Sydney Olympic Park - Low Energy Leachate Treatment System
Design and Construction of a low energy ecological engineered leachate treatment solution for the Blaxland legacy landfill site. The system treats leachate to a suitable quality for discharged to the Parramatta river.
Project Summary
The Water & Carbon Group was awarded the design and construct contract for a leachate treatment system at the Blaxland Common Landfill site, located within the Sydney Olympic park. The contract also included the provision of ongoing operational and technical support. The site was a highly contaminated landfill, where leachate presented a significant water treatment challenge. In most cases traditional treatment has proven to be extremely costly. The project was successfully completed August 2013.
The Blaxland Common Landfill site covers an area of approximately 20ha within the world-class parkland precinct of Sydney Olympic Park. The landfill comprises of domestic, commercial and industrial waste. Landfill leachate was being transported off-site for treatment at a great expense. Given the public visibility of the site, the solution’s aesthetic appeal was critical.
20
0
chemical use or sludge production in the treatment system.
0.01
mg/L of Ammonia measured in effluent after 2 years of operation.
Project Summary
The Water & Carbon Group was awarded the design and construct contract for a leachate treatment system at the Blaxland Common Landfill site, located within the Sydney Olympic park. The contract also included the provision of ongoing operational and technical support. The site was a highly contaminated landfill, where leachate presented a significant water treatment challenge. In most cases traditional treatment has proven to be extremely costly. The project was successfully completed August 2013.
The Blaxland Common Landfill site covers an area of approximately 20ha within the world-class parkland precinct of Sydney Olympic Park. The landfill comprises of domestic, commercial and industrial waste. Landfill leachate was being transported off-site for treatment at a great expense. Given the public visibility of the site, the solution’s aesthetic appeal was critical.
Solution
In 2012, SOPA commissioned Water & Carbon Group to design and construct a low energy passive gravel and wetland- based treatment system to treat the ammonia rich leachate. The multi-step process designed to deliver high levels of leachate treatment included the following features:
• Balance Tank – to collect and balance the leachate flows and to provide preliminary aeration
• Aeration Cascade – a series of eight teardrop shaped concrete plates oxygenate the effluent and enable a visual check before it enters the gravel and wetland system
• Gravel Media Cells – to oxidise ammonia as the aerated effluent is distributed over the gravel/media cells and percolated vertically through the profile
• Free Surface Wetland – to provide a productive environment for microbial activity, contaminant absorption and sedimentation to complete the leachate treatment
• Discharge Controls – to monitor water quality and ensure objectives are met before allowing final discharge.
Early establishment stage of wetland cells
Outcomes
The system has created one of the most innovative leachate treatment solutions in Australia, providing:
- Treatment based on passive engineering/ecological systems to achieve very high levels of effluent quality; • low energy use (power is only required for internal transfer pumps);
- no chemical use or sludge production; and the
- detoxification of leachate ammonia into inert nitrogen gas rather than transferring it to another waste-stream for off-site disposal.
Project design, construction and planting were completed in mid-2013. Once fully established, the system will treat the leachate to a final effluent quality that meets NSW EPA’s environmental criteria for discharge to the environment and will enhance visual amenity, seamlessly integrating with the surrounding parkland environment. A live web cam facilitates remote monitoring.
20
haof land allocated to the Blaxland Common Landfill site.
0
chemical use or sludge production in the treatment system.
0.01
mg/L of Ammonia measured in effluent after 2 years of operation.
Early establishment stage of wetland cells
Wilson Park leachate treatment plant
