As stacks of shipping containers were erected on a vacant block next to Yamba’s Pegasus Motel on Yamba Road last week, many residents were wondering what was happening. The double stacked shipping container ‘corral’ is the site of drilling works connected with the Yamba sewerage augmentation. Clarence Valley Council’s acting works and civil director, Greg Mashiah, said the work includes construction of a pipeline between the Yamba sewage treatment plant and the ebb-tide release point, which is next to the Iluka ebb-tide release point on the northern side of the [Clarence River’s] shipping channel. “This will require drilling about 1,650 metres of pipeline … from next to the Pegasus Hotel to the release point,” Mr Mashiah said. “The shipping containers are simply there as a noise abatement measure. “Council’s original investigations suggested that drilling would need to have been undertaken 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but the contractors have proposed a different drilling method that, for the most part, will only require work between 7am and 6pm. “This will reduce the impact on neighbours, but council will monitor the works to make sure noise levels are not excessive.” Drilling work is expected to start in early July and be finished by the middle of October. A fortnightly update of the construction works will be available at www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/yambasewer.