WATER MANAGEMENT - Central Highlands Water

Veolia has been involved in the design, build, operation and management of a variety of large scale water-related facilities in the Central Highlands region of Victoria. These projects have been carried out in partnership with Central Highlands Water, a state-owned water business and is focused on providing high-quality drinking water, sewerage, trade waste and recycled water around the city of Ballarat and nearby towns.

Water Treatment Plants

In the Central Highlands region of Victoria, Veolia is currently responsible for the operation and maintainance of seven water treatment plants, which are managed by the Victorian Veolia team.

Avoca - The Avoca Water Treatment Plant consists of two streams which operate depending on the raw water source: from two surface water reservoirs; or alternatively, from a ground water source. In 2009, the plant was upgraded with the installation of Reverse-Osmosis (RO) membranes in order to enable treatment of underground brackish water. In 2012, Veolia took over operational control of the Avoca Water Treatment Plant.

Veolia understands the importance of continuous improvement, and have put in various measures at the Avoca Plant related to reducing occupational health and safety risks. Veolia is also looking to trial new systems such as new bag filters to reduce the backwash water volumes found in the sand filter. This will allow the water to be recycled to the head of the plant or pumped to the Lead Reservoir.

Ballarat - In April 1999, Central Highlands Water awarded Veolia a 25 year contract to operate and maintain two 65 megalitres per day water treatment plants, a pumping station and raw water pumping facilities. These provide water to the city of Ballarat and surrounding townships. The contract also covers facilities in the greater Ballarat region including the Ballarat North Water Reclamation Plant, two Dissolved Air Flotation Filtration plants and two ion exchange groundwater softening plants.
With dedicated staff and a robust business management system, the plants continue to perform at optimal levels, producing 130 megalitres of water per day and serving a population of 100,000.

Throughout the contract period optimal performance outcomes have been achieved through Veolia’s unique asset management approach. This consists of a complete and regular assessment of all assets that allows for accurate asset replacement planning and budgeting, enabling transparency and operational efficiency for Central Highlands water treatment assets.

Water Reclamation Plant 

In 2005, Central Highlands Water issued a brief for its Ballarat North Water Reclamation Project, which had the objective of increasing overall water availability to the region through an alternative and additional water supply.

This contract commenced in 2006 and initially involved Veolia taking over the operations of an existing wastewater treatment plant. In 2007, construction commenced on the new Ballarat North Water Reclamation Plant which Veolia now operates under a 15 year contract.

This plant was completed in 2008 and is capable of treating 8.4 megalitres of wastewater per day, while improving the quality of treated water discharged to the environment. It also includes a thermal sludge dryer which produces biosolids to a standard suitable for beneficial land-based reuse, such as fertiliser.