Community & Business
4 March, 2022
Workers farewell piece of history
A GROUP of former workers has gathered at the Granite Creek Sewage Pump Station to farewell the iconic red brick building which is set to be removed this week to make way for a new pump station.
Councillor Lenore Wyatt said the station was built in 1965 and had served the community well for decades.
“All Mareeba residents would be familiar with the vision of the red brick building as you come across the bridge, but only a small group are aware of the inner workings of this facility,” Cr Wyatt said.
Sewage Plant head supervisor Percy Smith, who has a total of more than 50 years' service, has many fond memories of the development of Mareeba, and remembers the first water main being installed in 1953.
“Before the sewage plant was built, the town was on septic. There was no sewage here,” Mr Smith explained.
The group of workers, between them, have more than 100 years of experience in working on the water service in Mareeba.
Danny Malone and Frank Baldwin came to Mareeba for the construction of the sewage plant and chose to settle in the town.
The sewage pump station services all sewered areas of the Mareeba township south of Granite Creek, and it discharges the wastewater into two rising mains on the northern side of the creek, prior to entering the Mareeba Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The works to replace the pump station came on the back of a condition assessment on the 9-metre deep wet and dry well which identified extensive damage and defects including significant deterioration and rust throughout the facility.
Mayor Angela Toppin explained the need for the works to be completed.
“Council has received complaints regarding the odour which is caused by the hydrogen sulphide gas at the pump station. This gas has contributed to the deterioration at the facility and the new pump station will be better equipped to deal with the sewage,” she said.
“As well as this, while the sewage pump station has served Mareeba well, it can no longer meet the demands of our growing community.
“The new pump station will have the capacity to meet the needs of Mareeba now and into the future and will meet all safety and environmental standards.”
The council expects maintenance costs to reduce significantly with the new facility.
During the six-month construction project, the town's wastewater will bypass the existing pump station.
