$28m facelift for 47y/o water treatment plant

Stage four upgrades – including improved chemical dosing systems and filtration – will begin at the ageing Mt Kynock Water Treatment Plant in Queensland, in a $28 million effort to improve water security and services for the Toowoomba region.

Built in 1975, the upgrades will modernise water treatment processes at the Mt Kynock plant, providing treated water security, and improving conventional filtration capacity by 16ML/day for a total capacity of 65ML/day once completed.

Works include the replacement of mechanical and electrical equipment, improved chemical management and new chemical dosing systems, and remediation to increase the longevity of the existing concrete tanks.

Fulton Hogan Utilities will oversee the project, following its success in the early contractor involvement phase undertaken during late 2021.

Water and Waste Committee Chair for Toowoomba Regional Council, Rebecca Vonhoff, said Council will invest $28 million toward completing the stage four upgrades which would improve services in line with population growth forecasts.

“The water treatment plant (WTP) was built in 1975. Since then, we’ve had significant population growth and we need to make sure this critical piece of infrastructure can do the job of providing clean, safe drinking water,” Ms Vonhoff said.

“The plant as it is now has a conventional filtration capacity of 49ML/day. The upgrade will add a further 16ML/day and include ultraviolet disinfection as an additional treatment barrier.

“A new duplicate 240m section of raw water main will be part of the project which also includes a new valve house and delivery main.”

Water and Waste Committee Portfolio Leader, Nancy Sommerfield, said the upgrades would involve periodic and planned shutdowns at the Mt Kynock plant.

“The cut-ins and upgrade of new and existing equipment will be managed to ensure no impact or disruption of potable water supply to the community,” Ms Sommerfield said.

“This will require plant shutdowns, but these shutdowns will be planned and network supplies will be closely managed throughout the project to ensure a constant supply of water to customers.”

Ms Sommerfield said that due to short-term changes in raw water selection as a result of the recent inflows into the dams, residents may experience brief changes in water colour, taste and odour.

“Water quality is continually monitored to ensure it meets stringent water quality guidelines and this will not change during the upgrades,” Ms Sommerfield said.

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