Tender for making oil from sludge at Subiaco plant approved

25/10/96

A $22.4 million tender to make oil from sludge at the Subiaco waste water treatment plant has been approved by Water Resources Minister Roger Nicholls.

It will be the first plant in the world to use this process.

"It is a huge step into new technology," Mr Nicholls said.

Perth-based Environmental Solutions International Ltd (ESI) will supply the technology and the plant will be constructed by ESI in a joint venture with Clough Engineering Ltd.

The ESI/Clough tender was evaluated for several months by Water Corporation experts before the final decision was made to spearhead the introduction of new technology.

The oil-from-sludge process - known as Enersludge - will reduce odours from the plant and produce a diesel-grade oil which will be used on-site to produce enough electricity to save the Water Corporation more than $500,000 a year.

This will be enough to cover the $22.4 million cost over the life of the plant which was expected to be operational until 2040.

ESI/Clough will start building the plant early next year and it is expected that the Enersludge process will be operating late in 1998.

"Residents in Subiaco and Shenton Park will be pleased to see progress in the reduction of the long-standing odour problem," Mr Nicholls said.

The present sludge treatment process is carried out partly in open sludge digester tanks and the resultant odours are carried for long distances.

The Enersludge process will occur in a specially built facility and the flow of air in and out of the facility will be tightly controlled.

Other benefits of the Enersludge process are that it recycles all sludge, produces by-products available for use on the site, destroys all human pathogens and viruses, destroys organochlorine compounds, immobilises heavy metals, has low greenhouse gas emissions and eliminates the potential for contaminating ground water.

Media contact: Hugh Ryan 322 6529

Roger Nicholls 581 5333