City of Coffs Harbour Council has awarded a $1.6 million contract to progress work on a second trunk main to improve drinking water security for residents on the far Northern Beaches.
KBS Mackay Pty Ltd has been awarded the contract to establish a 2.3-kilometre-long water main from Arrawarra Beach Road to Eggins Close.
The contract forms part of the Northern Beaches Water Main Duplication Program, a staged initiative to improve water security and network resilience for communities between Woolgoolga and Corindi by progressively duplicating the existing trunk water main.
The build – mostly in the Solitary Islands Way road reserve – represents the fourth of six project stages. Three sections have already been completed or commissioned, including works at Little Arrawarra Gully, Mullaway to Arrawarra and Emerald Beach to Mullaway.
“This is a long-term City strategy to bolster water security, increase network resilience and provide additional capacity to support future population growth,” said Mayor, Nikki Williams.
Council Infrastructure Director, Andrew Beswick said a 2021/2022 report identified the Northern Beaches water supply system as a critical network vulnerability due to its reliance on a single trunk water main.
“That sole trunk main currently provides potable water to communities north of Woolgoolga, including Arrawarra, Mullaway and Corindi. Consequently, a significant failure of that asset has the potential to disrupt water supply to a substantial number of residents and businesses until repairs can be effected,” Mr Beswick said.
“Completion of this project is an important and necessary step to strengthen the reliability and resilience of the network to the northern part of our Local Government Area.”
Practical completion of the Arrawarra Beach Road to Eggins Close section is expected by 30 June 2027.
