TasWater has officially unveiled its upgrade of the Blackmans Bay Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). It represents a significant milestone for TasWater but more importantly, for the Kingborough community and the environment of Tasmania.
The new Intermittent Decant Extended Aeration (IDEA) treatment process can treat sewage from up to 40,000 households, nearly double what the old plant could manage; it can also treat 8.5 million litres or the equivalent of almost three and a half Olympic swimming pools of sewage each day.
TasWater CEO, Michael Brewster, said this increased capacity will meet the needs of the growing Kingston and surrounding areas until at least 2040.
“We have also paid special attention to the management of odour, installing a bio-trickling filter odour control unit to minimise the impact on the community.”
“Importantly, the treatment plant upgrade will improve the quality of treated effluent discharged from the plant, helping protect the environment of coastal communities and the River Derwent.”
The construction of new pump stations at Electrona and Margate has replaced the older underperforming sewage treatment plants and they have been closed, ending the discharge of all effluent into North West Bay.
A new 15km pipeline will deliver sewage from Margate and Electrona to the Blackmans Bay STP.
“It is extremely satisfying to now see this upgrade project fully operational, and I recognise the considerable amount of work carried out by our local contractors and joint venture partners Acciona and BMD (BAJV),” Mr Brewster said.
The upgrade which has been completed over a two year construction program was originally brought to the drawing board by the Kingborough Council back in 2008.
Mr Brewster said the Blackmans Bay upgrade demonstrates TasWater’s commitment to the economic development of Tasmania, and he is confident it will provide real benefits to the community and the environment. For TasWater, the work on upgrading its sewage network will continue.
“Just twelve months on from completing the statewide upgrade of our water systems we are now focusing on improving sewerage infrastructure, working to optimise and make compliant more than 100 sewage treatment plants around the state,” Mr Brewster said.
