Noosa Shire Council (now known as UnityWater) selected Degrémont Australia from a list of 15 organisations to design, build and operate a new state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant in QLD. http://www.degremont.com.au

1. Noosa
(Queensland, Australia)
SEWAGE Treatment
PLANT

2. Project
Degrémont was selected by Noosa Shire Council (now known as
UnityWater) from a list of 15 organisations to design, build and
operate a new state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant.
The Council decided to engage the private sector to design, build
and operate the plant in order to achieve cost, time and quality
objectives.
The plant was commissioned in November 1997. Degrémont’s
operating contract is for 25 years during which period Degrémont is
responsible for the operation and asset management of the plant.
UnityWater retains ownership of the assets.
Treatment
The plant achieves reduction in biological oxygen demand, nitrogen
and phosphorus solely by biological treatment processes.
The treatment process for the Noosa Sewage Treatment Plant is as
follows:
Pre-treatment
• Step Screens with 3mm aperture
• Vortex-type Grit Removal Chambers (Pista Tanks)
Primary sludge fermentation (off-line since 2008)
• Primary sedimentation tanks (PST) for primary sludge partial
separation
• Static Fermenter for hydrolysis and acidogenesis stages of
anaerobic digestion for production of short chain carbon essential
in the BNR process
BNR (Biological Nutrient Removal) process
• 5 stage Bardenpho bioreactors (anaerobic -> anoxic -> aeration ->
anoxic -> aeration)
• Secondary clarification
Tertiary Treatment
• Tertiary filtration
• UV disinfection
Sludge Treatment
• Aerobic digestion
• Sludge dewatering (Gravity Drainage Table + Belt Press Filter)
The dewatered sludge is transported 350km away for agricultural
reuse.
In the three tiers of operation, the plant has exceeded its Design
intent.
Performance
Population served
Treats sewage from
45,000 residents
Average Dry Weather
Flow
12 MLD
Peak Wet Weather
Flow
60 MLD
Water Characteristics
Influent
(2010)
Effluent
(contract)
Effluent
(2010)
Suspended Solids
(mg/L)
391 5 1.0
BOD5 (mg/L) 365 5 1.0
Total Phosphorus
(mg/L)
10 1 0.2
Total Nitrogen (mg/L) 55 5 4.5
Sludge Requirements
SOUR 50%ile (mg O2/h/g TSS) 1.5
Max SOUR Value (mg O2/h/g TSS) 2.5
Dryness (%TS) >15
SOUR = Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate for sludge stability evaluation
Noosa
(Queensland, Australia)
The Noosa Sewage Treatment Plant is a leading edge
plant, using environmentally advanced methods of
treatment, chemical free and benchmarked at
worlds best.
Located in Noosa Heads, a popular tourist destination
on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the plant treats
sewage from 45,000 residents and has an ultimate
capacity to treat 18 million litres of sewage per day.
The plant was the first private sector developed
urban sewage treatment works in Australia.
SEWAGE Treatment PLANT

3. Lime Clarifier
Cell10
Cell6
Cell8
Cell4
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Cell5
Cell7
Cell3
Cell2
Cell1
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Fine Screen +
Grit Removal
Flow Splitter
Final Clarifiers
1 & 2
Filter
UV Disinfection
Sludge
Dewatering
Distribution
Chamber
Treated Effluent
A Recycle
RAS
WAS
BIOREACTOR
AEROBIC DIGESTER
Noosa
(Queensland, Australia)
Anoxic zone
Anaerobic zone
Aerobic zone
Raw Sewage
Cell2
Cell1

4. DEGRÉMONT
LEVEL 7, 5 RIDER BOULEVARD
PO BOX 3246 RHODES NSW 2138
AUSTRALIA
TEL: +61 (0)2 8759 7900
FAX: +61 (0)2 9332 6882
WWW.DEGREMONT.COM.AU