Project summary
Unitywater operates the Kawana STP to serve the communities of Warana, Birtinya, Little Mountain, Caloundra, Golden Beach and Pelican Waters. The areas of South Buderim, Chancellor Park and Sippy Downs, which are currently connected to the Maroochydore STP, are planned to be diverted to the Kawana STP in the near future.
Additional flows from new developments at Brightwater, Palmview and the new Kawana Hospital complex will also be treated at Kawana STP.
This Stage 4 upgrade of Kawana STP is required to address the current urgent requirements to increase the hydraulic capacity through the plant, and for discharging from the plant under wet weather flow events.
This proposed upgrade will also increase treatment capacity to provide for ongoing growth within the catchment until the final Stage 5 major upgrade programmed for 2017.
Fast facts
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Location
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Kawana STP is located on the western end of Main Drive within the Sunshine Coast suburb of Birtinya, adjacent to the Mooloolah River. |
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Benefits
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• Cater for the increasing population in the area;
• Prevent the incidence of flooding within the plant during extreme weather events;
• Reduce the impact on the environment by improving the quality of water discharged to the Maroochy River; and
• Ensure continued compliance with stringent environmental licence requirements from Department Environment and Heritage protection. |
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Supplier
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A number of individual works contracts will be awarded to local Contractors following competitive tenders.
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Completion
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March 2013
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Funding
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$10 million
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Project background
Kawana Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) serves the communities of Warana, Birtinya, Little Mountain, Caloundra, Golden Beach and Pelican Waters.
It was commissioned in 1981 and has been upgraded in three phases to date: Stage 1 in 1991, Stage 2 in 1997 and Stage 3 in 2005.
Due to growth in the area, the plant is now operating near capacity and requires a further upgrade to cater for current needs and future growth.
The current load on the Kawana STP is 78,000 equivalent population (EP). As it was designed to treat the load from 76,000 EP, an upgrade has become critical.
Peak wet weather flows are projected to increase and catchment growth is projected to remain strong, with approximately 106,000 EP connected by 2017, when the final Stage 5 upgrade is planned. This catchment growth includes additional connected population from South Buderim, which is being diverted to Kawana to address sewer overflow issues.
Project details
This Stage 4 upgrade works will involve:
- constructing a new flow splitting chamber and inlet works with fine screening to prevent pollution of the Mooloolah River in extreme weather events;
- constructing a new 1000 mm diameter bypass pipeline of the existing treatment plant;
- modifying an existing 4ML emergency storage tank;
- constructing a new 750 mm diameter outfall pipeline from the emergency storage tank to the Mooloolah River to replace an existing 375 mm diameter which is under-sized; and
- increasing process efficiency within the existing Bio-reactors by installing additional mechanical aeration plant.
Kawana Sewage Treatment Plant aerial view
Kawana Sewage Treatement Plant Bioreactor
Engineering Designer CH2MHill was appointed by Unitywater in March 2012 to undertake detailed design of the plant bypass and outfall, and a new inlet chamber and bypass screening structure. Detailed design is almost complete, and tender packages for the pipe installation and civil works will be advertised during August 2012.
A Design and Construct tender award for supply and installation of fine screening equipment will be made in late July 2012.
Applications for environmental and other approvals are progressing well, are programmed to coincide with award of the pipe installation contract.