Sewerage from the 100-odd homes in Googong that have sprung up since the township was established is currently carted via truck to a water treatment plant in Canberra.
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But by August, it will be processed just down the road near Googong Dam and by January will wind up back at households as recycled water for toilet flushing and gardens provided the NSW government signs off on the system.
Work on the $25 million first stage of Googong's water treatment and recycling plant, to service 1200 homes at the township, is well underway.
The entire $150 million integrated water system is designed to reduce potable water consumption by about 60 per cent with more than half the township's wastewater recycled for irrigation.
Curious residents can watch work in the valley from a viewing platform overlooking the plant.
Googong project director Malcolm Leslie said a certain number of houses needed to be built before the water recycling plant could be switched on.
"It's certainly new to this region, there is nothing like it in the ACT," he said.
"It's similar technology to what was used at the Sydney Olympics."
Mr Leslie said making the project a reality was a complex process with input from multiple government agencies.
So far more than 200 tonnes of reinforcing steel has been laid and more than 1300 cubic metres of concrete has been poured.
About 40 people work onsite each day including concreters, pipe layers, builders, civil engineers, mechanical installers and electrical teams.
The workforce is expected double when construction hits its peak to lay more than four kilometres of pipework, build nine concrete tanks with a total volume of 1.67 million litres, three glass-lined steel tanks and six chemical tanks in two buildings.
The Googong plant will be handed over for Queanbeyan council to operate from January and will eventually be expanded in a further two stages to service the 6500 homes expected for Googong.
Lessons from the project will filter into the design of Queanbeyan's new sewerage treatment plant expected to be finalised within five years, Queanbeyan mayor Tim Overall said, with recycled water for parks and open spaces being considered.
Along with Googong's board of directors, Cr Overall toured the plant on Tuesday.
"[The Queanbeyan plant] dates back 70 to 80 years, it's had upgrades on the way but with the growth of Queanbeyan particularly through Tralee, south Jerrabomberra we need to replace the plant," he said.
"It needs to be designed to ensure efficient operation into the future but also to safeguard the Molonglo River, Lake Burley Griffin."
Cr Overall said the council had $25 million in reserve for its plant, but also hoped to attract state and federal government infrastructure funding.