14 May 2010
EASTERN TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE LAUNCH
- Construction underway on major sewage plant upgrade
- Significant benefits for marine environment in Bass Strait
- More opportunities to recycle water
A $380 million upgrade to Melbourne Water's Eastern Treatment Plant has started in the south east suburb of Carrum.
Melbourne Water's General Manager of Asset Planning, Paul Pretto, said the upgrade would significantly improve the quality of treated water discharged into Bass Strait, and enable more water to be recycled for non-drinking purposes.
"The sewage treatment plant, built in 1975, would be transformed into one of the most sophisticated facilities of its kind in the world," Dr Pretto said.
"Advances in technology will mean the 40% of Melbourne's sewage which goes to the plant will be treated to a much higher standard than has been possible in the past and this will have enormous benefits for the marine environment at Gunnamatta.
"The majority of the treated water is discharged at Boags Rocks, near Gunnamatta Beach, and the upgrade will have noticeable environmental benefits including better water quality and clarity, with less foam and ammonia.
"The advanced treatment process will also create better conditions for swimmers and surfers who use Gunnamatta Beach.
"The same treatment process that reduces impacts on the marine environment will simultaneously broaden the potential uses of recycled water," Dr Pretto said.
"Effluent treatment will be upgraded from a secondary to an advanced form of tertiary treatment, and this will also open the door to significantly more water recycling opportunities over time.
"The community has traditionally viewed sewage as a waste product, but that view is changing with improvements in technology meaning it can now be utilised more as recycled water."
The Eastern Treatment Plant currently supplies about 22 billion litres of recycled water a year. The upgrade will improve the quality of recycled water, which can then be used more widely including for toilet flushing, watering sports grounds, and irrigating vegetables.
South East Water and Melbourne Water have identified projects that will use a further 7 billion litres of recycled water from the plant following the completion of the upgrade in late-2012. A range of projects are being investigated to use up to 40 billion litres a year in total over the next 30 years.
The new tertiary treatment facilities will comprise seven buildings spread over an area of about six hectares within the Eastern Treatment Plant.
The works are being undertaken by the Eastern Tertiary Alliance – a partnership between Melbourne Water, Baulderstone, UGL Infrastructure, Black & Veatch, and KBR.
Media Contact: Gavin Rainsford – 03 9235 1587 M – 0400 690 502