Townsville City Council has approved a $1.1 million project that will continue to minimise the environmental impact of the Stuart Waste Facility.
Council has awarded the tender for the installation of a leachate extraction and conveyance system to local business CES Civil NQ.
Leachate is the liquid that is produced as waste breaks down.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the upgrades will raise the standards of the waste facility.
"We will supply and construct pipelines to pump leachate to two storage ponds," Cr Hill said.
"We'll install new compressed air operated pumps and control panels.
"It will ensure that leachate that is formed is managed in accordance with the best environmental management practices.
Cr Hill said Council also has an eye on the future – it awarded a $3.5 million tender to build the next stage of the Stuart facility last month.
"The Stuart Waste Facility will change and expand over time so the leachate extraction system needs to be flexible," Cr Hill said
"We may need to move it as the site develops over time."
Townsville Water and Waste Committee chair Cr Russ Cook said the project is a wise investment.
"The Stuart leachate project is expected to cost $1.1 million," Cr Cook said.
"It will fund the new system and it will also improve the three leachate wells we already have at Stuart.
The project has a budget of $350,000 this financial year and $790,000 in 2019/2020
