June 9, 2022
South Burnett Regional Council is trialling specialist equipment to help keep the footpaths clean in Murgon, Wondai, Kingaroy, Nanango, Blackbutt and Proston.
It has hired a Tomcat ride-on scrubber and an EcoVac commercial vacuum to test after complaints that Murgon’s $2m footpaths were becoming stained.
Cr Kathy Duff said the battery-powered street scrubber would provide edge-to-edge cleaning.
“(It) will generally be operated in the early hours each day to reduce impacts,” Cr Duff said.
“The street scrubber also uses less water than conventional handheld cleaning equipment. It is quieter and safer with no oil spills and lower maintenance.”
The EcoVac will complement the street scrubber by removing leaves, cigarette butts and general rubbish that usually winds up in gutters and stormwater drains.
“By using the EcoVac we end up with a much better result,” Cr Duff said.
Council plans to rotate use of the units between towns.
For best results, it is expected a number of cleans will be necessary before the existing surface begins to improve.
Mayor Brett Otto said it was “another example of Council delivering the latest technology for the region”.
“Council has made significant investments into the upgrade of our CBD footpaths, so it is very important that we have a regular and robust cleaning program,” the Mayor said.
