Our Projects
Download:
download
fact sheet
Format: PDF (size 480kb)
* requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
View map of our South Australian projects
Explore the City of Onkaparinga
* requires Google Earth
Wastewater into Wine
A Partnering Agreement between the City of Onkaparinga and United Utilities Australia
This unique 25-year-agreement covers redevelopment of the City of Onkaparinga’s six septic tank effluent disposal schemes (STEDS) to a stage enabling the water to be used for the irrigation of vineyards in the McLaren Vale and Willunga region.
United Utilities will manage and operate these schemes for the next 25 years in a manner that ensures compliance with environmental and all other legislation covering treatment and disposal of sewage effluent.
The company will also manage all capital works relating to the STEDS on behalf of the City of Onkaparinga. Project value, including capital works, is approximately $45 million.
The Project STEDS were developed as an affordable method of providing sewage services to regional communities, which might not have the population base to warrant the capital expenditure necessary to provide full treatment services. They are a combination of septic tank and a pipe network, which draws of effluent for treatment and discharge elsewhere Local governments throughout South Australia operate many such schemes. Many are in dire need of rehabilitation and upgrade to ensure compliance with more stringent environmental guidelines concerning discharge and the reuse of effluent for irrigation.
The City of Onkaparinga has six such schemes, at Clarendon, Morphett Vale, Maslin’s Beach, McLaren Flat, McLaren Vale and Willunga. The first three listed discharge into the sewage system run by the water utility, SA Water, with effluent ultimately going to Christie’s Beach sewage treatment plant. The other three discharge into an out-moded plant run by City of Onkaparinga Council at Willunga. As part of its overall strategy for the area, the Council sought a partner which could assist in the redevelopment of these schemes, including treatment of the effluent so that it could be used on vineyards whose expansion is threatened by a lack of water for irrigation.
The Council’s vision, now being implemented by United Utilities, was that effluent could be used to further the growth and continued prosperity of the area’s largest local industry, the production of wine. United Utilities won a tendering process and has worked in partnership with Council to develop an appropriate partnering agreement that satisfies the broad outline of the vision, whilst maintaining affordability. The company has now taken over operation and maintenance of the Council’s STEDS networks.
Construction has also commenced on a new sewage treatment plant which will treat effluent from the McLaren Flat, McLaren Vale and Willunga schemes to Class B as designated under South Australian reclaimed water guidelines. This will allow its reuse as irrigation water. This new plant including associated upgraded pumping facilities will be on line in early 2004 and will have a peak capacity of 3 ML/d, with an average daily flow of 1.3 ML/d. Treated effluent will be discharged to the Council’s existing storage dam at Willunga from where it can be pumped to vineyards and a neighbouring golf course.
Following on the concept initially presented by United Utilities, Council is already in negotiation with potential reusers of the treated effluent. Similar to the control processes United Utilities has at all its water and wastewater facilities throughout Australia, a SCADA system will monitor the entire STEDS network including the treatment plant and pumping stations, enabling remote access.
The system is being operated and managed by UUA process controllers, well versed in all aspects of water and wastewater treatment, with back-up from head office technical staff.
In addition to managing the Council’s STEDS capital works budget, United Utilities will also manage the Council’s septic tank desludging program.
Costs to ratepayers
While charges to users of STEDS services will gradually rise,
costs will still be below those paid by ratepayers in metropolitan
Adelaide.