Aquatec Maxcon offered an Australian-First innovative solution to South Burnett Regional Council to upgrade their trickling filter plant utilising Haskoning’s Nereda process. This upgrade increased the plant’s capacity to 12,500 EP to cater for current and future residents of Kingaroy. Aquatec Maxcon was awarded the D&C contract to undertake the process, mechanical and electrical design and delivery of the first successful Nereda plant commissioned in Australia.
South Burnett Regional Council realised several benefits after progressing with such an innovative new process technology. These benefits include:
- $1M capital cost saving vs traditional process technologies
- $0.9M savings per year in operating costs such as power and chemicals.
- Recycled water can be used at local sporting fields reducing potable water use
- Council generate revenue using recycled water for cropping in adjacent fields
The full treatment process consists of:
- Two Nereda bioreactors utilising aerobic granular sludge and Aquablade Diffusers
- Pressure media filtration
- Trojan UV Disinfection for recycled water disinfection
- A package gravity thickener for the bioreactor waste sludge
- Aerobic digestion of the DAF primary sludge by AquaSTAR surface Aerator
The key design parameters were:
- 12,500EP combined influent capacityInnovative Nereda Granular Sludge Process
- Effluent Total N of 5mg/L,
- Effluent Total P <2mg/L
- In addition to being the first aerobic granular sludge system in Australia, Kingaroy STP also achieved TN3 post filters and incorporates aerobic digestion of sludge and removable Aquablade diffusers.
- Awards:
- 2016 IPWEAQ Excellence Awards
- 2017 QLD AWA Project Innovation Award
