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.