The village of Wamoon, located in the Leeton Shire of New South Wales, faced longstanding challenges in securing a reliable and environmentally sound sewerage solution.
Pressure sewer system – a cost-effective and technically suitable solution.
The village of Wamoon, located in the Leeton Shire of New South Wales, faced longstanding challenges in securing a reliable and environmentally sound sewerage solution. Due to the high costs of installing the gravity systems in flat or undulating terrain, H2H Plumbing’s proposal for installing E/One Pressure Sewer System (PSS) was deemed a cost-effective and technically suitable alternative for Wamoon.
The E/One pressure sewer systems use small, on-property pump units to move wastewater through small-diameter pipes under pressure. By utilising pressurised flow rather than relying on gravity, the system significantly reduces the need for deep and extensive excavation typically required for traditional gravity sewers. As a result, installation was less disruptive to the landscape, existing infrastructure, and the environment.
The scope of the project included:
- building 6 km of Sewer Rising Main from Wattle Hill in Leeton to Wamoon
- installing 2.8 km of reticulation pipework around Wamoon’s streets
- equipping 61 existing dwellings and the Wamoon Public School with E/One Pressure Sewer Units.
Minimised disruption and environmental impact
All pipework was installed using trenchless technology, reducing surface disruption and environmental impact compared to open trenching.
The Council funded the connection of existing house sewer drains to the new PSS units and managed the decommissioning and removal of all old septic tanks, ensuring a complete transition to the new system.
Environmental and community benefits
- Removal of septic systems – decommissioning old septic tanks eliminated a significant source of potential groundwater contamination and improved public health outcomes for the community.
- Reduced environmental impact – trenchless installation methods preserved local roads and landscapes, minimising construction waste.
- Future-proofing – the PSS is scalable and can be extended as the village grows, offering flexibility for future development.
The adoption of the pressure sewer system resulted in a direct saving of over $1 million for Leeton Council compared to the original gravity sewer proposal. This finding is consistent with broader industry research, which indicates that pressure sewer systems can save up to 30–50% in capital costs for small or rural communities, particularly where gravity systems would require deep excavation or numerous pump stations.
