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Melbourne's water
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Western Treatment Plant

Sewage Treatment in Melbourne's Northern and Western Suburbs
The Western Treatment Plant at Werribee

Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant at Werribee is a significant and fascinating public asset, with more than 100 years of history. Its origins can be traced to the findings of an 1888 Royal Commission into Melbourne's public health, which led to a proposal for a new and effective land treatment system - a sewage farm. Previously, Melbourne's sewage was collected in open channels and discharged into the Yarra River and Hobsons Bay.

In 1892 the newly-established Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works began buying land at Werribee and developing the site. The first Melbourne homes were connected to the sewerage system in 1897.

The Western Treatment Plant continues to provide an essential public health service, treating about 52% of Melbourne's sewage, or about 485 million litres a day. This serves about 1.6 million people in the central, northern and western suburbs.

The Western Treatment Plant is more than 11,000 hectares in area and is a world leader in environmentally-friendly sewage treatment. Treated effluent is discharged from the plant to Port Phillip Bay under an accredited EPA Victoria licence.

A $160 million environmental upgrade of the Western Treatment Plant is helping to improve the health of Port Phillip Bay. The upgrade began in the late 1990s, following the landmark four-year Port Phillip Bay Environmental Study. The study, commissioned by Melbourne Water and managed by the CSIRO, found that the bay was healthy by world standards but recommended reducing nitrogen loads to Port Phillip Bay. Among other sources, nitrogen is found in the treated effluent discharged to the bay from the Western Treatment Plant.

The upgrade is part of Melbourne Water's commitment to protect the long-term health of the bay by enhancing the modern lagoon system with the latest technology. This will remove far more nitrogen from the effluent, and therefore reduce nitrogen flowing to the bay.

A key outcome of the upgrade is an abundant supply of high quality recycled water that can be used for agricultural, horticultural and many other applications.

Western Treatment Plant Environment Improvement Plan

Melbourne Water works closely with the community to monitor the plant's performance and a new Environment Improvement Plan has now been released.

Western Treatment Plant Explorer

Melbourne Water has produced an exciting new virtual tour of Western Treatment Plant at Werribee. The Western Treatment Plant Explorer allows you to get an in-depth look at the workings of this landmark of Melbourne's sewerage system. You can grab pictures and text for a "virtual backpack" and view the plant with 360 degree panoramic photos.

The Western Treatment Plant Explorer is the ideal tool to learn about Melbourne's sewerage system.

Western Treatment Plant Inputs and Discharges

Western Treatment Plant Inputs and Discharges are provided annually in the Social and Environment Report.

Agriculture

The Werribee Agriculture Group, a separate business unit of Melbourne Water, manages the grazing of 15,000 cattle and 40,000 sheep on over 8500 hectares of land at the Western Treatment Plant.

Sheep grazing commenced in 1899 and cattle grazing in 1902 to deal with the permanent supply of lush pasture produced by irrigation of the land.

The business is continuing to pursue agricultural opportunities as land uses change from sewage treatment to effluent irrigation. This change provides an opportunity to greatly improve the profitability and viability of the livestock operation. Horticultural opportunities include a major trial using recycled water from the plant on crops such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and flowers.

Other opportunities that could be considered further include various types of aquaculture, such as commercial fish farming, seaweed cultivation and harvesting, the growth of zooplankton and a commercial abalone farm.