Hunter H2O was engaged by Bundaberg Regional Council (BRC) as the design consultant to prepare detailed design and documentation of Kalkie and Gregory River WTP upgrades and to provide technical support during construction. Kalkie WTP is being upgraded to improve water quality and treatment plant robustness, while the Gregory River WTP project objectives are to improve water quality and provide additional capacity for future growth.

The plant upgrades were undertaken using Early Tenderer Involvement, with selected tenderers working with Hunter H2O to provide advice on value engineering, innovation and constructability during the development of plant designs, to reduce overall project cost and improve asset quality.

The key scope of work for the brownfield Kalkie WTP upgrade includes:

  • Interconnection of the off-stream storages to balance flows
  • Upgrade to raw water pumping station (RWPS)
  • Powdered activated carbon (PAC) contact tank
  • Inline static mixers for pre-pH correction and coagulation
  • Flocculation and inclined plate sedimentation tanks (IPST)
  • Washwater collection and treatment system including a new washwater balance tank, sludge thickener and supernatant return pumping station
  • New chemical dosing facility with PAC, sodium hydroxide (pre and post), coagulant and polymer (coag and filter aid), sodium hypochlorite (pre-filter and disinfection) dosing facilities and drive on bund and truck turning area
  • New MCCPLC remote IO in existing switchroom.

The key scope of work for the new greenfield Gregory River WTP upgrade includes:

  • RWPS upgrade
  • PAC contact tank
  • Inline static mixers for pre-pH correction and coagulation
  • Flocculation and IPST
  • Dual media filters (x3) with per-filter chlorination for soluble manganese removal and a filtered water pumping station
  • Treated water storage and pumping station
  • Washwater handling system including a washwater balance tank, sludge thickener, supernatant return pumping station and sludge drying beds (x3), sludge drying bed pumping station
  • New chemical dosing facility with PAC, sodium hydroxide (pre and post), coagulant and polymer (coag and filter aid), sodium hypochlorite (pre filter and disinfection) dosing facilities and drive on bund and truck turning area
  • Amenities building and blower room with compressed air system
  • New MCCPLC remote IO in existing switchroom.

The upgrade works are currently in construction and Hunter H2O is providing ongoing technical support.

Value Adds

  • Hunter H2O utilised the same design team involved in the concept designs on the design of both treatment plants, providing continuity, efficiency and enabled development of strong working relationships with BRC’s project team
  • Standardisation of specific process elements between the two plants
  • We used our previous experience in testing the waters to tailor the plant process design to maximise water quality performance
  • Our experience in operations was valuable in providing a highly operable plant for operations staff.