• Construction starts on the Southern Tablelands Water Reuse facility
• The facility will provide the region with a sustainable source of recycled water for irrigation
• The project will create 160 local jobs during construction

The first sod was turned today on stage one of the four-stage sustainable wastewater treatment facility in Goulburn.

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the Coalition Government had invested $10 million towards the $40 million project under the National Stronger Regions Fund.

“This facility will provide a critical source of reuse water for Goulburn and the surrounding region,” he said.

"It is fantastic that the Federal Government has been able to support this local infrastructure project - federal support is how regions and cities grow.

"It will create 160 jobs in construction, which is another big boost to the city, and we want to see regional centres like Goulburn with infrastructure like this that allows them to grow without constraint.

“Goulburn Mulwaree Council has been very good to work with in attracting federal grants. We can only get grants when the council does good work in the planning and application process.”

Federal Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash said: “Once complete the facility will treat and recycle wastewater for use as irrigation on local infrastructure such as public parks and sporting fields.”

“This state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant will support Goulburn, the Southern Tablelands and the Sydney Catchment in providing a sustainable source of irrigation without impacting our valuable potable water stores,” she said.

Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Bob Kirk, who attended the sod-turning at the Ross Street site with Council general manager Warwick Bennett and other officials representing the project management team, said Council was taking on an ambitious capital works program to provide the infrastructure for future growth in Goulburn Mulwaree.

“The Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade is a key part of this program, and will accommodate for significant increases in population,” Cr Kirk said.

“The current plant was constructed in 1918 and is well beyond its use by date; an upgraded Wastewater Treatment Plant will have positive environmental impacts and cater for future growth.”