05 Aug 2022
Hazardous essential work undertaken by TasWater at Macquarie Point STP
TasWater’s work at the Macquarie Point Sewage Treatment Plant is continuing, with two of three trickling filters being upgraded and returned to service.
Trickling filters are a sewage treatment system inside a sewage treatment plant (STP) that rotate under pressure.
They trickle and spray sewage over filter media to allow biological matter to grow, which then removes organic matter before it gets chlorinated and discharged.
The Macquarie Point STP trickling filters had stopped functioning due to problems with the central bearing.
Renewals Program Project Manager (Trainee) Joseph Randall explained other methods were used to maintain the moisture within the filter while the bearing was temporarily out of operation.
“This was done by running full flow through the trickling filters,” Joseph said.
“But at the end of the day, the bearings required replacement to improve the resilience of the plant for the future. The second trickling filter bearing has now been replaced, with the third being replaced in the next few months. Accessing the trickling filters involves high-risk activities and a specialist contractor has been engaged to undertake these works.”
The project was classed as high-risk because of safety issues as well as complexity.
“We have four high-risk activities that needed to be managed: crane lifting operations, confined space, isolations and working at heights,” Joseph said.
“The work undertaken has repaired and returned to operation the second trickling filter, which went smoothly and as planned.
“An operating trickling filter reduces odour at the plant and allows the treatment process to flow correctly before it gets chlorinated and discharged.
“Our Macquarie Point plant now has two working trickling filters. In the months ahead we intend to have the third up and running again as well.”