WATERMAIN STRENGTHENS FIRE DEFENCE

Emergency Services Precinct to be based at airport

PICTURED: Top; a new $8.5 million Fire Control and Emergency Operations Centre will be built at Clarence Valley Regional Airport as part of a NSW Government investment of $71 million for eight new fire control centres in high fire risk areas across the state in response to the independent Bushfire Inquiry following the Black Summer fire season. Once completed the facility will consist of an operations and logistics centre, administration offices, training rooms, storage space and vehicle bays. Design work is now underway and construction will commence later this year.

Left; the 200mm watermain will be able to refill a 200kL tank overnight during peak period of fire-fighting activity (approximately 150kL/day).

A new 5.7km watermain connecting Clarence Valley Regional Airport to town water supply is on track for completion in April 2023.

The 200mm diameter pipeline feeding into a 200kL reservoir will ensure sufficient capacity for ground and aerial fire-fighting duties during major fire events impacting the region.

During the 2019/20 bush fire season, cartage of about 1.66ML of water over a one-month period cost about $180,000. The permanent reticulated water on site will eliminate those costs.

The watermain is funded by a $1.542 million Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grant and $930,000 from the Water Reserve Fund.

Co-located Fire Control and Emergency Operations centres will make an enormous difference to the way emergency services personnel from the RFS, SES, Fire and Rescue NSW and Police are able to respond to fires, floods, storms and a range of other emergencies.

will also provide for future economic opportunities on land directly west of the airport identified in the North Coast Regional Plan 2041.

Airport Movements

While Clarence Valley Regional Airport does not currently have an active passenger flight service, the facility continues to play a key role in facilitating air traffic movements for a range of alternative services, listed in the table below.

FLIGHT