South Melbourne Sewerage Capacity Upgrade
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Major sewer works planned for South Melbourne and Southbank
We're planning a major upgrade to the sewerage infrastructure in South Melbourne and Southbank to reduce the impact of future extreme weather events from climate change.
South East Water is in the planning stages of the South Melbourne Sewerage Capacity Upgrade (SMSC) which will:
Protect South Melbourne from extreme weather events
Increase the capacity of the local sewerage network, protecing the South Melbourne catchment from the impacts of future extreme weather events from climate change.
Meet South Melbourne's growing needs
Future proof the capacity of the sewerage network by helping to relieve surges or overflow from flooded pipes from future demand on the network.
Project stages
Due to the size of the project we've split it into four stages.
Stage 1
This is anticipated to involve laying new pipes in the Stead Street and Palmerston Crescent area and a connection to the existing Melbourne Water sewer main at the corner of Stead Street and Albert Road.
The exact location of these works will be confirmed following geotechnical investigations and upon award of the works tender, when the design will be finalised.
South East Water's Board has approved Stage 1 and construction is due to commence in late September 2022.
Stage 2
We’re looking to install new gravity sewer and rising mains running from City Road to connect into Stage 1, and to add a pump station on Market Street (towards the end of Tope Street). While we have a preliminary route in mind, the final route will be determined once the project goes to tender and a final design prepared.
Stage 2 of SMSC will be delivered during our next Pricing Submission (2023 to 2028).
Stages 3 and 4
Stages 3 and 4 include long term plans that require significant future investigations and are anticipated to be delivered in future Pricing Submissions. We anticipate these stages to include the relining the existing Hanna Street Sewer that runs beneath Kings Way and, later still, duplicating the Wells Street Sewer.
The map below shows the proposed area of the project and its stages.
South Melbourne Sewerage Capacity Upgrade - project area and stages
Geotechnical investigations
We completed geotechnical investigative works for stages 1 and 2 of the project in 2021. This will help us form the project's design by knowing what is already there and the construction teams will know what to expect when they start to dig.
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