Pumping Stations

Hastings Council pumps water from the Hastings River at Koree Island (5km south-west of Wauchope), which is approximately two kilometres upstream of the tidal limit on the river.

The Koree Island pumping stations have a combined capacity to pump 120 megalitres (ML) per day into the Rosewood Reservoirs and onto the Port Macquarie and Cowarra Off-Creek storage dams.

River flows are recorded continuously downstream of the pump station. To care for the environment, Council does not pump water if river flows fall below minimum environmental levels. River pumping is also stopped if water quality is unacceptable (high in nutrients or 'cloudy' after heavy rain for example).

These levels minimum environmental river flow levels are required to protect the river's ecosystem, including fish, platypuses and aquatic plants.

A fully automated Aqua Lab at Koree Island monitors the river water and automatically shuts off the pumps if water quality drops. 

The villages of Comboyne, Long Flat and Telegraph Point have their own water supplies which are pumped directly from the Thone, Hastings and Wilson Rivers respectively. They all have small reservoirs and need to pump water more often to keep them topped up on a daily basis.

High tech micro-filtration water treatment plants allow Council to pump water even when it is raining and the river water is turbid. 

The fully automated treatment processes involves the limited addition of chemicals for simple coagulation and pH correction. The membrane filtration process is capable of removing most particles and organisms [down to 0.04 micron size] and provides a very high standard of treated water supply.  

The automated facilities are continuously monitored and controlled remotely from Council's Wauchope and Port Macquarie offices, together with regular scheduled maintenance visits by operational staff.

Wauchope's water is pumped directly from the Hastings River using Koree # 1 Pumping Station and is stored in a separate reservoir on Rosewood Road.

The water is given a small dose of chlorine to ensure that it remains clean during its journey through the pipes from the Rosewood reservoir to Wauchope.

A new high tech micro-filtration water treatment plant at Wauchope will enable Council to pump water when it rains and the river becomes turbid.