In 2023, Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant celebrated 100 years of treating the wastewater from sinks, toilets and drains across Bendigo.
The plant saw a major upgrade in 1991 and is now ready for another. ICN Victoria is working with plant owner Coliban to identify local suppliers for the solids handling plan upgrade.
Packages are likely to include:
- concrete tanks
- liquid transfer systems (includes pumps, valves and piping)
- sludge thickening and dewatering systems
- foul air cap
- electrical
- general site works
The solids handling upgrade project is the first phase of a broader program of works planned for the plant over several years.
According to the Coliban website, the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant receives and treats sewage from 110,00 people across Bendigo.
By 2050, the population served by the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant is expected to reach 200,000.
In a press release calling for high-water business to consider recycled water, Coliban Water General Manager Operations Julian Bull said recycled water is wastewater that is “treated so that it is safe to be sustainably re-used for many different purposes and is a highly reliable water source in a changing climate”.
He said recycled water would play a key role as part of a broader program of large-scale upgrades which will future-proof wastewater treatment services for the Bendigo region.
“Our Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant was established 100 years ago and following major upgrades in the 1990s, large scale works are required as we face the challenges of population growth, ageing assets and a changing climate,” Mr Bull said.
“We will renew and replace these assets over several years, and our plant will adapt and modernise.
“An increase in population means an increase in the volume of wastewater received by our plant,” he said. “This means as we treat the wastewater, there will be more recycled water available for re-use in the future.”
The plant produces Class A, B and C recycled water, which can be used for irrigating farms, dairy cattle grazing, vineyards, golf courses, sports grounds and agricultural irrigation as outlined in the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victorian guideline for water recycling.
For more information, or to submit an Expression of interest, go to the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant Gateway page.
