Northern Water Plant
A new, state-of-the-art water recycling facility will reduce Geelong's drinking water demand by around 2 billion litres a year.
This major water-saving initiative will produce Class A recycled water suitable for industrial and community use in Geelong's northern suburbs.
The plant will use cutting-edge treatment technologies including biological treatment, ultra-filtration, and reverse osmosis.
The facility is a key component of our recycled water strategy and will help us address the challenges of climate change and population growth into the future.
Construction began on the plant in March 2011. It was officially opened in April 2013, on time and on budget.
Benefits
- An immediate 2,000 million litre reduction in Geelong's drinking water use (5% of current demand, equivalent to the water used in 10,000 homes).
- High quality Class A recycled water will replace drinking water used by the Shell Geelong refinery.
- A 10% reduction in the volume discharged to the ocean at the Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant.
Funding
Project cost: $94 million, funding from:
- Australian Government: $20 million
- Victorian Government: $9 million
- Shell: $47.5 million
- Barwon Water: $17.5 million
Location and appearance
The plant is built on industrial land adjacent to Station Street, Corio. The site borders crude oil storage tanks at the Shell Geelong Refinery.
The construction will be revegetated with indigenous plants, and is set back from the street to minimise visual impact.
Construction
Work began on the construction site in March 2011. Principal contractor John Holland has co-ordinated the construction works.
Over 800 staff have worked on the site, clocking up more than 200,000 hours with no time lost to injury or incident — an excellent result in the construction industry.
How it works
The Northern Water Plant will use a biological treatment process to breakdown sewage. Naturally occuring microscopic organisms will digest the sewage under ideal conditions.
The treated water will be further refined through ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis systems, removing microscopic particles, and resulting in high quality Class A recycled water. For more information check out our videos, below.
| Northern Water Plant: Ultrafiltration | |
| Northern Water Plant: Reverse osmosis |
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