Coliban Water will complete improvement works by tomorrow (Friday 16 November) at Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant however a current water quality warning remains in place as monitoring continues.
Treatment Manager Leon Stackpole said the water quality warning would likely remain in place for another week as a precaution, as staff continue to monitor plant performance and discharge. The plant has experienced performance issues in recent weeks which have affected the quality of treated wastewater.
Water quality warning signage is likely to be removed next week.
“We’ve been working hard to bring the Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant back to its normal operating standard through a range of measures. The aim of this work is to ensure an improvement in the quality of the treated wastewater discharged to Campbells Creek,” he said.
“We have been working closely with landowners downstream of the discharge point, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the office of the Chief Veterinary Officer to better understand the risk. We’ve been considering water usage from the creek and ongoing water requirements into the future.”
Steps taken to date to address plant performance issues include additional water treatment prior to discharge, more frequent monitoring of water quality, regular environmental sampling, storage of wastewater in on-site lagoons and a thorough review of UV equipment used as part of the treatment process.
“We’ve also transferred some of the solids to other sites to help ease the load on the treatment process,” Mr Stackpole said.
“Once the water quality warning is removed, we’ll continue to liaise with the EPA to ensure our treated wastewater is in line with our licence for discharge.”
Until the water quality warning is removed, Coliban Water advises people to continue to avoid direct contact with the water in Campbells Creek downstream of Castlemaine Water Reclamation Plant.
In drier months, releases from the plant are often the sole source of water in the creek.
“Again, if residents have any concerns or would like further information they can contact our Customer Support Team on 1300 COLIBAN (1300 363 200) or visit our website – www.coliban.com.au,” said Mr Stackpole.
Last updated on 09 Jul 2019