Upgrades to the Landers Shute Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Palmwoods, Queensland, have begun with the installation of a new 100 tonne silo.
The storage silo was transported from its manufacturing base at Deception Bay and travelled through the streets of Palmwoods with a police escort to Landers Shute, one of South East Queensland’s most important water treatment plants.
Seqwater Chief Executive Officer Peter Dennis said the Landers Shute WTP is a hive of activity as it undergoes a long list of improvements, including a $7 million lime storage and dosing upgrade.
“The Landers Shute WTP upgrade is part of our long-term plan to better support population growth on the Sunshine Coast and provide greater water production reliability in poor raw water quality events resulting from floods and significant rainfall events,” Mr Dennis said.
“It is the most efficient of any WTP in the SEQ network to operate and will continue to play an important role in the region’s water future.”
Mr Dennis said Landers Shute, located in the Blackall Ranges near Baroon Pocket Dam, not only supplied water to the Sunshine Coast, but has the ability to send water to as far north as Noosa and south to Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
“If dam levels are low in other regions or we need to take another plant offline for maintenance, Landers Shute is a key part of keeping a safe, secure and cost-effective supply to customers.
“It is a good demonstration of our Seqwater network in action, helping to move water to where it is needed,” Mr Dennis said.
Mr Dennis said increasing the plant’s lime storage and dosing facilities would improve its capacity to cope with water quality challenges during significant rainfall events.
“This will increase the reliability of our water network to provide better water security for South East Queenslanders,” Mr Dennis said.
“In the 2011 floods, Landers Shute WTP played an integral role in supporting Brisbane’s water supply needs when the Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant went offline.
“Lime is crucial to the water treatment process. It is added to drinking water at various stages to adjust alkalinity and correct pH levels and this is especially important when we face increased water quality challenges during heavy rainfall.”
The lime storage and dosing upgrade is due for completion in December 2016.
