Updated February 6, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Council's $8 million Water Treatment Plant on Kelvin Road is operational.

The new plant allows for consistent water treatment across Gunnedah and Curlewis. It will also allow for the introduction of fluoridation to improve dental hygiene as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Fluoride will be introduced into Gunnedah's town water on March 11, 2024.

NSW Health is meeting $7.4 million of the cost of the plant through an agreement to provide a centralised centre that will include the new fluoridation system and a more modern gas chlorination system. Modelling for the new centre has been based on Gunnedah Shire’s heaviest days of water usage – in the midst of the drought – and then expanded again to ensure this facility has the capability to deal with the potential demand.

The work is being carried out by contractor Gongues Construction Pty Ltd, and as Council has previously reported in media releases, there have been some rain delays, but the timeframe of the project has not had an impact on Gunnedah’s water supply.

Fast facts:

• The new centre includes two 1 ML concrete reservoirs.
• It can treat a maximum of 20 ML per day, and 232 litres per second.
• Gunnedah’s peak water usage came at the height of the drought in late 2019, with use of about 15 ML per day.