Helidon WWTP - Design and Construct Treatment Wetlands
The Water & Carbon Group created a constructed wetland, bringing Helidon (1000EP) Waste Stabilisation Pond effluent quality into consistent license compliance for BOD, SS, and pH. The capital cost of using a treatment wetland was more than 50% lower than alternative solutions considered by QUU.
Project Summary
QUU was required to upgrade the Helidon Sewage Treatment Plant (STP),located in the Lockyer Valley, Queensland, to meet compliance requirements and forecast flow increases from 60kL/day, to an estimated 220kL/day in 2031. The plant consisted of a primary and secondary facultative sewage lagoon with chlorine dosing prior to discharge into an adjacent privately owned farm dam. The discharge license for the site set limits for Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Suspended Solids (SS).
QUU recognised the potential for lower cost alternative to achieve process compliance for future flows and commissioned WCG in 2011 to assess the feasibility and performance outcomes from the integration of constructed wetlands. Subsequent to the feasibility study, QUU awarded a team comprising of Trility and The Water & Carbon Group to design and implement the constructed wetland solution
2000
3
ha.of tertiary treatment wetlands developed
30
local native rainforest tree species used in the project.
Project Summary
QUU was required to upgrade the Helidon Sewage Treatment Plant (STP),located in the Lockyer Valley, Queensland, to meet compliance requirements and forecast flow increases from 60kL/day, to an estimated 220kL/day in 2031. The plant consisted of a primary and secondary facultative sewage lagoon with chlorine dosing prior to discharge into an adjacent privately owned farm dam. The discharge license for the site set limits for Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Suspended Solids (SS).
QUU recognised the potential for lower cost alternative to achieve process compliance for future flows and commissioned WCG in 2011 to assess the feasibility and performance outcomes from the integration of constructed wetlands. Subsequent to the feasibility study, QUU awarded a team comprising of Trility and The Water & Carbon Group to design and implement the constructed wetland solution
Solution
A 2000m2 constructed wetland was added to the existing two stage lagoon system, designed to achieve licence compliance for both current and forecast future flows. WCG developed the detailed design and constructed the system, including management of all associated sub-contractors, and undertook two years of establishment and maintenance, during which the system performed admirably.
Initial site preparation and wetland construction
Outcomes
The system exceeded its projected water treatment performance measures throughout the early months of operation producing water quality with BOD<10mg/L, SS<10mg/L and TN<5mg/L. The operational simplicity of the solution and the lower capital expenditure has provided QUU with a reliable and cost-effective solution.
2000
m2constructed wetland was added to the existing two stage lagoon system
3
ha.of tertiary treatment wetlands developed
30
local native rainforest tree species used in the project.
Initial site preparation and wetland construction
Early construction stage
Mature wetland growth
Results: Influent vs. Effluent
