FAMILIAR technology will drive the future of sewage treatment across the Warrnambool region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wannon Water has decided on the plant it will use in a $40 million expansion of its Warrnambool Sewage Treatment Plant.
Board members have endorsed the installation of two new intermittently decanted extended aeration (IDEA) tanks.
These tanks will be built on the northern side of the sewage treatment facility and will supplement four existing IDEA tanks.
The Wannon Water board had four options to chose from and in making its decision factored in capital and operational costs, technical considerations and environmental and social impacts. A community stakeholder reference group was included in the decision-making process.
A spokesperson for Wannon Water said the IDEA technology had been operating at the plant for more than 20 years and was a robust and proven technology, both at the site and throughout the water industry.
Wannon Water board chair Jacinta Ermacora thanked the community and reference group members for participating in the process.
She said the upgrade would allow Wannon Water to support residential development and the economic growth of local industries.
“We will continue to maintain sustainable sewage and trade waste treatment practices and ensure the environment continues to be protected,” Ms Ermacora said.
“The plant currently treats sewage from 13,900 properties in Warrnambool, 300 in Allansford and 700 in Koroit.
“Figures show demand is growing by 225 additional lots each year, with residential growth in Warrnambool alone anticipated to increase by 81 per cent to 25,000 properties in the next 50 years.
“It will also cater for a projected growth in the food processing industry across the region.”
Wannon Water managing director Andrew Jeffers said the capital cost of the upgrade would be included in Wannon Water’s pricing submission to the Essential Services Commission for the 2018-2023 regulatory period and would form part of a larger capital works program over the five years.
“The facility will be designed as a long-life asset,” Mr Jeffers said.
“The design and approvals process will begin later this year with construction expected to begin in 2019 and take two years to complete.”