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Coliban Water and Earth Tech have signed a landmark 25-year agreement to upgrade wastewater treatment services for Echuca and Rochester.
This historic private / public partnership between Earth Tech, Coliban Water, and the local community includes a contract to design-build-operate a major wastewater treatment facility that serves the agricultural communities of Echuca and Rochester in Victoria, Australia, and incorporates 100% reuse of treated, reclaimed water in partnership with local dairy farmers.
The project involves a new wastewater reclamation plant at the existing Echuca wastewater treatment site, construction of a pressure main to transfer untreated wastewater from Rochester to the new Echuca plant for treatment, decommissioning of the existing Rochester wastewater treatment plant, provision of two new lined lagoons to store reclaimed water, construction of a distribution pipeline network to transfer reclaimed water to farms for irrigation and operation of the reclaimed water infrastructure for 25 years.
Wastewater treated at the new Echuca plant will comply with the Victorian Environmental Authority’s Guidelines for the Use of Reclaimed Water to ensure long-term sustainability. Reclaimed water will be mixed with existing channel water to achieve an average salinity suitable for irrigation that is environmentally sustainable. Moderate levels of nutrients in the reclaimed water will reduce the need to apply nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers to irrigated areas. Farmers have assisted in the development of environmental management plans and certified farm plans. Regular groundwater and soil monitoring will ensure ongoing environmental protection.
The Campaspe water reclamation project provides a sustainable and cost-effective means of treating the area’s wastewater, while providing increased, high quality reclaimed water available for local farmers. With 100% water reclamation there is no discharge to the Murray River. As well, decommissioning the wastewater treatment plant lagoons at Echuca and Rochester has eliminated odor and seepage problems.
