Townsville water purification plant gets an upgrade

Evoqua Water Technologies has been selected by Townsville City Council to replace the membrane system for the Cleveland Bay Water Purification Plant, following a competitive tender process.

Originally opened in 1988, the purification plant treats a large portion of Townsville’s wastewater, which needs to meet a suitable standard before being discharged into the environment. At that time the facility treated raw sewage through an oxidation ditch and discharged effluent to Cleveland Bay, which adjoins the Great Barrier Reef.

The plant received a major upgrade in 2008, changing its treatment process to a membrane bioreactor (MBR) — a more environmentally friendly option providing better quality effluent. But while this upgrade gave the plant the capacity to service about 126,000 people and to process about 45 ML per day, it did not provide sufficient capacity for wet weather flows. The plant now needs further upgrading to treat larger amounts of wastewater and meet current and future demands and industry standards.

The upgraded plant will be the largest MBR facility in Australia, costing a total of $51 million — $31 million contributed by Townsville City Council and $20 million from the Queensland Government under its critical infrastructure funding program. It is set to feature Evoqua’s Memcor MBR line, offering an immersed hollow fibre membrane system that performs a critical role within the upgraded plant and increases the plant’s hydraulic performance.

The upgrade will mean the plant can process 87 ML a day and be able to cope with increased demand caused by wet weather events and population growth. Additionally, it will provide greater protection to the Great Barrier Reef and Cleveland Bay, improving discharge quality — especially during the wet.

The upgrade will take about 18 months to complete, maximising opportunities for local industry involvement. The upgraded plant will be commissioned by April 2019.