Eastern Treatment Plant

{{Short description|Sewage treatment plant in Melbourne, Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} [[File:Male chestnut teal.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The treatment plant is an important site for chestnut teal]]

The '''Eastern Treatment Plant''' is an {{convert|1,100|ha|sqmi|1|abbr=off|adj=on}} [[sewage treatment]] [[Physical plant|plant]], located in the suburb of [[Bangholme, Victoria|Bangholme]] in [[Victoria, Australia]], {{convert|31|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} southeast of [[Melbourne City Centre|Melbourne's central business district]].

The plant was built in 1975 and is owned by [[Melbourne Water]]. Following treatment, some water is used as [[reclaimed water|recycled water]] in the local area. South East Water is a major supplier of recycled water from the Eastern Treatment Plant. The rest is pumped through {{convert|56|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} of [[Pipeline transport|pipeline]] to discharge into [[Bass Strait]] at Boags Rocks on the [[Mornington Peninsula]].<ref name=mw>{{cite web |url=http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/sewerage/eastern_treatment_plant/eastern_treatment_plant.asp |title=Eastern Treatment Plant |accessdate=2011-06-13 |publisher=[[Melbourne Water]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525124451/http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/sewerage/eastern_treatment_plant/eastern_treatment_plant.asp |archive-date=25 May 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Description== The plant is on an {{convert|1,100|ha|sqmi|1|abbr=on|adj=on}} site bordered by the [[Patterson River]] to the north, the [[Mornington Peninsula Freeway]] to the west, and the [[EastLink (Melbourne)|EastLink Tollway]] to the south and east.<ref>Observable from official Melway maps, http://www.street-directory.com.au/vic/melbourne</ref>

The plant treats around 40 percent of Melbourne's [[sewage]] — about {{convert|330|ML|acre ft|disp=or}} a day — from about 1.5 million people, mainly in the eastern and south-eastern suburbs. It generates some of its own electricity, as well as heating and cooling power from [[biogas]].

===Upgrade=== After years of lobbying by community groups led by the Clean Ocean Foundation, as of November 2011, the Eastern Treatment Plant was undergoing an upgrade to reduce environmental impact of the water discharge and increase [[water reuse]] applications of the water. The wastewater will be treated by ozone, biological filters, ultraviolet disinfection, and chlorine.<ref>{{cite web|title=Upgrading the Eastern Treatment Plant |url=http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/current_projects/sewerage/eastern_treatment_plant_-_planned_upgrade/Eastern_Treatment_Plant_-_planned_upgrade.asp|publisher=Melbourne Water|accessdate=15 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Biogas {{!}} Melbourne Water|url=https://www.melbournewater.com.au/water-data-and-education/environmental-issues/how-we-generate-energy/biogas|access-date=2022-01-26|website=www.melbournewater.com.au}}</ref> The UV disinfection system that will be installed at the Plant will be the largest in Australia, consisting of 7 closed-vessel UV reactors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Trojan to Supply Australia's Largest Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection System|url=http://www.trojanuv.com/about/news?id=819|publisher=Trojan Technologies|accessdate=15 November 2011}}</ref>

==Birds== Along with the nearby [[Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands]], the ETP is part of the Carrum Wetlands [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) and supports many bird species of regional, state, national and international conservation significance. Species for which the IBA is globally important are the [[sharp-tailed sandpiper]], [[blue-billed duck]], [[chestnut teal]] and [[Australasian bittern]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Carrum Wetlands |accessdate=2011-06-13 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |archivedate=2011-07-06 }}</ref> There is no public access to the ETP for [[birdwatcher]]s but the birdlife has been monitored since 1998 by monthly surveys conducted by [[Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union|Birds Australia]], with 177 species recorded for the site.<ref name=mw/>

==See also== * [[Western Treatment Plant]] * [[Altona Treatment Plant]]

==References== {{reflist}}

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[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Victoria (state)]] [[Category:1975 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Sewage treatment plants in Australia]] [[Category:Water management in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Industrial buildings in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Sewerage infrastructure in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Greater Dandenong]] [[Category:Industrial buildings completed in 1975]]