We the Residents of Eastern Ave Dover Heights and neighbourhood say NO to a sewage pump station at Eastern Ave Reserve.

SIGN THE URGENT PETITION TODAY

Sydney Water with Waverley Council have contracted an engineering company to build a sewage treatment pump at the end of Eastern Ave, right in the open space of Eastern Ave Reserve.

The intention behind the project is to close the remaining sewage outflow tracts to the ocean, and instead pipe the sewage outflow from Vaucluse, Diamond Bay and Dover Heights, to the North Bondi treatment facility. Quoting Sydney Water from their determination document, “During normal operation, the proposal will redirect untreated wastewater through the wastewater network to the catchment of Bondi Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. During wet weather, when the catchment is at full capacity, wastewater may flow through the existing ocean outfalls.”

One sewage pump station is planned for Parsley Bay near the car park and public toilets. 

The other sewage pump station is planned for our beautiful, open  and natural Eastern Ave Reserve.

This will drastically change the Reserve, transforming the open area at the end of our street, which our homes look out to, and the area that we frequent for recreation, play and family time, into concrete, metal vents, metal boxes, bollards, a vehicle turning circle and an 18m steel sewage odour vent. 

The project would require significant digging into the cliff structure, which could hasten erosion and degradation, even putting nearby properties and the cliff face at risk. No amount of geotechnical reporting can guarantee cliff stability related to significant depth digging.

Despite supporting the concept and plan of closing sewage outflow to the ocean, it should not be at the expense of beautiful open space which is unique to our location, unique to Sydney, for which most of us have sacrificed in some way in order to live in such a location. Additionally it is highly likely that in wet weather, there will still be wastewater flow to the ocean. Solving one environmental issue, by causing multiple others, is not an effective solution. Especially when the supposed solution only holds in dry weather. Changing natural open space on a cliff face, digging into the cliff which sits above multiple cave structures, and replacing it with visual, unnatural structures,  plus potential noise and sewage odour pollution is UNACCEPTABLE. The risks outweigh the benefits.

We the residents of this beautiful location do NOT support the location of this project. The LOCATION OF THE PUMP STATION NEEDS TO CHANGE  and not cause such negative impacts to our local environment, and to the homes and outlooks of multiple rate paying residents. 

We urge Sydney Water to find a more appropriate location.

Quoting Sydney Water, “We'll be taking a community-led approach in developing the detailed construction design…..we’re continuing to work to ensure this iconic area of Sydney gets the clean, blue backyard it deserves”

Well we “the community” are leading the approach AWAY from Eastern Ave Reserve, and we agree, that this “iconic area of Sydney” should NOT be transformed into a sewage pump station. That is certainly not creating the “clean blue backyard” that the area “deserves”

Please look at the Sydney Water Link with current project designs here and provide feedback before May 2nd, 2022. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdkzugKHI1QurKgjDjhVVQEEbX2INWY7LSAQ64O44bn6b8clA/viewform

Please free register for the zoom Q  and A meeting from Sydney Water on the evening of Wednesday 27th April here.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/refresh-vaucluse-diamond-bay-50-design-tickets-270065070897

This is an URGENT AND CRUCIAL attempt to avert a project that will forever change our street and locale. We need collective support to insist Sydney Water and the council find an appropriate solution and a new Sewage Pump location.


Photo by John Appleyard