Wagga Council has made steps toward replacing 7,000 street lights across the city with smart technology capable LEDs.
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Councillors will discuss the plans further during tonight’s meeting, but the plan has already achieved in-principle support.
The strategy was proposed by Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils in collaboration with Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils (RAMROC), Central NSW Councils (CENTROC) and Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CBJRO).
It will be undertaken across 42 local government areas in southern NSW, and will see 70,000 lights changed across those regions.
With the plan currently in its proposal stage, REROC CEO Julie Briggs said it’s too early to tell how much the entire project will cost or when it will be completed.
“We’d like to move on as quickly as possible, so it’s likely we’ll have a good idea of how long it will take and what it will cost by August,” Ms Briggs said.
Similar projects have been run across the country, with an initial trial of 70 LED streetlights due to be placed in Bathurst at the end of June.
“With regular streetlights, you lose a lot of light upwards but LED throw brighter, truer light with a lot less loss upwards,” Ms Briggs said.
The new LED streetlights may also be fitted with smart technology, which will allow the Council to operate the systems by remote.
Councillor Dan Hayes said this will lead to better cost efficiency.
“The way streetlights are at the moment, they’re the same brightness at 6pm as they are at midnight when it’s a lot darker.”
“The LED lights will mean the lights can be dimmed when they need to be, just like when you’re at home, you don’t need all the lights on at midnight.”
The smart technology will also have the capacity to inform council workers when a light is out or needs to be changed.
