Cowarra Water Supply Scheme

Water Treatment Plant

The new Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is designed to treat 42 million litres (ML) per day, or 6,000 to 9,900ML annually and provide a safe and secure drinking water supply to the Port Macquarie and Camden-Haven areas. The existing 7.8ML Cowarra balance tank would be repurposed. This raw water tank would receive raw water from Cowarra Dam, Port Macquarie Dam or the Hastings River, where it would gravitate through the treatment process in a relatively consistent flow and provide a buffer to the different raw water transfer flow into the tank.

Clear Water Reservior (CWR)

The CWR serves as a filtered water storage tank for the water supply system as a whole. The CWR site is about 1.5 kilometres away from the WTP site along the Cowarra Access Road from the WTP site and Cowarra Dam. The access road will require upgrading.

Northern Arm Trunk Main (NATM)

The NATM is a gravity-fed pipeline that would be located within existing road reserves along Burrawan Forest Drive, the Oxley Highway and several local roads, as well as existing utility easements. It would be approximately 20.5 kilometres in length and include an easement either side of the pipeline.

Other components

In addition to the above, the project would include sludge management, improvements to site access and electricity supply.

This project aims to:

• Increase water supply to address future demand
• Enhance water security during low and high rain events
• Optimise network storage and connectivity by creating a water supply ring main
• Upgrade the water supply system to ensure reliable delivery of water to the community
• Provide multiple barrier treatment to improve water quality
• Improve reliability, redundancy, and resilience of our regions water supply infrastructure.

With our population projected to grow from 92,650 in 2025 to 119,027 by 2050 Council is planning for increased demand on our drinking water supply. Once complete the Cowarra Water Supply Scheme will supply filtered water to Sancrox, Thrumter, Port Macquaire, Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills and the Camden Haven. The project has been declared as State Significant Infrastructure (SSI) and is a priority project for Council to ensure communities have access to a safe and reliable drinking water supply.

The project:

• Responds to a critical, recognised need and is consistent with several state and regional government plans, policy and guidelines concerning water security.

 • Improves the reliability, redundancy and resilience of water supply infrastructure across the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA.

• Provides short and long-term benefits to the wider Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA.

• Would not result in significant, adverse environmental, social or economic impacts.

• Is consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development, the objects of the EP&A Act and is considered to be in the public interest.

The project is one of two infrastructure schemes that Council have identified to assist with the anticipated future population growth in the LGA. The other complimentary scheme is the Thrumster Wastewater Scheme, subject to a separate SSI application, being developed concurrently as related development.

Beginning in 2026, we expect the project will take around two years to complete. While the water treatment plant and clear water reservoir will require work over the whole period, other project elements such as the pipelines will be built in stages. This allows us to build sections when they have the least impact on the local community.

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) will be used to build some sections of the pipeline, to minimise disruptions to neighbours and traffic users.

The proposed locations of the HDD include:

• Under the Oxley Highway near the T-intersection at Burrawan Forest Drive.

• Adjacent to the Oxley Highway under Billabong Drive.

• Under the Pacific Highway.

• Under the Oxley Highway near Philip Charley Drive.

• Under the wetlands near St Columba Anglican School

Refer to the respective project webpages for upcoming works information

Northern Arm Trunk Main

Cowarra Water Treatment Plant

We regularly seek businesses to work with us through:

• Expressions of Interest (EOI)
• Requests for Quotations (RFQ)
• Requests for Tenders (RFT)

Information about these opportunities, and how to apply is provided through our online procurement portal, eProcure.  

For updates relating to current and upcoming opportunities please refer to the website here.

• Phone (24 hrs): 6581 8111

• Email: cowarrawss@pmhc.nsw.gov.au

• Postal: PO Box 84, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444

• In-person: 

Port Macquarie office

17 Burrawan Street
Port Macquarie NSW 2444

9am to 4pm, Mon to Fri

Wauchope office

49 High Street
Wauchope NSW 2446

9am to 2pm, Mon to Fri

Laurieton office

9 Laurie Street
Laurieton NSW 2443

9am to 2pm, Mon to Fri