Tailem Bend Community Wastewater Management System Re-Use
Project background and challenges
- Township of Tailem Bend located 100km south east of Adelaide on the eastern side of the River Murray.
- The Tailem Bend CWMS was built in 1982 as a gravity pipe collection network with 10 pump stations transfer wastewater to a treatment lagoon.
- Lagoon was clogged with reed growth.
- Only a remnant of original dividing walls remaining – hence severely compromised treatment performance.
- Evidence of significant soakage through lagoon walls.
- Treatment facilities therefore required upgrade / replacement.
- Wasted resource – lagoon losing all of its water to evaporation and seepage.
- Recent drought raised community awareness of the possibility of using readily available supply of reclaimed water for municipal irrigation.
Scope, solutions and results
- Proposal and resolution to construct new Waste Water Treatment Plant, with reclaimed water available for irrigating the oval and golf course.
- Winter storage pond constructed to maximise available water for summer irrigation.
- Reduced reliance on River Murray for irrigating the town oval and golf course.