WAUCHOPE Sewage Treatment Plant is in for a little TLC of the bubbly variety.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council resolved at its recent meeting to spend another $265,000 on improvements – a decision which is expected to have significant financial and operational benefits.
The council resolved in August last year to accept a tender from Aquatec Maxcon for the supply and installation of three floating surface aerators for the Wauchope Sewage Treatment Plant at a cost of $281,963.64.
That work was undertaken as part of the refurbishment of tank two at the treatment plant and was completed in February this year.
The council infrastructure and asset management director Jeffery Sharp told councillors work could now commence on the refurbishment of tank one.
Initially, he said, the intent had been for council to invite tenders for the supply and installation of the required surface aerators in a similar process to the first stage of works.
“However given the successful installation of the aerators by Aquatec Maxcon, it would be preferable from an operational point of view to have the same aerator units installed in each tank,” Mr Sharp said.
The benefits of having the same equipment included increased efficiency in electrical and mechanical maintenance such as a reduction in the variation in spare parts and having identical maintenance intervals.
Mr Sharp said using the same aerators in each tank would also reduce the operational complexity of the site and would provide the operator with consistent performance in each tank.
In addition to the operational benefits, Mr Sharp said removing the need to undertake a tender process would expedite having both aeration tanks operating together, ensuring the treatment capacity of the plant remained sufficient to cope with increasing flows.
