We’re still in the early planning stages, so the exact location of the sewer hasn’t been decided yet. However, we can confirm it will be built to the west of the Merri Creek, in the Craigieburn, Somerton, and Campbellfield areas.

These will focus on cultural heritage (Aboriginal and European), the environment (ecology), existing underground services and ground conditions. From these investigations we'll create plans to manage the project.

One of these plans will be an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan - making sure that if we find any artefacts, they'll be handled and protected properly.

If we discover any Aboriginal Cultural Heritage artefacts, we’ll work closely with the Wurrundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation to make sure that artefacts are properly handled, protected, and respected in line with cultural guidelines.

The results will be uploaded into the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, which is publicly accessible. The Atlas does not publish sensitive information such as property details.

We’re still in the early stages of planning and designing the sewer, so construction won’t begin for some time.

There’s still a lot of work to do before we start building.

As the design progresses, we’ll have a better idea of the works we're planning and will keep you updated throughout the process.

To reduce disruption, we plan to use trenchless construction methods. This means we won’t need to dig long, open trenches. Instead, special machines will tunnel underground, and the sewer pipes will be pushed in behind them. To make the tunnels, we’ll need to build access shafts where the machines start and finish. These shafts will likely be about 500 meters apart, or where the sewer needs to change direction.

Construction will take place at several locations in the area, which may cause temporary local disruptions, such as noise, dust, and the movement of trucks and machinery.

Once the pipes are in place, the access shafts will be closed off and covered with concrete lids.

The new sewer will be built deep underground, which will help reduce any impact on properties and sensitive areas. To make maintenance easier, we’ll have access points at regular intervals, each covered with concrete lids.

During construction, there will be activity at different locations in the area, which might cause temporary disruptions like noise, dust, and the movement of trucks and machinery.

There’s still a lot of planning and designing to do before any construction starts. As we finalise the details, we’ll have a better idea of the impacts and will keep you updated throughout the process.

Once everything is finished, the sewer will mostly be hidden underground maintenance holes will be covered with large concrete lids. There will be some some sewer vents alongside the new sewer.

We’re sharing a general notifcation to landowners in the investigation area.

We're also reaching out directly to those who may be impacted by our investigations.

We want to keep our community informed, reduce disruption, and make sure the process is open and transparent.

As the project moves forward, we’ll continue to share updates and provide opportunities for community input where we can.