Bolivar poo plant upgrade to handle growing city
Adelaide’s growing population has prompted a $64m upgrade of the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant so it can take more sewage.
The Bolivar waste plant is set to get a major upgrade. Photo: SA Water/supplied
The northern suburbs plant, which opened in 1966 and remains the largest sewage centre in South Australia, will gain three new pipes and a new inlet structure under the upgrade.
According to SA Water, the current inlet structure can process 300 million litres of sewage a day, but flows are expected to rise to 550 million litres a day as the population grows.
A 3D mock-up of the Bolivar Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade. Image: SA Water/supplied
Lisa Hannant, SA Water’s senior manager of production and treatment, said the $64m upgrade would also lead to energy efficiency and safety improvements.
“This is set to be the largest upgrade at our Bolivar facility in recent history, and will augment the plant with the additional capacity required to support the community for generations to come,” she said.
“Currently, the inlet structure is able to process and treat 300 million litres of sewage per day from homes and businesses across Adelaide – representing around 70 per cent of the city’s total.
“We’ve been working to understand the condition and performance of the original inlet structure… and what we anticipate future daily flow volumes to be as the population grows, which is expected to be up to 550 million litres per day.”
[solstice_jwplayer mediaid=”yecOUWK0″ title=”The Bolivar Waste Treatment Centre” caption=”Video: SA Water” /]
Bolivar currently processes 70 per cent of the city’s sewage.
It also recycles around 20 billion litres of water a year for other uses, such as irrigation and horticulture.
“As part of planning for the inlet works upgrade, we’ve identified a new design to enable a capacity increase, which will see a larger inlet built next to the existing structure with new screens and solids handling equipment,” Hannant said.
The Bolivar upgrade will feature three new pipies. Image: SA Water/supplied
“We’ll also construct three new pipes to accommodate the increased flow into the plant over time, linking the existing pipes to the upgraded inlet as the old inlet is decommissioned.
“We’re kicking off the project with our crews relocating services and completing temporary works to ensure optimal flows into the plant until the new inlet is operational.”
SA Water expects the upgrade to be completed in late 2025.
