The proposal is to construct a facility to treat wastewater from Augusta to secondary standards and dispose of the effluent by ground infiltration on an area adjacent to the ponds. The site selected is Unalienated Crown Land located approximately 3km south-west of the Central Business District of the town of Augusta.
The wastewater from Augusta will be treated using oxidation ponds. Initially there will be 3 oxidation ponds operated in series to cater for a population of 1,000. Future upgrading to progressively cater for a population of up to 4,000 will be the subject of future applications to the Environmental Protection Authority.
Treated effluent will be disposed of by irrigating the natural bushland to the south-east of the treatment ponds using a flood irrigation method. The size of the infiltration area is 6.04 ha. The existing flora will be removed from the immediate area of the ponds.
The site satisfies the current Water Authority requirements for a pond based treatment plant. The site provides:
- A 500m buffer zone between the ponds and the closest proposed residential development.
- Two on -site effluent disposal areas.
- Suitable soil materials to construct the ponds' bed and banks.
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