PROJECT OVERVIEW

The $300M Gibson Island Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) Plant is the largest treatment plant in the Western Corridor Recycled Water (WCRW) Program. This program provides an important safety net for South East Queensland, with the capacity to supplement the region’s drinking water supplies with purified recycled water.

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The Gibson Island AWT Plant treats secondary domestic wastewater to provide up to 100 megalitres per day of purified recycled water suitable for indirect potable reuse by industry and power stations or for return to Wivenhoe Dam (the main potable water reservoir in South East Queensland) to supplement catchment when dam capacities fell below 40%. This project was delivered by an alliance consisting of UGL, MWH Global, WorleyParsons, Baulderstone Hornibrook and Water Secure (Qld Govt.).

 

THE CHALLENGE

The Queensland Government needed to augment existing potable water catchment to ensure Australia’s fastest growing region, South East Queensland, would never repeat the experience of 2007 when residents faced the possibility of running out of drinking water.

 

THE SOLUTION

The Gibson Island Advanced Water Treatment Plant project drew on UGL’s extensive experience in delivering unique engineering solutions for advanced water treatment in Australia and overseas.

Carefully monitoring the environmental and social aspects throughout the project,  UGL led an alliance team that minimised its impact on the surrounding environment including the sensitive aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the nearby Brisbane River and Moreton  Bay. The team also maintained an ongoing relationship with the land’s traditional owners, the Jagera and Turrbal  People.

UGL’s contribution to the Alliance included alliance project management, process and detailed design development, procurement, community and stakeholder relations, environmental management, planning, construction management and process commissioning.

 

KEY OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS

Key successes included:

• Stage 2 doubling of capacity of the Gibson Island AWTP, within the original process plant footprint.

• Innovative UGL value engineering approach to the whole WCRW program. This resulted in a substantial reduction in total program costs whilst retaining the desired program capacity and levels of functionality, operability and maintainability.

• Rigorous pilot plant testing program to provide ‘proof of concept’ for design, in conjunction with the optimisation of plant performance and operations.

• Proactive community engagement and significant community investment through the WCRW Community Grants Program, helping ensure a smooth delivery through informed and satisfied stakeholders.

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The Gibson Island project was recognised by the owner as best value for money of the plants constructed for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Program.