Issue 9
December 2016

2016 has been a busy and productive year for Redland Water and Waste. Several projects have been successfully delivered and commissioned, including:

• Sewer pump station 6 upgrade at Cleveland Showgrounds (Clancy Cartlidge)
• Sewer pump station 29 switchboard (David Price)
• Pump Station 33 upgrade (David Heape)
• Point Lookout wastewater treatment plant upgrade (Brad Taylor, Scott McMurray)

The Point Lookout wastewater treatment plant was officially opened on Friday 25 November. Hosted by Redland City Council, the ceremony was attended by over 50 people which was a great success. Please see project highlights and pictures below.

I would like to extend my thanks to our team of staff and contractors for their support and dedication throughout the year. These projects would not have been possible without you.

I wish you all a very happy and safe festive season and look forward to continuing to work with you in the New Year.

Brad Taylor

Point Lookout wastewater treatment plant upgrade opening ceremony

The Point Lookout wastewater treatment plant was jointly opened by Mayor Karen Williams and Mr Glenn Butcher MP, Assistant Minister for Local Government and Infrastructure, on Friday 25 November. The $13.5 million project was a joint initiative of Redland City Council and the State Government.

Council hosted the opening ceremony which included a traditional Welcome to Country with Quandamooka Elder, Aunty Sharon, and a didgeridoo performance by Patrick Coolwell. Official speeches were followed by the unveiling of the plaque and a morning tea of locally made damper and scones. Tours of the plant were conducted for those interested in learning more about the facility.

More than 50 people attended the ceremony including representatives from Council, Downer Utilities, Kellogg Brown and Root & Associates, Seqwater, and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to making the event, and the project launch, such a success, particularly the State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, Sonia Cahill from the Communication, Engagement and Tourism Group, and the Water and Waste Infrastructure group support team, Jackie Ward, Linda Nation, and Sam Bongiorno.

Project benefits

Prior to its upgrade in 2016, wastewater produced in the Point Lookout catchment was treated by three standalone activated sludge plants with a combined service capacity of 1750 persons, or approximately 400 kilolitres per day.

The new, state-of-the-art facility has been designed to service up to 7600 residents in the Point Lookout catchment area including the fluctuation of visitors during peak holiday periods. The plant can treat up to 1600 kilolitres of wastewater per day, almost three times its previous capacity.

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology will process wastewater via ultra-fine screening and grit removal, nitrification and dentrification, biological and chemical phosphorus removal, and membrane treatment, producing a high quality effluent.

Odour reducing technology has been incorporated into the design which will greatly reduce odour emissions. Other benefits include minimal disturbance to vegetation and wildlife and no noise disruption from equipment.

How is the plant performing?

Already the plant has been performing above expectations. Throughout the year, effluent will have the following nutrient concentrations:

• Total Nitrogen (TN): <3mg/L
• Total Phosphorus (TP): <1mg/L

This is considerably less than that produced by the old plant, which was on average:

• Total Nitrogen (TN): 20mg/L
• Total Phosphorus (TP): 3mg/L

As the treatment plant is commissioned, the performance and operation of the plant will continue to be fine-tuned and optimised to ensure target effluent quality is achieved. The target total nitrogen is less than 3 mg/L and total phosphorus less than 1 mg/L with absolute maximums being less than 9mg/L TN and 3mg/L TP.

Visit the project website or the plant’s brochure for further information about the project.

Water and Waste Infrastructure reduce operational budget by $671,000 per annum

In November 2016, a project was undertaken in accordance with our Asset Strategic Management Plan (ASMP) to assess the remaining life of our asbestos cement (AC) water main pipes. This work carried out comparative main break information and material behaviour research across Redland City Council and other local water utilities. Detailed engineering analysis showed that the expected life of the AC water mains will be up to 15 years longer than the life previously provided by external consultants.

Water and Waste Infrastructure provided the new forecasts to the Financial Services Group who were then able to confirm that the revised asset lives resulted in an annual $671,000 reduction in depreciation operational costs. Consequently, we will be able to provide lower water rates for our customers.

Contributors to this outstanding result were Matthew Ingerman, Lee Donaldson (contractor), Brad Taylor, Carolyn Jackson and Glen Jenkins.