New aerators to improve performance at water reclamation plant

Works underway at the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant will involve installing aerators in its lagoons to enable oxygen to circulate and increase treatment capacity at the facility.

Coliban Water announced Phase One of the works is aimed at improving the trade waste and domestic treatment processes at the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant to help protect the Campaspe River.

Coliban Water Project Director, Tony Kelly, said the project will help ensure that water released from the plant is within Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria licence conditions.

“Our plant has struggled to store the treated water it produces when there isn’t a demand for irrigation water or sufficient flows to release water to the Campaspe River,” Mr Kelly said.

“As part of the Phase One works we will be installing additional aerators in our lagoons to enable oxygen to circulate and increase the treatment capacity.”

Coliban Water has a number of trade waste customers in the region.

“We work with all our major customers to identify opportunities for improvement. We are pleased to have come to an agreement with Hardwick Meatworks, one of the region’s most established and major employers,” Mr Kelly said.

“Hardwick’s is working with Coliban Water and investing in multiple initiatives to assist in improving plant performance. These planned initiatives include improving the quality of the wastewater it sends to the plant for treatment, creating additional storage capacity and onsite irrigation with Class B treated water.”

The Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant treats wastewater from around 3,800 residential, business and trade waste customers in Kyneton, Malmsbury, Trentham and Tylden.

Phase One works are expected to be completed in March 2020. Phase Two and Three of the works will include additional storage lagoons and increased irrigation. The objective with these works is to only discharge high quality tertiary water to the Campaspe River.

Mr Kelly said when all phases are complete the plant will operate within its EPA licence conditions and meet future residential and business growth in the region.

“We acknowledge the distress and concern from the Kyneton community when we have released treated water that breaches our EPA licence conditions,” Mr Kelly said.

“We are committed to keeping the community informed and engaged on this project as it progresses.

“Furthermore, we have made a commitment to the local community, landowners and stakeholder groups to involve them in decision making relating to longer term works that support the community and protects the Campaspe River.”

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