Pipalyatjara upgrade provides continued reliable sewer services

Upgrades to wastewater infrastructure at Pipalyatjara in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands will better support increased demand from more local housing and improve environmental performance of the community’s wastewater pump station.

SA Water recently completed the $770,000 project, which represents a significant investment in the health, environmental sustainability and quality of life for residents in the remote community in South Australia’s Far North-West.

SA Water’s Senior Manager of Production and Treatment Paul Bendotti said the upgrade involved construction of a sewer pump station which can receive double the volume of inflows compared to the older structure, along with installation of a larger 1.5 kilometre sewer main.

“More houses being built in Pipalyatjara put a strain on our wastewater network, so we needed to upgrade the pump station to ensure it can take on additional sewage and minimise the risk of overflows,” Paul said.

“We also put in place improved remote monitoring systems, to enable a quicker response to any incidents.

“A fit-for-purpose wastewater system is essential to protecting the health of the community and the local environment, and as part of our commitment to reconciliation, we aim to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater services to our customers in Aboriginal communities across the state.

“Our work in the APY Lands is very much community-driven, with our dedicated Remote Communities team engaging with the community ahead of work beginning.

“Building relationships between the communities and our team is fundamental to ensuring our water and wastewater infrastructure works for the area and meets the needs of the people it serves.”

SA Water manages water supplies and/or wastewater disposal systems in 13 Aboriginal communities and government facilities in the APY Lands – Indulkana, Mimili, Kaltjiti (Fregon), Umuwa, Pukatja (Ernabella), Yunyarinyi (Kenmore Park), Amata, Pipalyatjara, Kalka, Kanpi, Nyapari, Murputja and Watinuma.

Following the completion of construction in Pipalyatjara, SA Water has begun early planning works to upgrade wastewater infrastructure at Yalata on the state’s Far West Coast, including to the treatment plant and pump station to better manage increased sewage inflows.

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