Dawson South Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) Replacement
- Client: Anglo Coal, Dawson South
- Location: Moura, QLD
- Project: Sewage Treatment Plant Replacement
- Completion Date: Date
Project Overview
The Dawson South Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Anglo Coal’s Dawson South Mine had reached the end of its operational life, with structural integrity concerns including bulging tank walls and deterioration due to weather exposure.
The existing STP was an Enviroflow Water Treatment System, which had become non-compliant and at risk of failure.
Sort It Water was engaged to replace the ageing Enviroflow STP with a modern, high-performance wastewater treatment system, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
The replacement involved upgrading to a poly tank farm, retaining the extended aeration treatment process while improving durability, automation, and reliability.
Key Challenges:
- The existing Enviroflow Water Treatment System was over 15 years old, structurally compromised, and no longer meeting environmental compliance standards.
- A potential failure could have led to environmental contamination and operational downtime.
- The remote location posed logistical challenges for mobilization and resource coordination.
- The new system needed to be installed without disrupting mining operations.
Project Objectives:
- Replace the ageing Enviroflow STP with a durable, compliance-ready wastewater treatment system.
- Minimize downtime by implementing an efficient changeover process.
- Ensure environmental compliance by integrating improved treatment technology.
- Enhance efficiency with new pumps, controls, and automation to reduce manual operation.
Sort It Water delivered a full STP replacement, incorporating the following key upgrades:
- Replacement of Enviroflow STP with a New Poly Tank System
- New Poly Tank Farm consisting of:
- 5,000L Balance Tank (custom welded inlet/outlet spigots)
- 5,000L Primary Tank
- 5,000L Mixed Anoxic Tank (motorized mixer & grated open top)
- 5,000L Aeration Bioreactor Tank
- 7,000L Clarifier Tank
- 1,500L Lift Tank
- Electrical System Upgrades
- Installation of a new electrical control board and switchboard.
- Upgraded Balance Pump, RAS Pump, WAS Pump, Side Channel Blower, and Electric Mixer.
- Full compliance with AS 3000 Electrical Standards.
- Plumbing & Mechanical Works
- Interconnecting pressure and transfer pipes (PN 12 Pressure Pipe & UPVC DWV).
- Plumbing connections to all motors, tanks, and sludge waste systems.
- Integration with the existing 30,000L sludge waste tank.
- Commissioning & Handover
- System testing and commissioning to ensure seamless integration.
- Handover to Anglo Coal’s operations team, with ongoing servicing support.
✔ Successful Replacement of the Enviroflow STP – The new system ensures compliance, improved operational performance, and long-term reliability.
✔ Enhanced Regulatory Compliance – The upgraded plant meets environmental standards and site-specific treatment requirements.
✔ Reduced Operational Costs – Upgraded automated pumps and controls minimize manual labour and maintenance expenses.
✔ Extended System Lifespan – The new poly tank system is designed to last at least 15 years with reduced risk of structural degradation.
✔ Minimized Downtime – Efficient project staging ensured that site operations were not impacted during installation.
“The Dawson South STP replacement was delivered on time and within budget, ensuring continued wastewater compliance and operational stability. Anglo Coal has since engaged Sort It Water for ongoing servicing and maintenance, further strengthening our partnership.”
– Anglo American Australia
