Jennifer Pittorino
Tunnelling work to build a new sewer pipeline in Spotswood has begun.
Almost 65 years after the original sewer was built, the new 670 metre Hobsons Bay main sewer stretches from Westgate Park, Port Melbourne to Scienceworks in Spotswood, under the Yarra River.
The sewer is responsible for the transfer of 30 per cent of Melbourne’s waste water, which is now reaching the end of it’s service life and requires updates.
Melbourne Water said the $206 million Melbourne Water-funded critical sewage infrastructure project allows sewage to continue to flow to its Western Treatment Plant.
‘Lucey’, Melbourne Water’s tunnel boring machine, was named by the students at the nearby Spotswood Primary School.
The students named the machine after Lucey Alford, the first female bacteriologist and scientist employed by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works , now known as Melbourne Water.
Melbourne Water Managing Director Dr. Nerina Di Lorenzo said this project ensures the infrastructure is kept up with future demand.
“The Hobsons Bay main sewer project forms part of a broader Melbourne Water capital infrastructure program that will enhance the reliability of our sewerage network and services for the benefit of Melburnians today and for generations to come,” she said.
“We’re looking towards the future and anticipating the evolving needs of a growing Melbourne, which is projected to nearly double in population by 2050.”
According to Melbourne Water, The Hobsons Bay main sewer pipeline, which aims to achieve a net zero carbon footprint, will be located at depths between 24.5 and 27 metres below the surface of the Yarra.
Melbourne Water said the pipeline will be positioned alongside its existing twin and will provide a significant increase in sewer capacity.
The joint initiative delivered by the state government, Melbourne Water, John Holland and Museums Victoria, is due for completion in mid-2024.
