The Port Adelaide Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was one of the oldest of the major metropolitan wastewater treatment plants - originally constructed in 1935. Although innovative for its time, after more than 60 years of operation, elements of the plant had passed their lifespan and needed replacing.
As part of the Environment Improvement Program, the Port Adelaide WWTP was replaced with a new high salinity treatement plant at Bolivar, commissioned in January 2005. A new pumping station was established and 17 kilometres of pipeline was constructed to deliver saline wastewater to Bolivar.
The new pumping station is designed to handle 32 megalitres of high salinity wastewater a day - the amount generated by 112,000 people - with allowance for growth until the year 2020.
The new wastewater treatment plant incorporates an activiated sludge process designed to reduce nitrogen levels and uses ultra violet disinfection (not chlorine) minimising the environmental impacts of the treated wastewater discharged into Gulf St Vincent.
The wastewater transfer pipeline is 914 millimetres in diameter, fully-welded mild steel and cement-lined. It follows a route that incorporates part of the new Port River Expressway.
The environmental benefits from the Port Adelaide Environment Improvement Program include: