A $1.28 million upgrade to Gasworks Creek pump station has been complete, marking the first step towards overhauling Lismore’s flood defence system.
The upgrade is part of a $29.8 million modernisation of the city’s existing pump station network, which is funded by the Australian government through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP) and administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
Over the coming year, Lismore City Council, who is delivering the project, will also start work constructing a new pump station in South Lismore and upgrading the Browns Creek and Magellan Street pump stations.
Lismore’s pump stations are a critical part of the local flood mitigation system, designed to remove stormwater and localised flooding from within the levee walls and pump it into the Wilsons River.
However, the old pumps have insufficient capacity to deal with high intensity rain events, which has led to localised flooding downtown, even when the levee gates were closed. Vulnerabilities in their electrical systems and a reliance on manual operations also hampered their performance.
At the centerpiece of the overhaul is the Browns Creek pump, which was built in the 1970s to pump stormwater from the low-lying Lismore basin into Wilsons River. The new station will be built in line with modern standards and significantly increase pumping power.
At the recently completed Gasworks upgrade, the works included raising the pump station electricals and controls above 14.4 metres and installing a mechanical trash rack, to protect the pump inlet from debris such as logs and rubbish.
The rollout of a new 10-kilometre fibre optic network last year will allow for the remote activation and control of Lismore’s flood pumps during future weather events.
Together, these enhancements will improve catchment response to rainfall when river levels rise.
Protecting Lismore
Minister for Recovery and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said, ‘The pump stations in essence act as the lungs of the Lismore flood levee system, they are actively working to keep the city as dry as possible when the river rises during big rain events, with ongoing upgrades making them more powerful and intelligent they will help better protect Lismore during future floods.
‘The overhaul of pumps in the Lismore area will increase the reliability and resilience of our mitigation systems during future weather events. They perform a vital role in extracting stormwater and localised flooding from behind the levee system and pump it back into the Wilsons River, minimising damage to homes and businesses downtown.’
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said, ‘This upgrade reflects how investment through the NRRRP is delivering practical improvements to Lismore’s flood-mitigation network, strengthening the city’s ability to cope with increasingly severe weather events.
‘By modernising these ageing pump stations with more powerful, reliable and remotely operated systems, this program is supporting Lismore’s long-term efforts to reduce local flood impacts and protect homes, businesses and essential services during future storm events.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
