Brooms Head Bowls Club
Environmentally focused sewage treatment critical to protect Brooms Head
PROJECT DETAILS
Location:
Brooms Head, NSW
Product:
Kubota MBBR
Capability:
Consult, design, and construct STP
True Water upgraded the Brooms Head Bowls Club Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) because the old system had reached the end of its operational life. The client submitted a Development Application to expand operations, including additional function facilities and eight cabins for accommodation. Therefore, amendments to the existing Section 68 approval became necessary.
True Water provided specialist sewage services for the WWTP upgrade. This process included a thorough site inspection to assess current conditions and understand environmental factors. Subsequently, our team prepared an Onsite Sewage Management (OSSM) report. This document outlined the proposed design of the sewage treatment plant, ensuring compliance with regulatory conditions and streamlining the approval process.
Our team supplied and installed a Kubota Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR), which provides advanced treatment, thereby protecting public health and the environment. Given the venue’s location, this was crucial. Brooms Head, in northern New South Wales (NSW), is a coastal hotspot with ecological significance, featuring marine environments, diverse habitats, and abundant biodiversity.
The light weight Kubota WWTP is craned into positioned.
The new Kubota WWTP is backfilled.
The Kubota sewage treatment plant and Wisconsin Mounds provide environmentally focused sewage treatment. Location of the system is pivotal to the system's overall design.
The Kubota WWTP include gas tight access covers to prevent odours. Below ground installation minimises visual impact.
True Water's WWTP provides advanced treatment to protect public health and the environment.
The old septic system is decommissioned and removed.
The Brooms Head Bowling Club is situated between a saltwater creek, the Pacific Ocean, and a national park. The sewage treatment plant protects the environment and people that visit Brooms Head.
Environmentally focused sewage treatment in sensitive locations
Sewage treatment plants serve the sole purpose of protecting our environment from pollution. The more sensitive the location, the more critical it becomes to prevent sewage contamination. Brooms Head Bowling Club is located 100 metres from the Pacific Ocean. It is also situated 20 metres from a saltwater lagoon. Both are visited by thousands of holidaymakers each year. This highlighted the importance of stringent sewage management in protecting both public health and the surrounding natural ecosystem.
Consequently, the board of the Bowling Club wanted an environmentally focused sewage treatment plant to safeguard the surrounding environment. True Water provided specialist sewage consultancy and designed and installed an environmentally focused sewage treatment plant to service the site.
Firstly, we conducted a thorough site inspection. This allowed our consultancy team to understand site conditions and environmental factors. After the assessment, True Water developed the concept design for the sewage treatment plant, completed the required documentation, and assisted the Bowling Club in acquiring council approvals.
True Water’s system design emphasises providing the highest quality treatment to protect the surrounding waterways. Most importantly, the environmentally focused sewage treatment plant is scalable. As visitation increases due to population growth, the STP capacity can be expanded. In all, the STP reflects the Bowling Club’s commitment to protect the health and safety of its patrons and holidaymakers visiting Brooms Head.
Kubota provides advanced and reliable treatment
The failing system required immediate and cost-effective replacements. True Water designed the WWTP to accommodate the site’s annual average daily flow and weekend peaks. However, with the Bowling Club planning the addition of new cabins and anticipating a general increase in visitation year after year, flows were projected to rise, and the plant would require expansion. True Water engineered the system to be scalable, allowing for future increases as needed.
The design incorporated repurposing and reusing some of the existing sewage pump well, along with the installation of a new treatment plant. First, we pumped out and sterilised the existing STP before decommissioning it. Then, we reconfigured the sewage pump well to include buffer capacity. A 15,000-litre Buffer Storage Tank was installed according to local council specifications, providing a total buffering capacity of 20,000 litres. To complete the treatment chain, our team installed the world-leading Kubota HCZ-50 Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) biological treatment plant.
This advanced system delivers environmentally focused sewage treatment and reliable performance to protect public health and the environment. The MBBR system minimises both upfront and long-term costs, offering an efficient and cost-effective wastewater treatment solution. Furthermore, it supports future growth, prevents odours, and minimises visual impact. High-performance treatment is ensured, safeguarding public health and the environment. As a result, the minimum buffer distance could be used to meet regulations.
Effluent dispersal with engineered mounds
At high tide, the water table is only 100 millimetres below the ground surface. Due to the water table and the site’s sensitivity, the highest level of sewage treatment was required. Effluent dispersal occurred using Wisconsin-type earth mounds. A Kubota treatment plant followed by Wisconsin mounds provides the highest quality treatment, disinfection, and nutrient reduction, meaning effluent satisfies Class A+ standards. The Bowling Club’s environmental focus and budget required the best possible sewage treatment level, and only the combination of Kubota treatment plant and Wisconsin mounds could provide the environmentally focused sewage treatment needed to meet the club’s requirements.
Key design considerations for the Effluent Dispersal Area (EDA) included site use, proximity to ground and surface water, and the presence of high-permeability soils. The EDA, with a total basal area of 252 m², is located at the furthest practical distance from the saltwater creek. Additionally, surface runoff is directed to shallow swale drains, which convey water away from the mounds. Importantly, this limits the amount of stormwater running across the dispersal area and into the catchment.
Certified maintenance technicians provide 24-hour asset management. TELEmi remote monitoring offers real-time data to minimise maintenance costs and ensure compliant WWTS operation. These design features and management arrangements ensure the system operates without impacting club patrons, with the plant remaining out of sight and out of mind. Likewise, the surrounding environment is protected for the enjoyment of all homeowners and visitors to Brooms Head.
