Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Scheme opened

The future of Alkimos as the focal point of the fastest growth region in Western Australia moved closer today with the official opening of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Scheme.

The $366million scheme includes a major treatment plant, an ocean disposal outlet and the extension of a main sewer to bring millions of litres of wastewater to the new facilities.  It has been developed over the past three years.

Water Minister Bill Marmion, who officially opened the scheme today, said Stage One had been designed to treat and dispose of up to 20 million litres of wastewater daily - but that would be expanded in the coming decades to ultimately be able to treat 150 million litres daily.

"The population of Perth's north-west corridor from Mindarie northwards is predicted to reach 150,000 within the next 20 years," Mr Marmion said.

"The suburb of Alkimos is being developed at the heart of this community.  Critical to all of the anticipated development was a major new wastewater treatment and disposal scheme.

"Seven million litres of highly treated wastewater is disposed of daily through the offshore pipeline - but there is a strong possibility that in the future as much as possible will be recycled." 

The Minister said special care had been taken to ensure land within a 600m odour buffer zone which surrounded the new facility met environmental standards.  Areas not required for operational purposes could provide a valuable community asset.

The Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Scheme joins wastewater schemes at Woodman Point, Subiaco and Beenyup to treat more than 80 per cent of Perth's wastewater.

"The provision of first-class water and wastewater infrastructure is recognised as an essential part of meeting expansion as WA continues to grow," Mr Marmion said.

"Even as the Alkimos plant begins its life, the Liberal-National Government has fully supported the development of another new scheme at East Rockingham, which will be required to meet growth in the south and be operational in 2015."

The Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Scheme was developed by the Water Corporation which worked with a private sector partnership, the Alkimos Water Alliance. The alliance comprised Brookfield Multiplex, Macmahon Contractors and Zublin Australia.