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Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant

Commencement of construction
Commencement of construction in
December 2001of the 1.7 km ocean outlet

Bunbury is the administrative centre of Western Australia's South West region - the State's fastest growing region outside the Perth metropolitan area. 

The Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant is located on the coast about seven kilometres south of Bunbury behind the foredunes and straddles the boundary between the City of Bunbury and the Shire of Capel. 


History

The planning and development of Bunbury’s modern sewerage system has involved close consultation with local government, key stakeholders and the community since the original Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant was constructed in 1963.

In 1992 the Water Corporation initiated the Wastewater 2040 study which involved extensive consultation with the communities from Australind, Eaton and Bunbury to determine the regional strategy for wastewater treatment and disposal.

Since 1994 the Water Corporation has commissioned 11 studies and has consulted widely with the community to develop a long-term strategy for treated wastewater disposal which fulfils community expectations and environmental requirements.

In 1996 a major investigation was undertaken into land disposal and reuse options for the Bunbury region.

Continued consultation is a key factor in ensuring the needs of the local community are met.

Treatment & Disposal

The Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant treats the wastewater from the sewered properties within the City of Bunbury as well as the fast growing Dalyellup Beach Estate in the Shire of Capel. 

Over six million litres of wastewater arrive at the plant every day and this material is treated onsite to produce biosolids and tertiary quality treated wastewater with a significant reduction in nitrogen. 

Both products are suitable for reuse.

Until June 2002 disposal of the treated wastewater was by ground infiltration in the surrounding foredune system but this method was environmentally unsustainable and a 1.7 kilometre ocean outlet has been commissioned.

The Water Corporation's future strategy is to use a combination of treated wastewater reuse and ocean disposal.

Eaton and Australind

The sewered areas of the fast growing urban centres of Eaton and Australind, in the Shires of Dardanup and Harvey respectively, are served by an advanced technology wastewater treatment plant located in the buffer zone of the Kemerton Industrial Park.

The $15.5 million Kemerton WWTP which began operations in 2002, produces tertiary quality treated wastewater for reuse on an adjacent 30 hectare mixed species treefarm. 

The development of this plant allowed treatments plants at Eaton and Australind to be decommissioned and the land rezoned for other purposes.

Treated wastewater is available for industry within the Kemerton Industrial Park - a major reuse option in the future.

The IDEA process - Intermittently Decanted Extended Aeration
The IDEA process - Intermittently Decanted Extended Aeration
Deaeration of the Vent Pipe - Dave Hayworth, Ian Wallis, Lyndsey Lowes, Mark Oliver and Terry Willcocks
Deaeration of the Vent Pipe - Dave Hayworth, Ian Wallis, Lyndsey Lowes, Mark Oliver and Terry Willcocks

Contact Us

For more information on our Bunbury operation contact 08 9791 0456