Bryozoans are colonial organisms found in oceans, lakes and streams around the world. While bryozoans are non-toxic and do not pose a health risk to humans or animals, they do grow quickly – in the right conditions they can double in size in a week – and can clog pipes and filters in irrigation systems. After consultation with its irrigation customers, Lower Murray Water (LMW) approached Polymaster to design and deliver a chemical tank for storing and dosing hydrogen peroxide, which is effective in the management of a type of bryozoan called Plumatella.
Operating along the Murray River, from Kerang to the South Australian border, in the municipalities of Gannawarra, Swan Hill and Mildura, LMW provides this extensive region with urban water supply and sewerage treatment; river quality water for stock and irrigation.
Following feedback from irrigation customers regarding blocked filters, LMW has undertaken a water quality program in Merbein, Red Cliffs C Sub and Mildura Benetook irrigation systems, targeting Plumatella.
Plumatella, a type of bryozoan, is an organism found in oceans, lakes and streams.
Whilst important in natural freshwater environments such as the Murray River, it can become a nuisance in irrigation systems by blocking pipes and filters.
Low levels of hydrogen peroxide will be dosed into raw water pipelines in the three regions, in winter when flows are lower, to target the colonisation of Plumatella early in the irrigation season.
Developing a custom-designed dosing system
To carefully manage the dosing of hydrogen peroxide into the flow of irrigation water, LMW required a dosing system that included a bunded chemical tank, lockable cabinets for site safety and space for an integrated power control unit at each of the three sites.
Working closely with LMW, Polymaster designed and manufactured a double-walled 3,300L Bunded Chemical Tank to store and dose hydrogen peroxide.
These double-walled chemical tanks are the ideal solution because the double wall feature saves time and space on site, compared to traditional concrete bunds.
Attached to the tank are two lockable cabinets; one housing an infill system with a power control which prevents overfilling of the tank and protects the safety of the operators.
The second cabinet contains the dosing system to accurately measure and dose the chemical into the pipeline.
The system was fully designed by Polymaster’s engineering and design team. The design ensured the solution complied with Australian standards and client requirements.
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