New generator to power water pump station come rain, hail or shine
Published on 05 January 2018
A newly installed diesel generator at the Thozet Road Water Pump Station is ensuring round-the-clock operations no matter the weather Mother Nature may bring.
Chair of Council’s Water Committee Councillor Neil Fisher said the new generator allows the site to operate as normal during future severe weather events and power outages.
“This week our Region has copped two severe thunderstorms and power outages in various areas, which highlights the importance of having a continuous back-up power supply for our pump stations,” Cr Fisher said.
“The newly installed generator is capable of supplying power to the entire site which in turn ensures uninterrupted water supply to the more than 5,000 properties in North Rockhampton supplied from this site.
“This project is another example of Fitzroy River Water (FRW) working to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for our Region.”
Fitzroy River Water Manager Dr Jason Plumb said with another wet season upon us, it was vital to have the new infrastructure fully operational.
“Events such as Cyclone Marcia in 2015 caused significant disruption to the water supply in the Frenchville area due to the loss of power and this new generator will now prevent this from occurring in future similar events,” Dr Plumb said.
“This project is an important part of ensuring that the Thozet Rd WPS can continue to operate during periods of extended power outages so that the reservoirs located at Forbes Avenue and Rogar Avenue can continue to be supplied with drinking water when mains power is lost following cyclones or severe storms.”
The project was completed by local electrical contractor Rocky Industrial Controls with a total project value of $216,000.
Pictured: Cr Fisher, Chair of Council’s Water Committee, and FRW manager Dr Jason Plumb. The main generator is on the right, and the smaller white box to the left is a load box meaning the generator can be regularly tested without turning off the main electricity supply.