South Hedland Wastewater Treatment Plant
|
Treated wastewater from the South Hedland treatment plant is re-used by the Port Hedland Town Council for greening 23 hectares at the golf course and 12.6 hectares of verges, parks and ovals in South Hedland for Council property and schools.
The re-use scheme is managed by the Council and between 1200 and 1500 kilolitres per day is used for irrigation.
History
The Port Hedland Town Council has been re-using treated wastewater for 28 years.
However due to strong population growth in the town, this usage was not enough to keep up with the overall wastewater flow through the system.
In 1988 the community voiced its concerns about the overflows, which had peaked due to a prolonged spell of rainfall.
The Water Corporation moved quickly to implement a short-term pump excess treated wastewater into the tidal flushing zone at the mouth of South Creek, well away from residential areas.
A long-term solution was implemented, with the first stage underway by May 2001
Treatment Process
At its peak the inflow from the sewer system was between 2800 and 3400 kilolitres per day after evaporation. Since April 2004 the average flow from the treatment plant available for reuse has decreased to 1500 kilolitres per day.
Excess quantities of treated wastewater of up to 1000 kilolitres per day were being discharged into the South Hedland region’s natural creek system in 1998, resulting in a large quantity of visual discharge, requiring larvicide baiting treatment in pond areas to prevent mosquito breeding.
There had been prolonged rainfall that caused the Port Hedland Town Council to take less treated wastewater, resulting in an increase in the quantities of wastewater discharged.
The Water Corporation was concerned about future protection of the environment and protecting public health, particularly the area available for breeding mosquitoes.
The Water Corporation’s short-term solution – involving installation of its pumping system at South Creek was completed following consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, the Health Department, Port Hedland Shire Council and the Aboriginal Land Council.
The longer-term solution has involved construction of compensating basins and treated wastewater re-use to prevent overflows/overloading following periods of heavy rainfall or prolonged rainfall.
Stage one of the project was completed with construction of two compensating basins (60,000 kilolitre capacity) at the downstream end of the treatment plant.
Stage two involved expansion to include irrigation of the Port Hedland Golf Course and construction of an additional storage basin.
An unlined two-hectare compensating basin was completed prior to the onset of Cyclone John and Cyclone Steve.
This prevented the treatment plant from discharging treated wastewater into the environment.
The wastewater reuse infrastructure construction was completed in April 2000 and has been used to dispose of in excess of 1500 kilolitres of wastewater per day since completion.
Grassing of the local golf course was also completed using treated wastewater for irrigation – in time for the opening of the golf season.
The Town of Port Hedland now has the responsibility of operating and maintaining the entire wastewater reuse system including the golf course and has agreed to utilise all treated wastewater available.
The Future
A similar scheme is planned for Derby where more than $1 million will be spent to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant and irrigate nine holes at the town golf course.
The scheme will also result in improvements to the environment, including upgraded wetlands, and a reduction in mosquito breeding.
Contact Us
For more information on our South Hedland operations call 08 9186 8289