Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is assessing a works approval application from North East Water Corporation for a proposed upgrade to the current Benalla Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) on Holdsworth Road, Benalla. The upgrade to the plant is needed to increase capacity to manage demand for sewage and wastewater treatment until 2050.
The proposed works have been designed under a staging strategy and include:
• Decommissioning the existing maturation lagoons;
• Replacing the inlet works, upgrading the existing aerated lagoon (aerators) and replacing the existing maturation lagoons with new lagoons by stages;
• Providing new winter storage to match the size of the irrigation area;
• Upgrading irrigation pump stations/pipelines.
• The proposed works will continue to treat wastewater to Class C standard for irrigation reuse.
EPA will assess the current application for potential environmental impacts, such as odour, noise, potential land, surface water and ground water contamination risks.
To view the application and make a submission visit www.engage.vic.gov.au
Submissions on the application are open from 5 August, 2020 until 2 September 2020.
What is a works approval?
Works approvals are issued by EPA under the Environment Protection Act 1970. They are required for industrial and waste management activities that have the potential for significant environmental impact.
A works approval permits plant and equipment to be installed, the operation of which will result in one or more of:
– the discharge of waste to the environment
– an increase in, or alteration to, an existing discharge
– a change in the way waste is treated or stored.