Wastewater treatment underway at water factory

GIPPSLAND Water Factory is now treating domestic wastewater from eight local towns at its Maryvale treatment and recycling plant.

Wastewater from homes and businesses in Traralgon, Glengarry, Toongabbie, and Yallourn North has been flowing through the plant and treated to a very high standard using biological pre-treatment and membrane filtration since late-November 2009.

Wastewater (also known as sewage) from Morwell, Churchill, Yinnar and Boolarra was brought on-line this week and is now also being treated at Gippsland Water Factory (GWF).

Rosedale’s wastewater will be piped to GWF once commissioning of the Rosedale pump station is completed.

GWF is effectively two treatment plants in one, with domestic wastewater from local towns and industrial wastewater from Australian Paper treated separately.

According to Gippsland Water managing director David Mawer, final commissioning of the domestic wastewater process stream, including the reverse osmosis component which will treat the wastewater to ‘Class A’ recycled water quality, will be undertaken this month.

``With the domestic stream on-track to be completed in January, this means wastewater from homes and businesses in eight local towns will be treated to recycled water quality at GWF’s Maryvale plant, rather than travelling untreated in the Regional Outfall Sewer (ROS). The ninth town, Rosedale, will also have its wastewater sent to GWF soon after,’’ Mr Mawer said.

``Once we have approval from the relevant authorities, this very highly treated recycled water will be diverted from the ROS and piped to Australian Paper to supplement raw water used in industrial processes at the Maryvale mill.

``By having Australian Paper use the recycled water, GWF will free up three gigalitres (billion litres) of fresh water in the Latrobe/Moondarra system each year for use in Gippsland; be it for environmental flows in our rivers, drinking purposes, or to support future growth in the area. This is equivalent to the amount of water used by a population of about 40,000 people a year; or 1200 Olympic sized swimming pools.

Mr Mawer said Gippsland Water and the project alliance were committed to delivering the innovative GWF project, which will provide a solution to a serious local environmental issue, with the added benefit of helping to secure the region’s water supply.

To find more up-to-date news about the  Gippsland Water Factory and how it works check the website: www.gippslandwaterfactory.com.au or phone: 1800 066 401.