Our teams are actively delivering the biggest upgrade in a generation at the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant, working on major projects including the Liquids Treatment Upgrade, Solids Handling Upgrade, and Recycled Water Factory upgrades.

Our Bendigo Solids Handling Project continues to progress following the pouring of the slab for the electrical switch room in February.

We have finished building the structure, and our new switchboards will arrive in the coming months. These will be installed by September. From November they will be powering our plant site, making our treatment process more reliable, supporting the new Solids Handling Facility and future upgrades. In the future, the new switch room will also support the installation of a major solar facility planned as part of our pathway towards net zero.

Foundation earthworks continue with view to concrete being poured in October. Pouring the foundation of our new solids handling facility will be a major milestone in our Solids Handling Upgrade.

In 2027, construction works will start on the new biosolids treatment facilities, which include thickening and dewatering equipment and the aerobic digesters.

When complete the new solids handling facility will help our plant treat more 20 per cent solid waste than it already does.

This project is part of an $82.6 million contract to deliver stage one of these planned upgrades to the Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant which will be carried out over five years.

In addition to the Solids Handling Facility upgrades, we are also planning major upgrades to the liquid stream treatment processes at the Bendigo WRP. Like the Solids Handling Facility upgrade, this project will ensure we continue to deliver reliable sewerage treatment services for our growing region. The upgrades will adopt modern and best available treatment technologies to make the plant safer, more efficient and easier to operate, while also improving amenity for our neighbouring communities.

Currently, we are in the planning phase for these upgrades, with active site investigations and studies underway to inform our project options. We look forward to sharing more information on the liquid treatment process upgrades as the project progresses.

In March, we reached a milestone for our Recycled Water Factory upgrades with Filtec International awarded the works contract to design and construct the new facility.

Alongside Filtec International, we’ve also engaged a local Bendigo business Waterform and an Australian supplier Aquacorp, who will manufacture and supply filtration equipment for the expanded facility.

Since then, we have been in the design phase of the project. By early June we expect to reach the 30% design milestone with Filtec following a series of safety and operations workshops.

The upgrade works will include building a larger facility, increasing the filtration capacity, installing improved safety systems, a new feed tank and upgraded chemical dosing systems.

By September 2026, Filtec will begin the upgrades with the building extension set to be the first phase of the project.

Recycled water produced at our plant from the sewage that arrives from our customers. This sewage is 99% water, which then goes through a rigorous treatment and filtration process to become Class A recycled water.

When the new facility is finished, we will triple the production of Class A recycled water from its current rate of around 3 megalitres a day to 10 megalitres per day – enough to fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Recycled water is a sustainable source of water that can be used for various purposes, including to keep parks and sporting grounds green all year round. By tripling our production of high quality Class A recycled water, more water will be available for use across Bendigo’s sporting fields, public gardens and public spaces.

We have applied for a planning scheme amendment (Amendment C237gben) which includes two planning changes – rezoning the Bendigo WRP land to Public Use Zone and applying two Buffer Area Overlay schedules to surrounding land.

On May 18, City of Greater Bendigo Council authorised to place the amendment on public exhibition. During this time residents, landowners and other stakeholders can review the proposed planning controls and make a formal submission. Please contact the City of Greater Bendigo for information on the timeframes and how to make a submission.