Australia plans to discharge 70 million litres of treated wastewater into the Parramatta River
Australian company Sydney Water proposes to build the Camellia-Rosehill wastewater treatment plant in western Sydney by 2032. Under the project, it would discharge 70 million litres of treated water into the Parramatta River every day — approximately 35 Olympic swimming pools. The plant is planned to be connected by a 5.3-kilometre, mostly tunnelled pipeline to an outlet point at Meadowbank Park.
As ABC News Australia reports, Sydney Water said the wastewater would be treated to an advanced standard using reverse osmosis. Project delivery manager Kane Mertens said that after treatment, the water would be cleaner than the river’s current water and should improve its quality.
Planning for population growth
Sydney Water explained the need for the new infrastructure by population growth in Sydney’s western and northern suburbs. The existing Northern Suburbs Ocean Outfall Sewer and North Head Water Resource Recovery Facility serve approximately 1.7 million people, but the company estimates they will reach capacity by 2031.
According to Sydney Water’s forecast, the new plant is expected to meet the needs of an additional 230,000 people who may settle in the area over the next 30 years. The New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is considering the project as a state-significant development application. Before discharges begin, the company will need to obtain an environmental protection licence from the state’s Environment Protection Authority.
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Environmental concerns
Former Sydney Water scientist and Western Sydney University associate professor Ian Wright expressed concern about the reliability of wastewater treatment. According to him, pumps can fail and filters can become clogged, so high water quality is unlikely to be maintained continuously. He described the worst-case scenario as a serious malfunction resulting in untreated wastewater entering the tidal river.
The proposal has already received more than 400 public submissions, most of which concern the potential impact on the environment and wildlife. The Meadowbank area has mangroves, wetlands and habitat for endangered migratory birds. Local resident Andrew Yeung also pointed to swimming sites downstream, a youth sailing club and boat ramps.
Sydney Water assured that the project would not affect the ability to swim in the river, and that its assessments indicate improved water quality near the discharge point and downstream. The company also said that water not meeting the established requirements would be returned to the existing system. Manual intervention by operators is provided for responding to water-quality problems.
