AT this month’s ordinary council meeting, the Shire of Mundaring decided the chief executive officer will liaise with the Glen Forrest Volunteer Bushfire Brigade directly to address the matter of sewerage upgrades.

The motion was first put forward by the brigade’s captain Glen Stenton at the 2025 annual electors meeting last month.

Mr Stenton said the brigade had been at their current site for more than 20 years.

“We’ve got a sewerage holding tank that is known to leak,” he said.

“When it does leak, this effluent runs through the groundwater and likely into the nearby creek system.

“This overflow has been exacerbated following the addition of a washing machine at the station.”

He said the washing machine had allowed firefighters to wash their personal protective clothing at the station and not return the contaminated clothing home.

“We are seeking support from the council to fast track the upgrade of our sewerage system,” Mr Stenton said.

The shire said the holding tanks were serviced every quarter, but the frequency could be increased if capacity issues arose.

“In the short to medium term, cleaning the tanks is the most cost-effective approach,” shire chief executive Jason Whiteaker said.

“This is in the context of the potential for a redevelopment or relocation of the brigade station in the medium term.”

Mr Whiteaker said the shire recognised the brigade was one out of six projects in the shire which required capital investment.

“These capital works are generally funded through the state government’s Emergency Services levy, which is a competitive funding process,” he said.

Mr Whiteaker estimates it will cost up to $1.5 million for a station rebuild.