A major upgrade of the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant is a step closer to reality, with Coliban Water receiving state approval for the business case to construct a new plant at the Langslow Street site, which has been home to the town’s water reclamation since the 1930s.
The upgrade will replace the current plant that has been serving the community since the late 1990s.
This milestone follows Development License Approval from the Environment Protection Authority in April this year and planning permit approval from Mount Alexander Shire Council in July 2025.
Coliban Water Acting Managing Director, Danny McLean, said the approval was a major milestone for the project which will benefit customers from a number of towns in the Mount Alexander Shire area.
“Our existing plant treats wastewater from more than 10,000 customers and businesses in Castlemaine, Campbells Creek, Maldon, Chewton, Harcourt and Newstead,” he said.
“We know the Mount Alexander Shire area is growing and that our plant has a role to play in supporting that. This upgrade will sustain the needs of these communities for the next 25 years.
“The new plant will have state-of-the-art technology, reduce noise and odour and deliver a range of community and environmental benefits, including the continued flow of recycled water into Campbells Creek to support native flora and fauna.”
Mr McLean said the team behind the project have now commenced the procurement process, hosting an industry briefing in late September 2025 to share information about the project with interested parties ahead of the upcoming Expression of Interest release. Construction is anticipated to start in 2027.
Mr McLean said Coliban Water had been working closely with community groups in the early planning phase of the project and will continue to work closely with the community as the project progresses.
“Recycled water from our plant flows to the creek and supports the platypus population, the birds and other wildlife that call the creek and surrounding area home,” he said.
“Campbells Creek simply wouldn’t sustain the year-round flows without the releases of recycled water the plant provides. We want that to continue and what we heard from the community showed how passionate they are about the waterway.”
