Sewerage project in Bayswater area will not affect sports on oval

2/12/98

Sports including soccer and tennis will be able to continue uninterrupted at Bayswater Oval during a project to construct reticulated sewerage in the area.

Water Resources Minister Dr Kim Hames said today that microtunnelling would be used to preserve the oval's turf cover and mature box trees during the work which was set to begin shortly.

Dr Hames said a total of 120 homes would also be included in the project which is part of the State Government's ongoing $800 million infill sewerage program.

The project area is generally bounded by Grosvenor and Garratt Roads, Whittaker Street and Kitchener Ave, Bayswater.

The Minister said the option of microtunnelling, in which sewer pipes were drilled through the earth horizontally without surface disruption, would be used for about 300m of the 2.3km project.

"The Water Corporation has chosen this technology for those sections where conventional surface trenches would cause major traffic disruption or, in the case of Bayswater Oval, affect its busy program of sporting fixtures," he said.

"The oval is also surrounded by beautiful, mature trees so every effort is being made to protect their root systems.

"Microtunnelling will also be used under the railway crossing in Whatley Crescent and in areas such as Garratt Road where traffic is heavy."

The Minister said the new technology was proving its worth in the infill sewerage program.

"Microtunnelling has been particularly valuable in avoiding traffic congestion at busy intersections and in preserving sensitive environments like river foreshores, " Dr Hames said.

The Minister urged local householders to connect to the reticulated sewerage network as soon as they could after the project's scheduled completion next February.

"Getting rid of old and inefficient septic tanks is one of the most important ways to protect our precious groundwater reserves," he said.

"Groundwater is becoming an increasingly vital source of drinking water and we have an obligation to protect it if we possibly can."

For more information, contact Water Corporation Project Manager Phil Davidson on 9420 2303.

Media contacts: Caroline Lacy 9424 7450 Water Corporation: Phil Kneebone 9420 2420