Barwon Water and biosolids

The biosolids drying facility is an important step in Barwon Water’s long-term goal to operate a ‘no waste’ sewerage system – where 100 per cent of recycled water and biosolids are committed to sustainable use.

Barwon Water undertook a tender and review process with comprehensive selection criteria, awarding the contract to Plenary Environment on 3 September, 2007.

Community consultation has played an important role, and a significant contribution was made by the project’s community liaison group, the Biosolids Investigation Group, and other community members. They helped develop criteria for the tender documents and now the project is underway Barwon Water has established a Biosolids Reference Group to help guide the project. For more information, please see the Biosolids Reference Group page.

Currently, Barwon Water’s plants produce approximately 54,000 tonnes of biosolids at 14-16 per cent solids content per year. Biosolids are trucked to Melbourne Water’s water reclamation plant in Werribee where they are air dried. This process is not sustainable. By reducing the number of truck movements by 1000 to and from Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant each year (a reduction of nearly 60 per cent) and drying the biosolids in a controlled and enclosed environment, improved safety, and ecological and environmental sustainability, are achieved.

For more information, please see:

Biosolids Community Information Bulletin Volume 1

Biosolids Community Information Bulletin Volume 2

Biosolids Community Information Bulletin Volume 3

Biosolids Community Information Bulletin Volume 4

Barwon Water: www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au