Waterlea Estate
Community sewage treatment solution for Waterlea Estate in QLD
PROJECT DETAILS
Location:
Walloon, QLD
Product:
Kubota MBBR
Capability:
Community sewage treatment solution
Waterlea is an 1,800-lot residential subdivision in Southeast Queensland, near the township of Walloon. It is the first master-planned development in the western Ipswich Growth Corridor and is located within a Queensland State Government Priority Development Area (PDA). This area will accommodate over 45,000 new residents. Located just 45 minutes southwest of Brisbane, Waterlea is close to major employment hubs. This includes the Amberley Air Force Base, Australia’s largest military base, and Ipswich Hospital.
Initially, the site was deemed undevelopable due to its lack of access to the Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU) municipal sewage network. Connecting the site was projected to take 15-to-20 years, making development economically impractical until the connection was established.
In 2017, Benchmark Property appointed True Water to provide a community sewage treatment solution for Waterlea Estate southwest of Brisbane. True Water developed a strategy that used innovative technology to meet environmental and Utility requirements. Our engagement accelerated the project delivery, achieving a connection to the municipal sewage system 15-20 years ahead of schedule.
Waterlea Estate in Walloon required an onsite sewage treatment solution to enable development of the community.
Waterlea is a masterplanned community where the natural environment is an integral feature, meaning delivery of utilities including sewage treatment had to be carefully considered.
Designed around a natural creek and a chain of open, green spaces, the development is a site for communal living.
Waterlea features a central parkland designed to draw the community together as part of its environmental and recreational focus.
As the name Waterlea suggests, the central waterway corridor is the primary feature of the project, and the enhancement, incorporation and protection of this natural asset was essential.
Construction begins at Waterlea in Walloon with True Water's sewage treatment solution a vital step in the approval process.
True Water designed a community sewage treatment solution for Waterlea in Walloon to help facilitate approval of the project which is now successfully established.
Community sewage infrastructure solution
Located southwest of Brisbane in a priority development corridor, the Waterlea Estate was not connected to municipal sewer. The lack of reticulated sewerage infrastructure meant the project could not proceed. Connecting to the municipal sewage system required Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU) to upgrade its Rosewood Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), located 10 kilometres away. This included QUU having to complete the design and installation of 10-to-12 kilometres of rising main between Rosewood and Walloon.
QUU did not have the works planned. Therefore, the Waterlea project team was advised connection was not planned. When the project team pushed further, it was suggested that the connection could be 15-to-20 years away. True Water was engaged to provide a community sewage treatment solution for the estate.
True Water’s commitment to sustainable, Utility-type sewage, infrastructure for communities stems from decades of research and development investment. This has transformed the company into an Independent Water Utility (IWU), licenced to deliver high-quality sewage infrastructure. True Water’s technology is designed for or small to medium-scale community projects, of 200 to 3,000 lots. These solutions meet economic, social, and environmental best practices while providing significant capital benefits.
Traditional options for community wastewater treatment
Traditionally, Australian homes rely on either large-scale municipal sewage treatment facilities, or individual single-home systems. Municipal facilities serve cities and large towns, while villages and rural areas use individual systems. Providers typically cater to one of these scales, leaving a void in between.
When a community falls between these scenarios, developers, planners, and governments face significant challenges. Large municipal Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are cost-effective for cities and large towns, while septic tanks are suitable for low-density areas. Scaling either option for a mid-sized community results in economic and environmental shortfalls that can only be addressed by massive government subsidisation.
Small onsite septic systems struggle with operation and discharge poorly treated wastewater. Downsizing municipal STPs often leads to inefficiencies. Reduced municipal infrastructure can become uneconomical, with regional STPs operating at high costs and becoming heavily dependent on subsidies.
Infrastructure considerations and criteria
True Water’s Utility models helped the Waterlea Estate address challenges that traditional models could not. By offering flexible scalability, capacity, and performance, True Water’s solution empowered the Waterlea project team to take full control and advance their project timeline by decades.
Consultations with the Queensland State Government and QUU revealed uncertainties about upgrading the Rosewood WWTP, including its feasibility, timing, and capacity. True Water designed the new community sewage scheme and completed all required documentation.
We then engaged with the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) to acquire the required ERA63 approval. True Water delivered a Utility sewage treatment solution to Waterlea Estate. In 2019, with approvals for the private sewage scheme in place, the Waterlea project proceeded.
