But the waste water treatment plant is just about at the end of its tether as age and the demands of a growing population take their toll.

Council at its meeting on Tuesday night endorsed the first formal step in building its $40 million replacement by approving the design tender.

Water industry specialists Hunter H20 will design the upgraded plant at a cost of just under $1.13 million.

Council had received five tenders ranging in price from $2.8m to $1.02m.

However, price was required to be in the “second envelope” of the criteria used by an evaluation panel of four “so as not to bias the first assessment step.”

“The company scored the highest ranking against the ‘first envelope’ evaluation criteria and third ranking for pricing,” utilities director Grant Moller told councillors.

“Overall, when the value of the offer was taken into account it represented the best value for money.”

Council had allocated of $500,000 for the design work in this year’s budget, with the rest to come out of next year’s kitty.

Mr Moller told the council meeting the treatment plant’s upgrade was the big ticket item of the overall $77m Southern Tablelands Water Reuse Infrastructure Scheme.

“It (the scheme) includes a new state of the art Wastewater Treatment Plant that will provide a reuse product for irrigation at Cookbundoon Sporting Fields and Goulburn Race Course,” he said.

“Stage 1 will also provide reuse water for industry via overhead standpipes and improved water quality for direct discharge to the Wollondilly River.

“The Scheme is a once in a generation capital works project that aligns with the NSW Government’s Fit for the Future agenda, Regional Development Australia Southern Inland Regional Strategy and Goulburn Mulwaree Council’s Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy and Community Strategic Plan.”

Mr Moller anticipated the design work would be completed by the end of the year, with construction tenders to be called for in early 2016.

Council’s 1250-acre irrigation farm on Taralga Road would no longer be required once the plant is built.

In answer to a question from Cr Denzil Sturgiss about the future of the irrigation farm, Mr Moller said there are no firm plans.

Cr Sturgiss inquired about its suitability for housing.

The farm has produced up the 5000 bales of hay in previous years.

“In general, I think the land would be fine for development,” Mr Moller said.

“There is no firm proposal at this stage and it will most probably be workshopped before it comes back to a council meeting.”