A Vital Asset for Uralla Shire’s Long-Term Water Security

Published on 25 March 2025

Taylors Pond at Bundarra is integral to the Long-term water security for the Uralla Shire

Safe and Secure 30-year Future Water Security Program –Update # 7 by Moz Waters

Keeping an eye on the water quantity and water quality in Taylors Pond is a full-time job which Michael takes very seriously. So much so he has dedicated most of his working life to enable the Bundarra community to turn on the taps in their homes and get clean drinking water. And to prove his point he turned on the tap in his office lab and immediately clear clean drinking water poured into the glass jar.

“When you know what has to be done to get river water clean and then you see it come out of a tap clean it’s amazing”. said Michael.

Michael is not one to talk about himself so after a bit of prompting he told me that he has been overseeing operations at the Bundarra Water and Wastewater Facilities for 25 years out of his 35 years continuous employment with Uralla Shire Council. He started out driving a Roller and then worked as a Water Carter until Council recognized his valuable work ethic and offered him a senior and very responsible position working at the Water and Wastewater Facilities in Bundarra. I asked how many other workers worked here.

“Only me”, Michael said, “but the Uralla team is only a phone call away and always helps out when I call”.

We took a short drive across cow country with me hopping out of the work Ute to open and close the gates along the way. I started to understand Michael’s love for working here, he was surrounded by farmland, tractors, cows, and kookaburras laughing in the trees that lined the banks of Taylors Pond on the Gwydir River. It was an impressive work location.

He said when he started working here most of the town was on rainwater tanks and septic tanks. He pointed to a small brick shed and said it was the original water treatment works and explained how it used chlorine gas to clean the river water. But that was before the upgrade.

Fortunately, Council was successful in applying for various funding grants such as the Safe and Secure Water Program. The final project has cost over $8million dollars.

Michael gave me the grand tour of the facilities and impressed me with his knowledge about the use of chemicals and the sand filter (that white building) to purify the water to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Finally, we drove over to the wastewater facility. Michael’s friendliness made my visit to Bundarra and Taylors Pond very pleasant. I came away impressed by his knowledge and skill to manage the water and wastewater facilities.

Currently Council is working with Public Works to identify projects that will improve both the wastewater treatment and the reliability and quality of the drinking water for the Bundarra community as part of the Integrated Water Cycle Management 30-year Safe and Secure Water Program.

For enquires about tours or further information the Bundarra Water and Wastewater Facilities please email at council@uralla.nsw.gov.au