Rebuilding Lismore after the February and March 2022 floods has taken longer than people expected in certain areas; the Resilient Lands Program and the $150 million Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program are two that come quickly to mind.

Another that has been spoken about for the last three years is the East Lismore and South Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant.

In May 2022, the Perrottet Government were in power, and the Minister for Lands and Water, Kevin Anderson, visited Lismore to announce $145 million in funding to repair and upgrade critical water and sewerage infrastructure damage for the Northern Rivers councils. The Lismore share was $108 million. That was to be split between the South Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant ($20-$25 million) and the East Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant ($70-$80 million).

(Then Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson announced $145 million in funding to repair and rebuild critical water and sewerage infrastructure in May 2022)

Three years later, the plan is in doubt with Mayor Steve Krieg revealing in a Talking Lismore podcast that the Minns Government has allocated $38-39 million to get the job done.

"I wish I could be optimistic on this as well, but sadly, something that was promised now, I think it was May of 2022, is only just through the concept planning stage, and there's a pretty big shortfall of funding to achieve the ultimate goal, or the best case scenario. If we were going to go for the Rolls-Royce, and there's a certain dollar value on that, at the moment, we're looking at a secondhand VW Beetle option."

The idea of the $108 million was to move the critical components, electrical and other, so that they are out of harm's way in future floods.

The simple question put to the mayor is, "Will $39 million get the job done?"

"The simple answer is no. And what I will say is our council wastewater and water staff have done an exceptional job to keep what they've got complying with all of the very strict regulations, through the EPA requirements and the like, but it is literally putting a band-aid on an axe wound.

"It really does need a complete refurbishment and rebuild. That point was made last week to Premier Minns very strongly, that we want to see Lismore grow. We want to develop his 400 blocks of land, which he's now the proud owner of, at Crawford Road (East Lismore). We want to see the North Lismore Plateau go ahead. We want to see all of these lands open up, but without a sewage treatment plant, it's really going to hamstring our progress.

"And, like every level of government, the answer straight away is no, we've got no money at the end of the conversation. To his credit, and he's under a fair bit of pressure, Chris, the state budget's coming out on the 24th next week, he's committed to finding a solution. I've spoken with Janelle about it as well. It's one of those critical infrastructure projects that, because it's not overly glamorous, and no one really wants to cut a ribbon on a sewage treatment plant, I guess. I don't know, but it is critical to the growth and the revival of Lismore.

"We had a really good, robust discussion. The premier loves what we're doing in Lismore. He loves Lismore. He understands the need. But as we can all imagine, everyone from every different direction, and given what's happened down on the mid north coast as well, that has put a major budgetary impact and social impact on the state government at the moment. And I understand that, however, we were promised something, and I expect it to be delivered."

This could well boil down to one government's promise of funds to the next government; however, Lismore's future is at stake. While the details remain to be released, it appears that another 2022 flood would cause the same damage to a repaired sewage treatment plant that is needed to service the current population, as well as Lismore's future population, which is coming from the 400 blocks at the SCU site, the 80 at North Lismore, and all future privately developed sites.

It has been well understood that rebuilding the East Lismore Sewage Treatment Plant would take three years. With the current plant described as 'on life support', how can the state government build 400 homes on a newly purchased site before the sewage treatment plant is rebuilt and comply with EPA regulations?

To be continued.....