Sewer upgrade future-proofs growing Worrigee and South Nowra suburbs

The growing suburbs of Worrigee and South Nowra are chalking up some major milestones thanks to a major sewerage infrastructure project carried out by Shoalhaven Water.  

Measuring 11 metres deep and 5 metres in diameter, the newly constructed chamber is officially the Shoalhaven’s deepest sewer pump station well, designed to collect wastewater and pump it to the Nowra Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Acting Director, Brenden Logue said major works were being carried out as part of the South Nowra Surcharge Main project which would support recent and future residential developments. 

“With 1,000 lots in South Nowra predicted to be connected to the sewer system, major upgrades are happening to ensure the infrastructure can handle this increased usage,” Mr Logue said. 

“Part of these works have included over one kilometre of gravity mains leading into the pump station, which allows wastewater to naturally flow through pipes into the chamber,” he said. 

“The scale of the infrastructure allows for additional storage capacity in the sewer network system, meaning we can handle severe wet weather events to minimise the risk of overflows.” 

The South Nowra Surcharge Main transfers sewage from six different pump stations in South Nowra and Worrigee to the Nowra Wastewater Treatment Plant.   

Recent works near Old Southern Road and Killara Road through to Greenwell Point Road include: 

• More than 1 km of gravity sewer main infrastructure leading into the new sewer pump station. 
•  Shoalhaven Water’s deepest manholes at 8 metres deep and 2.4 metres in diameter.
• Excavation, construction and backfill of an 11 metre deep (3-storey) wet well for the new sewer pump station, with the remaining pump station infrastructure under construction. 

Next steps include: 

• The installation of 600 metres of sewer rising main infrastructure (pumps sewerage from lower to higher elevations) along Old Southern Road. 
•  Installation of 1,300 metres of sewer rising main infrastructure and 300 metres of gravity sewer infrastructure to connect to the planned sewer pump station on Greenwell Point Road. 

The project is due for completion in mid-2027. 

The size and scale of the project can be seen in Shoalhaven Water’s video at this link.