West Werribee Dual Water Supply Project

City West Water is leading the way in the use of recycled water in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

The West Werribee Dual Water Supply Project will deliver high quality, Class A recycled water and drinking water to housing estates in the Werribee area, as well as a number of open spaces managed by Wyndham City Council.

The recycled water will come from Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant, where it will be further treated and sent to homes and open spaces in the Werribee area through a dedicated ‘purple pipe’ recycled water system (see map below).

 

Recycled water is not yet being supplied to properties using the purple pipe system. Until the project is completed, houses within the estates that have a purple pipe system have drinking water supplied through both the drinking and recycled water pipes, so it is important that all water use complies with water restrictions.

The housing estates that will benefit from a supply of Class A recycled water include:

• Manor Lakes – a Dennis Family Corporation development
• Bluestone – a Sunland development
• Riverwalk – a VicUrban development.

There have been delays on this project, and while regrettable, City West Water is committed to delivering recycled water to properties in these housing estates. At present, we’re seeking the necessary planning and environmental approvals, and once these have been obtained we can then begin construction of the western sections of the project.

Project Update - May 2012

There are four major elements required for delivery of the West Werribee Dual Water Supply project. These include:

• a salt reduction plant at the Western Treatment Plant
• pump station at the Western Treatment Plant
• recycled and drinking water storage tanks on Ballan Rd
• 34kms of transfer mains (both recycled and drinking water pipes)

Salt Reduction Plant

Before recycled water goes anywhere near our customers, it must go through a stringent treatment process to ensure it meets the requirements of the Environment Protection Authority and the Department of Health.

In the early stages of the West Werribee project, our project team determined that the wastewater from the Western Treatment Plant contains too much salt and was therefore not suitable for delivery to customers. As a result, the project requires a new salt reduction plant at the Werribee Treatment Plant site.

City West Water has received formal proposals from a number of companies to build the plant. Contracts to build the plant have been signed and site works will get underway shortly.

Pipeline

Almost five kilometres of recycled water pipeline is being laid between the Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant boundary and Blackforest Road. Over four kilometres has been laid to date and tunnelling works are continuing near the Princes Freeway.

From here, there are five more stages of pipeline construction for the drinking water and recycled water pipes. The second stage got underway in late 2011 and will complete the section between Black Forest Road, Presidents Park, Galvin Park and Werribee Racecourse. The third stage, along Black Forest Road west of McGrath Road, has been awarded

The Regional Rail Link's contractor will, on City West Water's behalf, construct the stage along Armstrong Road between Ballan Road and Greens Road.