A $22 million upgrade of the Yamba sewage treatment plant has been completed on time and under budget. The existing plant had capacity to provide sewerage services to the equivalent of 7,400 people and the upgrade, which is part of the Yamba sewerage augmentation project, has increased capacity to 17,200 people. The project, managed by NSW Public Works and undertaken by Haslin Constructions, came in about $150,000 under budget. It was handed over to Clarence Valley Council recently and inspected by councillors last week. The plant upgrade provides sewage treatment capacity for all zoned land in Yamba, Angourie and Wooloweyah or an estimated ultimate permanent population of 11,000 as well as holiday loads. The original Yamba sewage treatment plant was built in 1973 and was upgraded in 1984, 1999 and 2004. The Yamba sewage augmentation project, of which the sewerage treatment plant was part, included the construction of transfer stations to enable recycled water reuse on the Yamba Golf Course and possible future reuse on the Angourie Road sports fields, school grounds, Yamba oval and the Yamba Bowling Club. The scheme also involves an ebb-tide release of recycled water into the Clarence River when conditions aren’t suited for use on sports or other fields. When the ebb-tide release is commissioned Council will be able to stop releasing recycled water into the woodlot/wetland area next to the sewerage treatment plant.