Western Outfall Main Sewer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Western Outfall Main Sewer |
|
|---|---|
Section of the western outfall main sewer near Valda Street Arncliffe
|
|
| Location | Valda Avenue (off south side of Kogarah Golf Course), Arncliffe, Bayside Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1895–1898 |
| Architect | NSW Department of Public Works |
| Owner | Sydney Water |
| Official name: Western Outfall Main Sewer; SWSOOS No1; Western Main Carrier; Kogarah Golf Course; Western Main Outfall Sewer | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 15 November 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1647 |
| Type | Sewage Pipe |
| Category | Utilities - Sewerage |
| Builders | New South Wales Department of Public Works |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Western Outfall Main Sewer is a very old and important part of Sydney's sewage system. A sewer is like a giant underground pipe that carries dirty water and waste away from homes and businesses. This particular sewer was built between 1895 and 1898 by the New South Wales Department of Public Works.
It is also known by other names, like SWSOOS No. 1, Western Main Carrier, and Western Main Outfall Sewer. Today, it is owned by Sydney Water. Because of its historical importance, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 15 November 2002.
Contents
How Sydney's Sewer System Developed
Back in 1859, Sydney's sewage system was quite basic. It had five main pipes that all drained into Sydney Harbour. By the 1870s, the harbour became very polluted because of all this waste.
To fix this problem, the government created a special board. This board looked for new ways to get rid of the city's sewage. Their solution was to build two new main sewers in 1889. One sewer went north and released waste into the ocean near Bondi. The other went south to a special sewage treatment area called a "sewage farm" near Botany Bay.
The Start of Modern Sewers
In 1888, a new group called the Board of Water Supply and Sewerage was formed. They took over the old sewer pipes and the new ones built by the Public Works Department. These new pipes became the foundation for two large ocean outfall sewers that still serve Sydney today. These are the Bondi Ocean Outfall Sewer (BOOS) and the Southern and Western Suburbs Ocean Outfall Sewer (SWSOOS No. 1).
SWSOOS No. 1 was made up of two main sewer lines. The first was the Southern Outfall Sewer, built in 1886. It ran north through suburbs like Waterloo and Redfern. It reached the sewage farm by going under the Cooks River using a special pipe called an "inverted siphon."
The second part was the Western Outfall Main Sewer, which started working in 1898. This sewer ran west from the sewage farm. It then turned north to cross Wolli Creek and Cooks River. After that, it split into three main branches. These branches served many suburbs, including Strathfield, Burwood, Ashfield, Drummoyne, Leichhardt, and Newtown.
Sydney's Largest Sewer System
Today, the SWSOOS is Sydney's biggest sewage system. Because it's so large, it's now divided into two main parts. SWSOOS No. 1 serves Sydney's southern suburbs. SWSOOS No. 2 serves the city's southwestern suburbs.
The first part of the original Western Outfall Main Sewer was known as "The Main Carrier." It was a long concrete open channel, about 804 meters long. This channel then changed into three large pipes, which ended at a chamber where three main branches joined. Along its path, this sewer crosses Wolli Creek and Cooks River on a special bridge-like structure called an aqueduct.
What the Western Outfall Main Sewer Looks Like
The part of the sewer that is listed as heritage is located between Valda Avenue in Arncliffe and the SWSOOS merging chamber, which is on the south side of Kogarah Golf Course.
This section of the sewer is made up of three large brick pipes. Each pipe is about 1.83 meters (or about 6 feet) wide. These brick pipes are covered by concrete and stone, so you can't see them from the outside. The southern end of this sewer section used to be supported by concrete arches. However, these arches are now completely hidden by dirt and the concrete covering.
Even though it's very old, this part of the sewer is still mostly in its original condition.
Why This Sewer is Important
The section of the Western Outfall Main Sewer near Valda Avenue is important for both its history and its engineering.
Historical Importance
Historically, this sewer is one of Sydney's oldest main sewage pipes. It was built in the 1890s to stop sewage from being dumped directly into Sydney Harbour. This was a huge step in cleaning up the city's environment.
This sewer also has strong links to the old Botany Sewage Farm. This farm was one of only two large sewage farms built in Australia during the 1800s. The sewer carried waste to this farm until 1916.
Technical Achievement
From a technical point of view, the three brick pipes are a great example of how sewers were built back then. They used a special "oviform" (egg-shaped) brick construction method. These pipes have been working continuously for over 100 years, showing how well they were designed and built.
The Western Outfall Main Sewer was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 15 November 2002 because it meets several important criteria:
- Demonstrates History: This sewer shows a key part of New South Wales's history. It was one of Sydney's first main sewers, built to stop pollution in Sydney Harbour.
- Technical Skill: The three brick pipes are an excellent example of the "oviform" brick building method from that time. They have worked perfectly for over a century.
- Rarity: These brick pipes are a rare and unusual example of how sewers were built in the late 1800s. They are part of the very important SWSOOS system, which is the largest sewer system in Sydney Water's network and likely in New South Wales.
- Representative Example: The brick pipes are a good example of how sewage systems were constructed in the late 19th century.
