Sewer

Forbes Shire Council operates and maintains the wastewater treatment plant (capacity - 12,000EP) located along the Newell Highway, approximately 3km south from the town centre. The Forbes sewer system includes 17 pump stations (capacity - 20ml/d) and approximately 90kms of sewer mains. The sewer pump stations pump to two larger pump stations which then pump the sewerage over the Lachlan River to the Forbes Sewage Treatment Plant. The sewerage plant was renewed in 2005 and uses an Extended Aeration Intermittently Decanted treatment process with chemical phosphorus removal. This process removes the organic and nutrient loads from the sewage to sensitive waters standards allowing discharge to either Gum Swamp or the Lachlan River.

The wastewater treatment process includes pre-treatment screening and grit removal, and then aeration, settling, and decanting and finally chemical phosphorus removal, UV disinfection and sludge treatment via extended sludge lagoons.

The plant is licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency, and in accordance with the Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment Act 2011, see Pollution Monitoring Data for its monthly discharge quality data.

Forbes Shire Council Sewer Asset Management Plan 2021 (PDF 2.4MB)

Complaint's Line: Business Hours - 02 6850 2300 or After Hours - 1300 978 633