The state government has allocated $482 million to upgrade seven wastewater treatment plants in the greater metropolitan area, as part of its commitment to improving wastewater services in the state.
Western Australia’s three major wastewater treatment plants at Beenyup, Woodman Point and Subiaco will receive $352 million over the next five years to upgrade their facilities, which collectively treat about 80 per cent of the state’s wastewater.
The works program will be undertaken by the Water Corporation in conjunction with Black and Veatch Australia, Sinclair Knight Merz and Thiess.
Another project, worth about $130 million, will upgrade facilities at Gordon Road, Halls Head, Caddadup and Kwinana plants.
The Woodman Point plant was last upgraded in 2002, when it was proposed that the buffer surrounding the plant would be reduced once odour levels decreased.
However, advisory board Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) this week released its recommendation that the government should retain the current proposed buffer, until measures to reduce 50 per cent of current odour levels are implemented.
The EPA stated that a long-term buffer could be reconsidered once the odour levels reduction target is reached, to be implemented no later than 2008.
This would require further emissions estimates and modelling, with the EPA expressing concerns about the technical accuracy of the Water Corporation’s current modelling and odour sampling.
Among its findings, the EPA stated that further reductions in odour levels are likely to be required beyond the 50 per cent target, to remove any impact on odour sensitive residential areas.
The EPA also recommended a proposed wastewater treatment plant to be located at one of two sites at Alkimos, between Yanchep and Quinns.
The group stated that the plant launch site, proposed by the Water Corporation, would not conflict with the EPA’s objectives, provided recommended conditions, such as a management plan governing pipeline construction and installation, were met.
