Council spends $10 million on water upgrades

FIVE years of investment have seen Lismore City Council spend more than $10 million in infrastructure upgrades to ensure future supply and safe drinking water under its capital works water pipeline renewal program.

Council has renewed more than 20.4 kilometres of water mains, 5.8 kilometres of service lines and installed 680 new water and fire service meters across the Local Government Area.

Contractors have assisted council’s water and wastewater team with mayor Steve Krieg saying the work is an example of rates at work,

“It’s not always visible, but it’s vital. These renewals are about keeping our water network safe, reliable and ready for the future,” he said.

“And this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

In the current Draft Council budget for the 2025/26 financial year, council is investing over $240 million in its planned capital works program.

“That means the community will start to see more projects like this—not just in our water network, but right across our essential infrastructure, services and local priorities.”

One of the largest projects completed under the program was the contractor-delivered 2024 renewal of 1.7 kilometres of ageing cast iron water mains in the Lismore CBD.

The $3.4 million upgrade involved the installation of a fully welded polyethylene system, securing the city’s central water supply for the next 100 years.

“Our goal is to reduce unplanned maintenance by targeting known weak points in the network and delivering permanent upgrades—not temporary fixes,” manager of water and wastewater Tom Lloyd said.

“We’ve adopted trenchless techniques where ground conditions and alignment allow.

“It enables faster installations, fewer disruptions to traffic and residents and in many cases, reduced environmental impact compared to traditional open-cut excavation.”

Installations undergo pressure testing and are assessed to meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, with water quality confirmed through certified chemical and bacterial testing.