The Wastewater Treatment Process Callala Wastewater Treatment Plant -

Callala Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Wastewater Treatment Process
Callala Wastewater Treatment Plant - OFFICIALY OPENED – 10th AUGUST 1999
The Callala/Currarong wastewater collection and sewage reticulation system comprises of
55 kms of sewer mains and 13 pumping stations servicing the communities of Callala
Beach/Bay, Myola and Currarong.
Treatment Process
The Callala Sewage Treatment Plant uses advanced physical, biological and mechanical
processes to treat the incoming wastewater. Treatment is highly automated and can be
remotely monitored outside usual business hours.
The type of process is an Intermittent Decanted Extended Aeration (IDEA) process with
biological nitrogen removal and options for a two stage phosphorus removal. The IDEA
process is an activated sludge process for treatment of sewage liquid and stabilization of
the sewage solids in the presence of oxygen.
The treatment process is broken into three stages:
1. Primary treatment
2. Secondary treatment
3. Tertiary treatment
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
Preliminary/Primary Treatment:
Incoming wastewater (Influent) enters the treatment plant at the Inlet Works. Here, the
sewage passes through fine screens to remove non-biodegradable material such as
plastics, cotton tips and sanitary products.
The influent volume is then measured by an inline flume and ultra sonic sensor for the
daily summary of data. Next the influent drops into a circular aerated Grit chamber for
removal of grit, sand, rocks etc by way of a forced air vortex causing the material to spiral
to the centre of the
tank for air
assisted removal.
Screenings and
grit are deposited
into a concrete
trench for offsite
landfill. The
wastewater then
makes it way via
channels and
pipes to the next
stage.
Secondary Treatment (IDEA):
After leaving the Inlet Works the effluent enters the Port Macquarie Tank* for Secondary
treatment which is known as the Intermittently Decanted Extended Aeration (IDEA) phase
which removes nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus and reduces Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD5). This process converts non-settleable organic solids to settleable
solids and the separation of those from the liquid.
Note: (BOD5) Biochemical Oxygen Demand – This is the amount of oxygen required by bacteria for
biochemical oxidation (decomposition) of wastewater in a given time at a standard temperature, usually 5
O
days at 20 C.
*The Port Macquarie Tank was so named due to it being developed in Port Macquarie.
The secondary process has three phases:

Aeration

Settling

Decanting
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
Aeration
Surface Aerators vigorously mix the incoming effluent with the activated sludge (aerobic
bacteria) keeping it in suspension in the presence of supplied oxygen. Micro-organisms in
the sludge use the organic material in the effluent as a food source for normal life functions
and synthesis of new bacterial cells. Alum can be added to help remove phosphorus and
enhance settlement. The Alum bound phosphorus salts sink to the bottom of the tank
along with other solids.
Also whilst aerating a quantity of Waste Activated Sludge or MLSS is removed and
pumped to the Sludge Lagoons. “Nitrification” occurs during this stage (aeratrion/mixing)
which is the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite.
Note: MLSS – Mixed
Liquor Suspended Solids
Aeration Tank
Settling
The Aerators switch off
and the effluent
becomes still .Having
no oxygen supply, the
microorganisms use
carbon in the organic
matter as a food
source, converting
nitrates to nitrogen gas
which is released to the
atmosphere
(“Denitrification”). During
this phase the solids
separate and settle from the liquid giving clarification to the upper part of the tank.
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
Decanting
After settling, the clear wastewater is decanted from the tank into an automatically lowered
centrally located trough. This Secondary treated effluent is piped into the Equalisation
Basin for holding before its
final tertiary treatment.
Secondary Alum dosing
can be used at this point for
removal of phosphorus.
Decant Trough
Tertiary Treatment:
The final stage of the process is called the tertiary treatment process. It is the disinfection
(Chlorine Gas) and polishing (Pressure filtration) of secondary treated effluent resulting in
the lowering of faecal Coliforms and BOD5 levels.
Callala STP has six pressure filters
which are filled with media
composing of sand and anthracite.
The secondary treated effluent is
pumped through the filters where the
processes of air scouring and
backwashing are performed to
produce tertiary treated effluent of
the highest quality.
After filtration the effluent is injected with Chlorine gas for disinfection, resulting in the
reduction of the amount of pathogens (bacteria) which are requirements for public health
reasons and licensing conditions.
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
Producing Recycled Water
The highly treated water then enters the recycled water network known in the Shoalhaven
as Reclaimed Effluent Management Scheme (REMS).
Chlorine is added to the reclaimed water pumped from the Bulk storage dam to provide
additional disinfection and to keep the recycled water pipes free of bacteria and ensure the
recycled water meets the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling.
REMS (Reclaimed Effluent Management Scheme)
This is a water recycling scheme aimed at long term re-use sustainability and maximising
beneficial reclaimed water re-use. The scheme aims to reuse up to 80% of reclaimed
water from a number of wastewater treatment plants in the area, substantially reducing the
quantity of recycled water discharged to local estuarine and coastal waters.
Filtered, disinfected reclaimed water is pumped to users of the REMS scheme from the
Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) through the distribution system.
A 4ML distribution reservoir ensures a constant gravity supply to users when pump
stations are not operating. Reclaimed water overflows from the reservoir to the bulk
storage dam when irrigation demand is low and is pumped from the dam when demand is
high. In prolonged wet weather periods, surplus water can be released through the outfall
at Penguin Head.
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
The recycled water is carried to the
local farms in a separate network of
pipes that are colour coded (purple)
so the farmers know whether they are
using drinking water or recycled
water.
The treatment process has been
influenced by the:

Location of the plant

Needs of the area serviced

Technology available when the
plant was built
Biosolids
Biosolids is the organic
solid waste product that is
a direct result from sewage
treatment processes, and
may be classified as
suitable for beneficial use.
Wastewater contains
nutrient-rich solids,
including human waste,
which can be treated and
re-used to improve soil for
agriculture and grass.
During the Aeration phase of Secondary treatment, activated sludge is pumped from the
bottom of the Aeration Basin to the Sludge Lagoons. Matured sludge is then removed from
the lagoon and processed through a dewatering machine called a “Centrifuge”. The end
product “Biosolids” is left to dry on a prepared bed before testing and classification for its
use.
On average Callala STP produces 40-50 tonnes of dry Biosolids per year.
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia
Interesting Facts:
Callala Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of 14 wastewater treatment plants in
the Shoalhaven. The plant treats and disinfects wastewater to a high tertiary standard then
recycles most of it back to local farms for non-drinking irrigation purposes. It is also used
on various sporting fields, golf courses and bowling green’s.
Callala wastewater treatment plant is the Shoalhaven’s largest water recycling system.
History and Features
The treatment plant was purpose built to supply the REMS with a capacity of 6,000
equivalent persons. The treatment processes include primary screening, extended
aeration, tertiary filtration and chlorine disinfection.
The personnel who manage and operate the plant also collect and analyse water samples
and conduct laboratory testing.
The plant:

Treats 0. 651 million litres of sewage a day(based on yearly average)

Supplies 2500 million litres of highly treated recycled water a year (this is a
combined volume discharged to REMS from the four treatment plants connected to
the scheme)
Contact details:
Shoalhaven Water 1300 66 22 46
[email protected]
www.shoalwater.nsw.gov.au
PO Box 42
NOWRA NSW 2541
The Wastewater Treatment Process – Shoalhaven Water, South Coast NSW Australia