A Sustainable Near-Potable Quality Water Reclamation Plant for Municipal and Industrial Wastewater

Gippsland Water is implementing the Gippsland Water Factory (GWF) to reclaim 35,000 m3/day (9.2 mgd) of municipal and industrial (pulp and paper) wastewater to a quality matching the pristine quality of the existing raw water supply. Bench- and pilot-scale testing supported multi-criteria analysis to select the most sustainable approach, which consists of separate treatment in parallel treatment trains of the municipal and industrial wastewater using membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology followed by reverse osmosis (RO). Primary treatment is incorporated into the municipal treatment train, while the industrial treatment train includes anaerobic pretreatment and ozone followed by biological activated carbon (BAC) before RO to reduce fouling caused by non-biodegradable organics in the industrial MBR effluent. The industrial anaerobic pre-treatment unit is also being used to stabilize primary and waste activated sludge prior to dewatering. Sustainability considerations led to selection of anaerobic treatment to minimize energy consumption and ozone/BAC instead of chemically-intensive options to remove dissolved organics prior to RO. Facility design is incorporating green engineering and best practice environmental design standards and includes an interpretive center which will showcase the wastewater treatment technologies used and serve as a key part of an overall education program on water conservation and sustainable resource management. Use of an alliance project model facilitated collaboration and further enhanced delivery of a sustainable facility. Stage 1, which will reclaim the municipal wastewater, is currently under construction and Stage 2, which will allow reclamation of the industrial wastewater, is being planned, with offsite treatment trials to commence during August 2007. The result is a water management facility in harmony with its community that manages saline and nutrient pollution and makes fresh water while minimizing greenhouse gas impacts.