HUNTER

W AT E R

C O R P O R AT I O N

GENERAL OVERVIEW The Raymond Terrace Wastewater Treatment Plant currently serves around 18,000 people in Raymond Terrace and Medowie to the north of Newcastle.

BENEFITS OF THE PLANT The Raymond Terrace Wastewater Treatment Plant has been designed and built to treat wastewater to a high standard and have a minimal impact on the environment.

The original facilities were constructed in 1980, and while meeting current standards set by the Environment Protection Authority, an upgrade was required to meet even higher standards while also catering for population growth. The upgraded plant has been constructed after exhibition of an Environmental Impact Statement and approval from the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning in 1998. The upgraded Raymond Terrace plant is capable of treating an average flow of over 6.5 million litres per day, with capacity to serve a population of around 24,500 people. Provision has also been made in the design to upgrade the plant to a capacity of around 35,000 people when required.
WHAT IS WASTEWATER? Wastewater comes from households, commercial premises, schools, hospitals, manufacturers and industry. It contains about 99.9% water and 0.1% solids - that is, every 1000 litres of wastewater contains about 1 kg of solids.

This is achieved by collecting wastewater from the houses and industry via pipes and pumping stations, and directing it to a local wastewater treatment plant where the wastewater is treated to a high standard, disinfected and then discharged into the receiving waters. Where it is economically viable treated wastewater is recycled back for community reuse such as the irrigation of golf courses and for industrial purposes. The collected residual solids (or dewatered sludge) is termed biosolids and can be reused for agricultural activities and minesite rehabilitation programs.
PLANT CONTROL The entire treatment process is automatically controlled by a series of computers which are linked to Hunter Waters main computer system in Newcastle. The plant is staffed five days a week, with after hours monitoring by the main computer system which will alert standby operations staff to any faults. PRELIMINARY TREATMENT Inside the inlet works fine paper and inorganic grit material present in the wastewater is removed using fine automatic step screens and centrifugal grit chambers.

ODOUR CONTROL The inlet works for preliminary treatment is covered and kept under a constant vacuum to prevent odorous gases from escaping to the atmosphere. Air from the inlet works is passed through a soil bed filter (biofilter), which uses natural processes to absorb and break down odours. This follows the successful use of similar technology at our Burwood Beach, Edgeworth and Toronto wastewater treatment plants.

The solids are made up of organic and inorganic compounds which are either suspended or dissolved in the wastewater. The majority of the organic solids are food wastes - including fats, carbohydrates and proteins which are readily broken down into more stable inorganic compounds by bacteria and other micro-organisms.

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT After preliminary treatment fine suspended solids, dissolved organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus are still present in the wastewater. This material can be broken down by naturally occurring bacteria in a process known as activated sludge, which consists of biological reactors that contain a large quantity of this bacteria suspended in the wastewater.

The collected screenings and grit are dewatered and stored in a 1 cubic metre storage bin for transportation to the local landfill site.

At Raymond Terrace, this process has been enhanced for Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) to remove both nitrogen and phosphorus biologically. To achieve this the treatment must be alternated between aerated and non-aerated zones.

INLET WORKS
inlet works & odour control

SOILBED FILTER
odours are dissipated

STEP SCREEN
large solids screened

GRIT TANK
small solids screened

BIOREACTOR
breakdown organics

The inlet works receives wastewater through four sewer mains. The inlet works houses the step screens and the grit tank. This area is covered and kept under constant vacuum to contain odours which are then passed through a soilbed filter.

The organic soilbed filter consists of layers of gravel, soil, peat and bark chips. This media allows the growth of natural bacteria which breakdown and disperse odours.

Large objects and solids present in the wastewater are removed using two fine automatic step screens. The bars on the screens are placed 5mm apart and both screens together can treat up to 1,000 litres per second. The screenings are washed and dewatered and then transported to the local landfill site.

Inorganic grit material present in the raw sewage is removed using centrifugal grit chambers. The settled grit is dewatered and stored in a 1 cubic metre storage bin for transportation to the local landfill site.

A new bioreactor has been constructed to provide the additional non-aerated zones required to enhance the plant for biological phosphorous removal. The naturally forming bacteria are fed with the wastewater/sewage and then move to the carousel for further treatment.

This ensures that the correct bacteria are present in the biological reactors and the optimum conditions are present for them to remove both nitrogen and phosphorus. In the aerated zones air is supplied by three large surface aerators. In the non-aerated zones, submerged mixers are used to gently stir the liquid to ensure solids do not settle on the bottom of the tank, which would reduce treatment efficiency.

DISINFECTION The clear effluent produced from the BNR process is then disinfected to ensure the effluent meets current state guidelines for bathing water. This is achieved by an ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection system which destroys the pathogens. Unlike some other forms of disinfection UV does not rely on chemicals for pathogen reduction and has no adverse disinfection by-products. EFFLUENT RELEASE The final high quality effluent is released into Windeyers Creek which flows into the Hunter River. BIOSOLIDS TREATMENT The BNR process continually produces biological solids to remove the organics and nutrients from the effluent. These biosolids must be wasted from the process and stabilised to remove most of the pathogenic organisms present. This is achieved in an aerobic digester, which holds the biosolids for a period of 12 days.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE The Raymond Terrace Wastewater Treatment Plant has the potential to be upgraded to serve 35,000 people. However, based on current growth rate predictions it is not expected that this upgrade will be required until around 2010. WHAT YOU CAN DO ! To ensure this plant runs efficiently residents and industry should only discharge liquid wastes that can be processed by the plant. Fats, oils, greases, petrol, paints, thinners and pesticides should not be discharged to the sewer, but be disposed of appropriately.

Stormwater runoff from house gutters should feed into stormwater drains rather than the sewer to prevent the wastewater system overflowing in heavy rain.
GET INVOLVED AT A LOCAL LEVEL The Windeyers Creek Catchment Management Committee has been working in this catchment area since 1999. To raise an issue or volunteer to provide help call the Port Stephens Shire Council. DOB IN A DUMPER Help protect our environment - if you see anyone illegally dumping chemicals, poisons or other hazardous materials call our Emergency line on 1300 657 000.

The biological reactors at Raymond Terrace have a capacity of 7.5 million litres and an average detention time of around one day. Following biological treatment the activated sludge flows into two clarifiers. The clarifiers settle the biological solids from the clear effluent. The solids are recycled back to the biological reactor. Clear effluent containing minimal nitrogen and phosphorus overflows into the weirs of the clarifier then on to the disinfection system. During wet weather flow that exceeds the capacity of the disinfection system is directed to storage ponds and returned at a later time for disinfection.

After digestion the solids are separated from the liquid using a filter belt press and dewatered biosolids are transported off site for reuse in agricultural and minesite rehabilitation projects. Iron salts are also used to remove some phosphorus released during the digestion process from the water, which, once separated from the biosolids, is returned to the biological reactor.
MONITORING PROGRAM To ensure that the plant is operating efficiently staff carry out daily sampling and testing to ensure the treatment processes meet the EPA licence parameters. Hunter Water also submits an annual report to the EPA to confirm that the plant has been operating within its licence.

Hunter Water also provides a free chemical collection service for local households. This can be arranged by phoning 1300 657 657.
TOURS OF OUR PLANTS For tours of water and wastewater plants phone our Public Affairs Unit on 4979 9645.

CUSTOMER ENQUIRIES 1300 657 657 EMERGENCY & FAULTS 1300 657 000

CAROUSEL TANK
accelerate breakdown

CLARIFIERS
separate liquid from solids

DISINFECTION
ultraviolet disinfects water

RELEASE EFFLUENT
water released to drain

DEWATER SLUDGE
dewatered to form biosolid

The carousel tank provides both unaerated zones and aerated zones. The suspended solids, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous are further broken down by naturally occurring bacteria into simple gaseous and solid particles.

The wastewater from the bioreactor flows into four clarifiers where the biological solids settle from the clear effluent. The solids are recycled back to the bioreactor. Clear effluent overflows from the clarifiers and flows on to the disinfection system.

The clear effluent produced from the clarifiers is subjected to a concentrated source of ultraviolet light to achieve a high kill of potentially harmful pathogenic organisms. This is achieved by passing the effluent through a bank of high intensity ultraviolet lights.

The final effluent is released into Windeyers Creek which then flows into the Hunter River.

The sludge wasted from the main process is aerobically digested to remove pathogenic organisms, and is then referred to as biosolids. After digestion the solids are separated from the liquid using a belt filter press and dewatered biosolids are transported off site for reuse in agricultural and minesite projects.

T R E AT M E N T

FLOW

DIAGRAM

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S
POPULATION Current Maximum Eventual GENERAL FLOWS Average Dry Weather Peak Wet Weather Peak Wet Weather INLET WORKS Mechanical Screens Raked Bypass Screen Grit Removal - Vortex 20,000 people 24,500 people 35,000 people 75 L/s Stage 1 660 L/s Stage 1 1010 L/s Stage 2 2 505 20 1010 1010 5.5 5mm bar space L/s per screen mm bar space L/s max flow L/s m/diameter m3 m m m mg/L days % % % kg/hour

BIOLOGICAL REACTOR Volume 1040 Length 21 Width 20 Water Depth 2.5 MLSS 3000-4000 Sludge Age 15-20 Anaerobic Mass Fraction 10 Anoxic Mass Fraction 50 Aerobic Mass Fraction 40 Peak Hourly Oxygen Demand 110 Anoxic Zone Mixers 3 Anaerobic Zone Mixers 3 AERATION CAROUSEL Volume Length Width Water Depth 6400 80 30 4

m3 m m m m diameter per clarifier L/s m diameter per clarifier L/s m/minute

CLARIFIERS Clarifier tanks 1-2 15 Return Activated Sludge Pumps 2 30 Clarifier tanks 3-4 23 Return Activated Sludge Pumps 2 64 Rotating bridge scraper speed 5 UV DISINFECTION SYSTEM Capacity UV Lamps UV Dose

320 L/s 112 lamps 30 mWs/cm2

SLUDGE THICKENING & DEWATERING SYSTEM One Gravity Drainage Decks 85 m3/hr max flow Aerobic Digester 960 m3 volume 10 m long 12 m wide 5 m deep Belt Filter Press 25 m3/hr max 50 dry kg sludge/hr

W A S T E W AT E R
ADWF Average Dry Weather Flow. BIOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REMOVAL Removal of nutrients, ie nitrogen and phosphorous, by a natural treatment process involving micro-organisms. BIOSOLIDS Solids from wastewater treatment that have been processed into products suitable for beneficial use for purposes such as agriculture or forestry. DISINFECTION Inactivation of pathogens/organisms capable of causing infectious disease by chemical or physical processes. EFFLUENT A waste product that is discharged to the environment, usually used to mean treated wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants. EFFLUENT REUSE The recycling of treated wastewater for purposes other than discharge to a waterway.

GLOSSARY
PWWF Peak Wet Weather Flow. SCREENINGS Materials removed from wastewater by screening processes eg. timber, rags, plastic and condoms. SEWERAGE SYSTEM The network of pipes, pumping stations and treatment plants used to collect, transport, treat and discharge the communitys sewage. SLUDGE Solid matter that is removed during wastewater or water treatment. It can be processed into a material that can be beneficially used (called biosolids). WASTEWATER The wastewater from homes, offices, shops, factories and other premises discharged to the sewer. About 99 per cent of sewage is water.

FAECAL COLIFORM Bacteria which inhabits the intestines of humans and other mammals and are present in faeces. Often used to detect or measure sewage pollution. GRIT Hard and heavier solid matter in wastewater. It is generally inorganic. Examples include sand, gravel, ash, glass and metal fragments. MEGALITRE Volume equal to one million litres - the volume of a one metre deep Olympic-sized swimming pool. MLSS Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids - measurement of organisms in the bioreactor which process wastewater. PATHOGENS Disease-causing organisms eg bacteria and viruses. PDWF Peak Dry Weather Flow.

15 JUNE 2001