Sydney Water’s scheduled demolition works along Lancaster Rd in Dover Heights have been partially completed as part of the water services improvements in the Eastern Suburbs.
The properties along 33 and 33A Lancaster Rd, owned by Sydney Water, will be redeveloped into an office space and laydown area with onsite parking, which will then be used for the upcoming operational and maintenance activities of workers. The plan is part of the Refresh Vaucluse and Diamond Bay Project that will be undertaken for the next two years.
However, prior to the construction of the new facilities, activities like asbestos removal, soil investigation, vegetation removal, and installation of new fences and gates will be undertaken until October 2022 to secure the property whilst the design and layout of the new facilities are being properly planned with a landscape architect.
According to Sydney Water, “the community will be informed and seek feedback on the proposed design when available.”
New pipeline, new pump station for Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Water is planning to build a new pipeline at the Diamond Bay Reserve in Vaucluse, some 850 meters away from Lancaster Rd. These pipelines will be connected to the planned new pump station at the Eastern Reserve between Vaucluse and Dover Heights.
The project has been years in planning and has received some opposition from the locals who believe that the new pumping station will be detrimental to the green space. They launched a petition to oppose the facility, which has gained 277 signatures as of press time.
“This will drastically change the Reserve, transforming the open area at the end of our street, which our homes look out to, and the area that we frequent for recreation, play and family time, into concrete, metal vents, metal boxes, bollards, a vehicle turning circle and an 18m steel sewage odour vent,” Residents of Eastern Ave Dover Heights stated.
“The project would require significant digging into the cliff structure, which could hasten erosion and degradation, even putting nearby properties and the cliff face at risk. No amount of geotechnical reporting can guarantee cliff stability related to significant depth digging.”
What is the Refresh Vaucluse and Diamond Bay Project?
The new pipeline and pump station are needed to ensure that sewage water will go to the Bondi wastewater treatment plant and not the ocean. Over 30 years ago, deep ocean outfalls were built in Bondi, Malabar and North Head to process sewage water. However, raw sewage from some of Sydney’s wealthiest homes in Dover Heights, Vaucluse, Rose Bay and Watsons Bay, still flows directly into the ocean.
Thus, Sydney Water devised the Refresh Vaucluse and Diamond Bay project to connect these networks to the Bondi deep ocean outfall. The project required additional pumping stations and wastewater pipelines, as well as some infrastructure upgrades.
Residents, however, want to be assured that these new facilities will mitigate the impact of pollution following reports that the water quality of the beaches in Bondi, as well as Tamarama and Bronte, are consistently polluted.
Sydney Water’s commitment
Sydney Water, however, said that the design and location of the structures will be properly assessed. Ultimately, the goal is to “improve visual amenity” as well as remove any odour.
“We will continue to work with Waverley Council and the local community to minimise the visual impact of this design and will look for opportunities to further refine the pumping station’s footprint and engage a landscape architect to advise on the sensitive placement of aboveground infrastructure.”
