Afton Street Reserve Sewer Rehab Project

Melbourne Water is undertaking essential upgrades by raising the sewer weir and replacing and raising maintenance holes at the North West Sewer shaft within Afton Street Reserve in Aberfeldie.

This critical site is part of the 11.7 kilometre North West Sewer network, which safely and efficiently transfers sewage from Melbourne's inner north-western suburbs to our Western Treatment Plant, and marks the inlet to a siphon under the Maribyrnong River.

Why we’re doing this project

These essential upgrades to a critical part of Melbourne Water's sewage network will ensure its long-term reliable and safe operation, for our community and environment for generations to come by:

preventing equipment failure from vent line flooding
maintaining vital sewer ventilation
ensuring safe maintenance access
enhancing public safety.

What’s happening

From mid-May until August 2025, we'll be:

Creating a new walking track within the reserve.
Underground we will be raising the weir wall.
Replacing and raising the top slab and access covers of the maintenance holes by approximately 1 meter above the existing ground level.
Applying anti-corrosion treatment to the upgraded structure.
Testing the new access covers and the top slab to check that they are water tight.
Landscaping the surround ground to blend with the new maintenance hole level.

After the works are complete, we will reinstate areas affected by our work activities, including replanting the grass. This will be undertaken in accordance with re-vegetation and reinstatement plans approved by Moonee Valley City Council.

What to expect

While we work, you may notice temporary disruptions in the area, including:

Noise and dust: There will be a short-term increase in noise in the area, but we will do as much as possible to reduce the construction noise. We will actively monitor both noise and dust levels throughout the project to ensure strict compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thresholds.
Odour: Some odour is expected when carrying out the works due to harmless gases escaping from the maintenance holes when they are opened. We will minimise and localise this as much as possible.
Traffic, bike riders and pedestrians: While we work at Afton Street Reserve, please be aware that there may be some temporary changes to traffic flow upon entry. During this time traffic management will be on-site to guide bike riders and pedestrians around our temporary work zones. For your safety, these areas will be fenced off, restricting public access during work. We encourage you to follow all directions and take care around work areas.