One Victorian water utility, once predominately rural is taking steps to meet the added demand of of peri-urban and regional growth.
Gippsland Water that looks after the growing regions to the east of Melbourne has started a major upgrade of the Warragul wastewater treatment plant to cater for the region’s rapid growth and improve environmental outcomes.
The two year project will replace ageing infrastructure and improve the way the plant operates.
Works include upgrading the aeration system, installing a new sludge dewatering plant and enhancing the way biosolids – a biproduct of wastewater treatment – are handled.
Managing director Sarah Cumming said the project supports was part of Gippsland Water’s future planning along with better environmental outcomes.
“By investing now, we’re ensuring the plant can continue to operate efficiently and meet the needs of a growing community,” Ms Cumming said.
“Baw Baw is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, so we’re taking a proactive approach to upgrading essential services.”
Gippsland Water has also added efficiency to help emission outcomes, with a new overhead hopper will replace the current bin system, allowing each truckload to carry more than double the current load per trip.
This will cut transport-related carbon emissions by around 70 per cent, the utility says
The plant upgrade will also reduce Gippsland Water’s carbon emissions by around 80 tonnes per year, while improving reliability and efficiency.
New expanded organics site
Also this week, Gippsland Water opened its $12.2 million expansion at the Dutson Downs Gippsland Regional Organics site this week.
The project included construction of additional processing areas and water and power infrastructure, as well as the installation of new processing equipment.
The organics processing capacity will grow by nearly 40 per cent from 180,000 to 250,000 tonnes per year, and compost product produced at the facility and sold to the market will grow approximately 40 per cent from 50,000 to 70,000 tonnes per year.
Cumming said the expansion will have a positive impact on Gippsland’s environmental and economic sustainability.
“We will be able to further reduce emissions by redirecting more organic material away from landfills,” Ms Cumming said.
“Now we are no longer at capacity, we can service an unmet market demand and keep the value of organic materials in Gippsland.”
Ms Cumming said the upgrade would benefit the community, from applying downward pressure on customer bills to creating jobs for the region.
“By generating more income and offsetting our operating costs, we can continue to put further downward pressure on customer bills,” Ms Cumming said.
“The expansion supported 47 full-time equivalent local jobs during construction and Gippsland Regional Organics now includes an additional four full-time equivalent positions.”
The Victorian Government funded $2.394 million under the Circular Economy Organics Sector Transformation Fund. The Australian Government also funded $2.394 million under the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund.
For more information on the upgrade, visit the Gpipsland Water website:
