Page 15 - City of Cessnock Water Supply and Sewerage Service Utility

14

COLIN BAILEY July 1969 August 1970
DONALD McMURRAY August 1970 April 1972
ALAN EDGTTON April 1972 To Date

A brick residence at the rear of this new office and adjoining the
earlier office had been built in 1916 as the Turncock's residence. This
residence faced Cumberland Street and a weekly rent of ten shillings ($1.00)
was collected from the Turncock. When a garage was added in 1921 the
weekly rent was increased to twelve shillings ($1.20). This residence was
demolished.

SEWERAGE OF CESSNOCK DISTRICT had been the subject of a review and
investigation by the H.D.W.B. as early as July, 1921. In answer to the Board's
enquiry that year, the Department of Public Works advised that it had estimated
the cost of such a scheme to sewer Cessnock and Aberdare, with a possible
extension in the future to Bellbird at £134,800.0.0 ($269,600.00). Each
succeeding year the H.D.W.B. and the Government Constructing Authority reviewed
the need and urgency of the Cessnock Sewerage Scheme in relation to its cost
and engineering problems.

In its 1927-1928 Annual Report, the H.D.W.B. recommended that the
scheme of a sewerage system should be carried out at a then estimated cost of
£153,000.0.0 ($306,000.00) with the provision of a future extension to Bellbird
village, when warranted. During 1928 Mr. B. Stevens, the Assistant Colonial
Treasurer, conducted surveys and investigations on possible {§nemployed Relief
Works' and the obtaining funds for such works and the Cessnock Sewerage Scheme
was high on his list. It seems certain that with the 'Depression Years',
Parliament's need for suitable 'Unemployment Relief Works', and its search for
adequate and appropriate projects to generate employment influenced its
passing of the Cessnock Sewerage Act of 1931. This Act authorised the
construction of sewerage works at an estimated cost of £196,000.0.0 ($392,000.00).

Because gravitation was practicable, the main scheme provided for
discharging into collecting wells along Black Creek, with a main pumping station
at the corner of Melton and Anzac Avenues, Cessnock and the sewerage to be
pumped from this main pumping station to the 238 acres treatment works, situated
about three-quarters of a mile (3/4) further down ~tream on Black Creek. A full
treatment is provided by a biological filter, followed by ponding, before
discharging the effluent into Black Creek. Particular attention by the sheme's
designers had been paid to this effluent in relation to this purity before the