Melton Recycled Water Plant Upgrades

Lagoon 2 Desludging

Strengthening operational performance through proactive sludge management.

Works in planning

Mechanical Upgrade Program

This program includes a number of works, including:

1. Upgrading the inlet works so it can manage increased flows. The inlet works is the first stage of treatment where wastewater is filtered to remove large objects like tissues or grit.
2. Installing a new dewatering facility, which will reduce odour, increase capacity to treat solids, and strengthen asset reliability.
3. Renewing equipment that is reaching the end of life to improve our processing efficiency.
4. Strengthening the treatment process to increase nutrient removal, improve energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) while building capacity for growth.
5. Upgrading equipment used in our sludge process to boost energy, cost efficiency and manage larger volumes in the future.
6. Upgrading essential electrical infrastructure and IT systems to enhance safety, improve security, and ensure reliable and resilient plant operations.
7. Installing a new pipeline and pump station to transfer water across different storage points at the plant. This will help protect the plant from spills during wet weather.

Why the upgrades are needed

Melton is one of the fastest-growing regions in Victoria. As more people move to the area, more wastewater comes into the plant, leading to higher volumes of recycled water and biosolids.

The aim of the upgrade is to strengthen our treatment processes and improve efficiency so we can continue delivering essential services as the population increases.

Benefits for the region

• Increased treatment capacity to support population growth and manage rising wastewater volumes
• Increased volume of Class A recycled water - this is used by some local residents for non-drinking purposes with excess water released into the local waterways
• Increased capacity to process biosolids
• Reduced odour from the plant
• Lower risk of spills during wet weather, helping the plant to operate safely and reliably.

Local impacts

Most works will take place within the existing Melton RWP boundary. During construction, local residents may notice:

• occasional truck movements
• increased noise or dust near the site
• temporary odour during some of our works. This will be regularly monitored.

Environmental care, community and cultural heritage

We’re committed to protecting the environment, cultural heritage, and local communities throughout the Melton RWP upgrades by:

• consulting local community, council, Traditional Owners, and environmental groups to ensure a broad understanding of stakeholder and community needs
• obtaining all necessary environmental approvals before construction begins
• completing odour and noise assessments to minimise impacts on neighbouring properties
• supporting our commitment to healing and caring for Country by enhancing the quality of recycled water released into local waterways
• monitoring recycled water releases to ensure ongoing compliance with Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulations.

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