finer particles. From the sand filter, the water is treated with chlorine and fluoride before going into a clear water tank, ready to be pumped out to the reservoirs when it is needed.

24 Who we are and what we do How much water do we use?

The average MidCoast Water home uses about 440 litres of water each day. That’s almost 50 buckets full of water. Imagine if you had to carry it all home! Yet only a small amount of this water (about one bucket full) is actually used for drinking The rest is used in the bathroom, for showers, baths and cleaning our teeth. It also gets used in the toilet, in the laundry, for washing our clothes, and in the kitchen for cooking meals and washing the dishes. Outside, we use a lot of water, for hosing the garden, filling up the swimming pool and washing the car. Over the past few years MidCoast Water customers have embraced the ‘waterwise’ message and reduced the amount of water they use. This enables us to better manage our water supplies and delay costly infrastructure projects such as new dams and large recycling projects. Each summer MidCoast Water encourages residents to take part in our summer water saving program which promotes reducing outside water use during the 9am to 4pm period. This assists in reducing pressure on our water supplies during the hottest part of the year. The average home In dry times MidCoast Water may have to consider implementing water restrictions to limit the amount of water our community uses. We have uses almost 50 buckets six levels of water restrictions, which are imposed depending on the seriousness of the environmental conditions and the demand on water of water each day resources. When this is done, the community is informed through our website, the local media and via communications with MidCoast Water.

25 Who we are and what we do Let’s get waterwise

Whizzy’s 5 water saving tips Whizzy the Waterdrop is MidCoast Water’s mascot. All children in our region know Mr Whizzy and his five water saving tips! Whizzy's top water saving tips 1) Take shorter showers 3-star rated showerheads use no more than 9 litres of water per minute, 1 TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS while old style showerheads use up to 20 litres per minute. Either way, the shorter the shower the less water you use! 2 USE A WATERING CAN 2) Use a watering can in the garden Using a watering can will give you much more accuracy than a hose when watering plants – water will be placed exactly where you want it, and you will have more control over the quantity. 3 USE A CUP TO BRUSH

3) Use a cup to brush your teeth A running tap uses up to 16 L per minute. A cup is ¼ L. That’s an average saving of 4 buckets of water per teeth brushing!

4) Use the half flush Modern dual flush toilets use 3L for the half flush on a standard 4 star unit. Older single flush models can use 13L per flush. No matter how old the toilet, you know that using the half flush is a choice to use less water! Hint: If you suspect your toilet is leaking, put a drop of food dye in the 5 USE A BROOM, NOT A HOSE cistern to see it easily! 4 USE THE HALF FLUSH 5) Use a broom, not a hose Especially on hard surfaces, you will not waste any water, you will save money, and you will be helping to stop stormwater pollution. Garden clippings and leaves belong in the green bin or compost, not the gutter.

26 Who we are and what we do Don’t spray in the middle of the day!

Avoid using hoses, sprinklers and microspray systems between 9 am and 4 pm. Outdoor water use accounts for 15% of our average home water use in winter, but soars to over 50% in summer. That is why every year MidCoast Water runs a ‘summer water savers’ program focussed on saving water in the garden. Our core message is ‘don’t spray in the middle of the day!’ This is when evaporation rates are highest, meaning less water will actually reach the plant roots where it is needed. It can also be bad for the plant, encouraging roots to grow only near the surface which makes the plant much more susceptible to drying out and to weather extremes.

Other garden water saving tips: Mulch, mulch and more mulch! Protect your soil from the damaging sun so it is better able to absorb water, and reduce the amount of evaporation. Thick mulch is our top tip for water saving in the garden, as it will reduce the need to water at all. Let the sky do the work! When choosing ornamental plants, select ones suitable for our natural amount of rainfall. Your local nursery staff will be able to help. Install a rainwater tank! If you know you will need to water, for example if you are growing annual vegetables, a rainwater tank is a good way to go. You are saving the high quality drinking water for its best purpose, and your healthy soil microbes will appreciate not having the chlorine. Love a longer lawn! Longer grass equals longer roots to help get water into the soil, and the leaf blades shade the soil reducing evaporation, so less need for watering! This will also help stop weeds colonising. The upper- middle mower height setting instead of the shortest will do.

27 Who we are and what we do Wastewater

MidCoast Water takes care of all the water once it disappears down the drains, pipes and plugholes in our home. Where does it go? In urban areas, the wastewater, or sewage, is pumped to sewage treatment works, via a system of pipes and pump stations. MidCoast Water maintains the sewerage system in the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester regions. The system consists of :

Sewage - this is the wastewater coming from houses, offices, shops and factories. It contains organic and inorganic solids and liquids and is mostly water.

Sewerage - is the system of infrastructure which transports the sewage

Sewer mains - these are big pipes, usually located underground. There are three types of lines: • Gravity mains which run downhill and allow the waste water to flow by gravity • Rising mains which are under pressure and rely on pumps to raise the waste water to a higher level • Vacuum systems, where the waste water is sucked through the pipes by a vacuum pump

Pump stations - are located at various points in the system. They are used to pump the sewage to the treatment plants via rising mains.

Treatment plants - these remove the solids and purify the sewage. The wastewater coming into the treatment plants is called ‘influent’ and the purified water discharged from the works is called ‘effluent’. The by product from the sewage treatment is called ‘sludge’ and is treated and called ‘bio solids’

28 Who we are and what we do Wastewater

As soon as someone flushes a toilet or removes a plug from a sink, the wastewater flows into the sewerage system. Solids such as faeces, food scraps, grease, fats and paper are flushed down the sewer with water. It is important for sewer pipes to flow downhill, so the wastes can be transported by gravity. They also need to be underground, so the pipes don’t get damaged or in the way of roads and footpaths. So, as a sewer pipe flows down a street picking up the wastewater from each house that it passes, it gets deeper and deeper under the ground. Eventually the sewer gets so deep that it costs too much to dig the trench. At this point, sewer pump stations are built.

Pump stations Sewer pump stations are also housed underground and can be up to 10 metres deep. The stations are usually round in shape. The sewers discharge into the pump station and fill up the pumps inside. When this happens, the mechanism switches on automatically and pumps the wastewater out of the station. Depending on where the pumping station is located, it will either pump the wastewater to the sewage treatment plant, or it will transfer it to another sewerage line which is nearer the surface. From there the wastewater will once again flow downhill on its journey to the sewage treatment plant. MidCoast Water also has vacuum pump stations, which suck the sewage along through the pipes. This system is used where there is water-charged or rocky ground and it is too difficult to excavate the depths required for gravity lines. There are many sewer pump stations in MidCoast Water’s system. You may have one in your street. Of course you can’t see the pumps because they are underground, but the control panels are housed above the surface in a large green or silver box. The stations are constantly monitored by a computer telemetry system. If there is a problem, the computer at MidCoast Water’s office will alert staff to the fault.

29 Who we are and what we do Wastewater

Sewage treatment plants Sewage treatment plants clean up the waste water so it can be returned to the water cycle. Treated water is returned to the water cycle in a variety of ways, including to rivers, groundwater and the ocean as well as through use as irrigation water on farmland and public spaces such as golf courses. There are three basic levels used for treatment of sewage: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary treatment is where larger objects such as plastics, paper and rags that find their way into the sewer are removed. To collect these objects, the waste water is passed through a screen at what is known as the ‘headworks’. The larger matter gets trapped in the screen and drops into a collection bin. Sand and grit are also removed at this stage, so they don’t fill up the process units further down the line. Secondary treatment is where the remaining solids (such as faeces) are removed. To do this, most of the treatment plants use some form of aeration tank. The tanks make use of the helpful micro organisms that naturally live in waste water and feed on the nutrients it contains. To thrive and multiply these micro organisms need oxygen. So, in the aeration tanks, oxygen is pumped through the waste water. During this stage of the process nitrogen and phosphorous are removed. Aerated sewage is then settled in clarifiers and the clean water from the top is taken for further treatment. The sludge which settles in this process is pumped to sludge lagoons for further treatment. This treatment results in biosolids. Tertiary treatment helps to remove biological organisms and remaining phosphorous from the wastewater. To do this, treatment plants use sand filters and ultra violet radiation. The UV kills the “bacteria” in the water. Some plants use man-made UV units to treat the water.

30 Who we are and what we do Wastewater

Where does it end up? Historically all treated effluent from the sewage treatment plants were discharged into the environment. Receiving water included rivers, creeks, aquifers and the ocean. Today there are very strict guidelines on the quality of the water that can be discharged. MidCoast Water is licenced by the NSW Government through the Environmental Protection Authority and we have to monitor water and report to them regularly to make sure we comply with our licence conditions. MidCoast Water is also committed to reducing the amount of effluent discharged to natural areas by developing recycled water schemes. Our testing results for the EPA are available on our website

MidCoast Water sewage treatment plants are located at: Forster Hawks Nest Hallidays Point Bulahdelah Old Bar Stroud Dawson River Coopernook Wingham Manning Point Harrington Nabiac Lansdowne Gloucester

One of the sludge lagoons at the Hawks Nest treatment plant. Here the water is allowed to settle, and clear water is taken from the top of the lagoon to the head of the plant for further treatment.

31 Who we are and what we do Recycling

Recycling treated water for irrigation purposes is a great way to reduce the amount of drinking water our communities use every day. MidCoast Water has embraced this idea and has developed a number of recycled water projects across our service area to reduce the use of both groundwater and drinking water. While most of our treated water is returned to the water cycle via discharge to the ocean, rivers and groundwater – recycling is an opportunity for us to beneficially reuse a portion of our treated water. Currently recycled water is used for farm irrigation in Taree, Wingham, Coopernook, Lansdowne and Stroud. Irrigating paddocks with treated effluent has two benefits – it reduces the amount of treated water being discharged into rivers and reduces the amount of fresh water farmers pump out of the river for irrigation. MidCoast Water also uses recycled water on golf courses, sporting fields and other open spaces in Tuncurry, Hawks Nest, Bulahdelah and Harrington. The treated water is colourless and odourless and treated to standards established by the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. Water suitable for uncontrolled public access receives membrane ultra-filtration and chlorination disinfection. The water and treatment processes will be continuously monitored to ensure the water is fit for purpose. We will continue to investigate other ways in which we can beneficially reuse treated water for our communities. MidCoast Water currently uses treated effluent on golf courses in our service area including Tuncurry, Hawks Nest, Bulahdelah and Harrington.

32 Who we are and what we do Wipes stop pipes

Remember the three Ps: toilets are just for pee, poo and toilet paper Sewer systems across the globe are increasingly experiencing problems caused by wet wipes being flushed down toilets. MidCoast Water is seeing the problem expanding in our area too. The wipes do not break up (even the ones labelled ‘flushable’), and they tangle together in the sewer pipes. They combine with fats from the kitchen sink to form ‘fatbergs’ which are capable of blocking large pipes. They also wrap around and clog pumps, and disrupt processes at sewer treatment plants. Wipes in the sewer have to be untangled by hand, and if they are not detected in time they can cause sewer overflows into property and the environment. For this reason it is very important that if you use wet wipes that they be placed in the bin.

The same applies to other items such as disposable nappies, cotton buds, tampons, incontinence pads, condoms, sanitary napkins, pantyhose and surgical bandages. When at the toilet think of the three Ps – only flush pee, poo and toilet paper please!

If you notice a sewer spill please contact us immediately on 1300 133 455 so we can ensure it is fixed as soon as possible

33 Who we are and what we do Think at the sink

Take a minute to think when you are at the sink.... Putting the wrong things down your kitchen sink can leave you with expensive plumbing bills to unblock pipes. It can also cause problems in the sewerage network with blockages, and can disrupt sewage treatment plants. In fact, we have had instances where whole plants have had to be shut down for several days due to things going down the sink which shouldn’t have. Here are some of the items which can cause problems if tipped down the drain: • Coffee grounds • Cooking oil and grease • Food scraps Use a sink strainer Bin it, don’t sink it Scrape before you wash • Fruit stickers • Home brew • Home photography chemicals • Nail polish remover • Paint • Perfume • Pesticides, herbicides and other household poisons • Pharmaceutical products (medicines, tablets) should be taken to your chemist for safe disposal. No fats and oils No coffee grinds No fruit stickers No food waste • Illicit manufacturing by-products – please report suspected illegal activities to the police

34 Who we are and what we do Sewer spills

Report suspected sewer spills as soon as possible to MidCoast Water on 1300 133 455 Spills from the sewerage system occur for a number of reasons, including blocked and broken pipes, flooding, and power outages affecting pumps.

In many instances, especially when we know about the spill straight away, we are able to safely contain it. However, in some cases raw sewage spills into stormwater drains and from there into natural waterways. If there is a risk that this has occurred we test the waterway for bacteria levels (faecal coliforms). If results show that bacteria levels are higher than those recommended as safe for swimming by the national guidelines then warning signs are erected and the relevant authorities and local organisations are notified. Water testing continues until results show the levels of bacteria have fallen to within the range recommended for safe swimming.

If you see a warning sign like the one pictured here it is advised that you avoid swimming until the signs are taken down. Typically it will be one to four days, however this is highly weather dependent.

It is important to note that heavy rain can also wash other pollutants such as dog droppings, oil, fertilisers and litter into our waterways. This impacts water quality and as a precaution, the NSW government recommends everyone avoid swimming in rivers and estuaries within three days due to the potential risk posed by microbial contamination of the waterways by such organisms as bacteria, viruses and protozoa.

35 Who we are and what we do Water quality testing

To ensure the water supply and sewerage systems are working efficiently, MidCoast Water carries out water testing.

Drinking water Water supply systems have a set of standards to maintain. These standards are set out in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. MidCoast Water has to make regular checks to ensure it meets the requirements. Apart from the daily operational testing that takes place at all our water treatment plants, water samples are taken, each week, from water supply sources, such as weirs and rivers. They are also collected from storage areas, such as dams and water reservoirs and from customers’ garden taps. Drinking water is tested daily for fluoride (Manning, Gloucester and Bulahdelah) and chlorine levels. Each week water is tested for pH, turbidity, temperature, conductivity, aluminium, iron, manganese and E Coli. More extensive tests are carried out regularly for extra metals, nutrients and disinfection by products. The frequency of these tests depends on the size of the water supply system. The information gained from the tests helps to build up a history of how healthy our water supply is. At the water reservoirs, more tests are carried out to make sure there is no contamination. MidCoast Water also makes regular visits to customers’ garden taps and public areas such as parks, schools and hospitals to take samples.

36 Who we are and what we do Water quality testing MidCoast Water Laboratory Treated water Most of the water quality tests are carried out at MidCoast Water’s Another important job for the water testing team is to collect samples from Laboratory, located at Bootawa. The technicians carry out a variety all the sewage treatment plants in the area, to make sure they are meeting of tests to monitor the treatment plants, liquid trade waste and drinking water supplies. the conditions of their licence from the Environment Protection Authority. The tests also tell whether there are problems with the plant, or if people They also carry out tests for other groups, such as oyster farmers, are doing the wrong thing by putting chemicals and oils into the sewer. We councils and mining companies. Water samples have to be taken also test the receiving waters near sewage treatment plants to check that we and transported to the lab very carefully. aren’t having a negative impact on the rivers, creeks and groundwater. Some, such as bacteriological samples, have to be stored in sterile containers. Most samples are stored on ice in eskies or a car fridge Liquid trade waste to keep them cool. People who run businesses that create problem wastes, such as chemicals, metals, oil and grease have to have a special agreement with MidCoast Water to make sure they dispose of these wastes properly. If the wastes go into the sewage system, they could stop the sewerage treatment plant from working properly. Some businesses, such as restaurants have special equipment to collect the oil and grease before it can get into the sewer. This material is taken away by a contractor and treated at a special plant. Other businesses, such as food factories and big manufacturers have to have pre-treatment plants for their waste water. To make sure everyone is doing the right thing, MidCoast Water conducts regular tests where these businesses discharge to the sewer.

37 Who we are and what we do Paying for it all

To look after water and sewerage systems and build new schemes for the future takes a lot of money. A lot of the money MidCoast Water spends goes towards running the system - paying staff, paying electricity bills for pumping water and sewage, and maintaining over 2000 kilometres of pipe, a vast network of reservoirs, five water treatment plants and 15 sewage treatment plants. Some money is also spent on building new water and sewerage schemes for our area. We need to do this both to upgrade the treatment processes and prepare for future populations. MidCoast Water gets this money from a number of sources. On occasion the State Government gives us some funding to help build new schemes and $ sometimes MidCoast Water has to borrow money. $ Some money comes from developers, who put up new housing estates, shopping centres, factories and other businesses. The developers hope to make a profit out of these ventures. Because these buildings need new $ services for water and sewerage, MidCoast Water asks the developer to contribute towards the cost. Sometimes, households are asked to contribute towards the cost of providing sewerage or water to their district. The amount the people have to pay is only a small part of what it costs to build the new scheme.

Water charges More than half the money that MidCoast Water receives comes from water and sewerage bills, paid by local customers. The people who have town water and sewerage pay to have the service. They also pay for how much water they use - and the more water you use, the more money it costs. This system encourages our customers to be careful with their water. MidCoast Water works out how much water each household has used by $ means of a water meter. If you have town water, you’ll find your water meter in the front garden. $ 38 Who we are and what we do Paying for it all

As the water comes out of the water main and into the water pipes at your house, it passes through the water meter. The flow of the water spins little magnets inside the meter and the magnetic force operates a system of numbered wheels. The numbers register how many litres of water are going through the meter. When it comes time to work out the water bills, our meter reader visits your home to check the meter. They record the address and the amount of water used on a small hand-held computer. At the end of the day, the meter reader goes to the office and downloads the information into the main computer. This information is used to calculate each person’s water bill.

Sewerage rates Households are also charged for sewerage services. As it is more difficult to measure how much is actually going down the sewer at your house, MidCoast Water charges a set fee for the property. Even people who don’t have a house on their block of land get charged a basic water and sewerage rate. This is because the service is available to their land and adds value to it.

Business charges Businesses who put a lot of water down the sewer, such as caravan parks, hotels, clubs and laundromats, are charged on a different system. This system is called “volumetric charging”. It means that MidCoast Water works out the volume of waste water each business is putting into the sewer and charges it accordingly. Some businesses, such as hairdressers, motor mechanics, restaurants and factories, also pay to have a liquid trade waste agreement with MidCoast Water. These agreements set out the type and volume of waste that can be discharged to the sewer. Regular checks are Only the black numbers are recorded by our meter readers. If you read your meter at the carried out to make sure the businesses are abiding by the agreement. same time each day for a week it will give you an idea of your daily water use. The average MidCoast Water house uses about 440 litres per day - why not try changing how you use water and seeing what impact it has on your daily reading.

39 Who we are and what we do Paying for it all

The budget Every year, MidCoast Water’s councillors have a special meeting to decide how much the water and sewerage rates will be and how much money the organisation will spend. To help them make these decisions, they rely on a budget, prepared by the staff. The budget sets out all the major projects for the year and how much it will cost to maintain the system. After the councillors have made their decision on the budget, they put the document on public display, so that residents can read it and make comments. The exhibition also includes MidCoast Water’s operational plan. This is a document setting out planned activities for the coming year and the standards the organisation hopes to achieve. People read the documents and decide whether or not they agree with what is proposed. They can then write to council and put forward their point of view. After the exhibition, the Councillors have another meeting to look at all the comments from the public. Sometimes they decide to change their decisions or add new ideas to the plans.

Public exhibitions MidCoast Water holds public exhibitions when it has important projects underway, such as new water or sewerage schemes. The exhibitions show people what is proposed for their area and ask them whether or not they agree with the idea. After the exhibition, the Councillors look at all the suggestions from the public and make a final decision on the new scheme.

Talking to our community MidCoast Water talks to our community in a number of ways. We produce a quarterly newsletter which is distributed to all our account holders. This newsletter provides information about our projects, services, fees and charges and a range of other information. It normally includes information on how our customers can save water. We also have a website that has lots of information about our organisation. It can be found at www.midcoastwater.com.au When we are working in particular areas we communicate with local residents through letters, advertisements in their local newspapers and meetings.

40 Who we are and what we do For further information Visiting treatment plants Group visits can be organised to most of our plants, however this does depend on works taking place on the site at the time. If the plant you wish to visit is unavailable our staff with work with you to organise a visit to another location which will provide a similar experience. We do have guidelines for visiting our sites as they are operational plants and we can not stop the machinery during the tours. To arrange a tour to your local water treatment or sewage treatment plant contact us on 1300 133 455 or email [email protected]

Catchment programs We have a Waterwatch officer who can visit your group to deliver activities including training in how to test the ecological health of water ways and talks on the region’s platypus, as well as demonstrations of the catchment model – pictured right.

Guest speakers for community groups Inviting a guest speaker along to an event or meeting is an ideal way to learn more about our services and our role in the community. As part of our commitment to communities in our service region, we provide guest speakers to community groups interested in learning more about our services and projects. Presentations cover a range of information including our role in the community, major facilities and infrastructure, water sources and treatment, recycled water programs, our commitment to the environment, water conservation and optiosn for securing future water supplies in the future. If you would like to request a guest speaker for your group’s upcoming meeting, event or function, please contact us on 1300 133 455.

41 Who we are and what we do MidCoast Water Last updated April 2016 MCW document number # A304222 www.midcoastwater.com.au 1300 133 455 ABN 33 274 464 218