Southwell Park Watermining® Project

A small treatment plant at Southwell Park supplies treated effluent for irrigation of 10 hectares of sporting fields. This process is known as Watermining®. Wastewater is extracted from a sewer, treated, and used for irrigation. Solids are returned to the sewer for further treatment at the central treatment plant, the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (LMWQCC).

The big benefit of Watermining is that water does not have to be brought back from larger treatment plants to where it is needed, which means money does not have to be spent on large underground pipe systems.

Is the recycled water safe?

The Watermining® facility provides water of a high enough quality for irrigating the playing fields of Southwell Park. It may also be used around the home for watering the garden or washing the car.

Protecting the health of the public has been a major consideration in the design and operation of the ACTEW Watermining® facility. The plant uses two disinfection processes working in combination, which satisfy the strict standards of the ACT Department of Health.

All solids are returned to the sewer to be treated at LMWQCC, so there is no solids treatment and disposal at Southwell Park.

Which treatment processes are used?

The treatment processes employed in the Watermining® facility include:

 

1. Sewage extraction Wastewater is pumped from a main sewer 2. Primary treatment A screen keeps the larger solids out of the treatment system Lime is added to assist treatment Smaller solids are separated from the water by allowing them to settle All the solids are returned to the sewer 3. Secondary treatment Soluble impurities and ammonia are removed by biological treatment 4. Tertiary treatment Microfiltration removes fine solids and bacteria (the first health protection barrier) Hypochlorite disinfection kills any remaining bacteria (the second health protection barrier) 5. Water recycling The recycled water is then used to irrigate Southwell Park, adjoining the ACTEW Watermining® facility. 6. Solids disposal The solids separated during the treatment process are returned to the sewer, for treatment at Canberra's major plant, the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (LMWQCC).

View a process flow diagram of the Watermining® facility.

Please contact us if you have any queries or require any additional information about ACTEW's Watermining® facility.