Commonwealth funding for wastewater treatment projects

The Federal Government is contributing $20 million over the next three years to fund Western Australian demonstrations of Australian-developed wastewater treatment technology, and innovative approaches to wastewater management.

Health, Housing and Community Services Minister, Mr Brian Howe, the Federal Minister for the Environment, Mrs Ros Kelly, and the Western Australian Premier, Dr Carmen Lawrence said this today when providing details of the Prime Minister's announcement in the 'One Nation' statement that $20 million would be available for sewerage in Western Australia.

Mr Howe, Mrs Kelly and Dr Lawrence said that $8 million would be spent on pilot sewerage and wastewater treatment projects designed to test the effectiveness of new technology.

These projects include an artificial wetland in Bayswater, the Rottnest Island sewerage system, trial filtration equipment at the Water Authority's Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant and a pilot industrial wastewater treatment plant at the proposed Coogee Biotechnology Park.

Mr Howe, Mrs Kelly and Dr Lawrence said that the projects had been selected to address environmental and urban development issues and to facilitate the advancement of Australian technology.

"The projects not only help Western Australia overcome some of its sewerage problems but provide a showcase for private companies to demonstrate new environmental technology that may be appropriate in overseas markets," they said.

Work will include an evaluation of the projects, with a view to applying the successful technology and practices elsewhere in Australia and overseas.

An additional $12 million would be spent to demonstrate innovative wastewater management practices and provide infill sewerage to 1,348 unsewered lots in the Perth suburbs of Innaloo, Kewdale and Shelley. Innaloo and Kewdale were targeted because of their potential for denser urban development, currently being hampered through lack of sewerage. Kewdale and Shelley are also close to the Swan and Canning Rivers, providing the additional benefit of preventing septic tank effluent from seeping into the groundwater and eventually on into the Swan River.

The infill sewerage work in these three suburbs is in addition to monies already programmed by the Water Authority in its on-going infill sewerage program. Approximately 25 per cent of Perth is unsewered.