Meeting Growing Demand for Wastewater Services
Our wastewater systems are built and upgraded to treat large volumes of wastewater well into the future. In most cases, our wastewater treatment systems won't reach their capacity until more than 100 years after the original date of commissioning.
That's why thinking 50 years ahead is so important to the Water Corporation and our customers.
Wastewater systems are constructed in stages as capacity is progressively increased with growth in flows. This has many advantages including:
- deferral of capital funding;
- less impact on adjacent land uses early in plant development;
- low operating costs;
- integration of technological advances over the life of a plant; and
- progressive addition of recycled water facilities as demand arises.
For example, the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant was originally commissioned in 1966, which included one treatment plant and an ocean outlet. In 1984, a new larger 45 gigalitre a year primary treatment plant was added and a new outlet into the open waters of the Sepia Depression was installed. In 2002, further investment resulted in the commissioning of more advanced secondary treatment which helped to facilitate water recycling to the Kwinana Industrial Area and reduced the level of nutrients being discharged into the ocean.
Similarly, both Subiaco and Beenyup plants have been upgraded to enable more wastewater to be treated and to improve odour management.
Decisions to increase system capacity and levels of treatment in the Perth and Mandurah wastewater systems are considered in two parts:
• works already scheduled to upgrade the systems; and
• further works required to accommodate additional flows forecast to 2060.