Rushforth Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

The Rushforth Water Treatment Plant has been servicing the Clarence Valley for over a century and the Clarence Valley Council is seeking planning approval for possible upgrading of the plant to improve water quality, capacity and security of potable water for residents in the region. These upgrades would involve the development and installation of flocculation tanks, a dissolved air flotation and filtration treatment facility and other associated infrastructure. The purpose of these upgrades is to assist in the removal of solids, suspended soils and other potential contaminants from the water supply. The site would continue to operate throughout any upgrades with minimal disruptions to existing operations.

Before upgrades can be completed the project must undertake relevant statutory approvals at both a state and commonwealth level, with one of the main requirements being an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (DPHI) is the EIS determining authority.

The EIS is a detailed document that is required to:

• Identify the existing environment
• Assess potential environment, social and economic impacts of the Project
• Propose measures to avoid, minimise, mitigate and/or offset potential impacts

Community engagement forms an important part of the EIS process and we encourage community members to provide feedback on the proposed upgrades.

The EIS was on public exhibition from Thursday 31 October to Wednesday 27 November and can be accessed through the "Major Projects" section of the NSW Planning Portal - https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/rushforth-road-water-treatment-plant.

An EIS "drop in" community information session was held at Council's Grafton chambers (2 Prince Street Grafton) from 16:00 to 18:30 on Wednesday 6 November.

EIS submissions can be viewed on the Major Projects page. A submissions report in response to the submissions is currently being prepared and will be submitted to DPHI. The earliest timeframe for an EIS determination is the end of March 2025.