The vast majority of Australia’s wastewater infrastructure, constructed in the 1970s, is approaching the end of its 50-year lifecycle and experiencing increasing pressure from population growth.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that 70,900 people moved to regional areas in 2020-21; a populace surge not seen in 30 years. This means that 8.2 million people (a third of residents) now live outside the country’s eight metropolitan cities, which are more inhabited than ever before.
If these ratios continue, the national population is estimated to reach 40 million by 2055 – when approximately 13 million people will live regionally – a projection that will create future urban-planning mayhem if the complexities of aging rural wastewater infrastructure isn’t appropriately provisioned.
Planning for the future
Now is the time for industry, government, and regulators to advocate for proven wastewater technologies.
True Water works with key stakeholders to deliver site-specific sewage and wastewater solutions that improve environmental outcomes, meet budgetary requirements, enhance community lifestyle and deliver favourable operational outcomes.
For example, True Water recently provided specialist design and consultancy services to Stratford Gardens Lifestyle Village – an over 50s estate situated in Tahmoor, New South Wales.
True water in action
The 13.7ha site had development approval for 220 dwellings, a clubhouse, café, and community recreation facilities – however, the property was not serviced by the municipal sewerage network and future connection was uncertain.
The developers engaged a well-known consultancy firm to design the sewage treatment plant to service the site.
The consultants could only achieve approval for project Stage 1 and 2 – a situation that meant the remaining stages would have been put on hold until municipal sewer connection was achieved.
This uncertainty informed the developers to increase capital investment and deliver a higher-quality wastewater management system.
True Water was engaged to revise the design and deliver a solution with the capability to service the entire site; this included the amendment of the Section 68 approval for onsite wastewater treatment.
The improved amenity includes a wastewater treatment system (WWTS) that will consist of a Kubota Wastewater Treatment Plan (WWTP) complete with a treatment capacity of 110,000kL daily, and an engineered effluent dispersal system that will provide tertiary treatment, disinfection, and nutrient reduction.
Scalability of the design allows for the staged delivery of the infrastructure in line with the growth of the development.
Community benefits
The Kubota WWTP has a 50-year lifecycle and is installed with a subsurface which eliminates noise and odour impact. Additional benefits include minimal operating costs, improved environmental sustainability, and reliable effluent quality that will exceed regulatory requirements.
True Water is ISO accredited to provide advanced wastewater technologies throughout Australia and the Pacific – acquiring over 2,000 government approvals for site-specific WWTPs across the region and specialising in designing and installing high-quality and small-scale treatment plants to service small communities, satellite communities, and the urban fringe (500-5000 equivalent persons).
This is a sponsored editorial brought to you by True Water Australia, go to https://truewateraustralia.com/ to learn more about True Water’s wastewater consultancy services.
