Aquarevo, one of Australia’s most water-efficient communities, is about to get greener. A contract has been awarded for a new water recycling plant in Lyndhurst to reduce reliance on precious drinking water.
Victorian Government Minister for Planning and Member for Carrum, Sonya Kilkenny, officially announced that Hydroflux has been awarded the contract to design, build and operate the new Aquarevo Water Recycling Plant.
Using Australian-first technology, the plant will treat approximately 52 million litres of water per annum to Class A standard for each home within the Aquarevo housing estate for non-drinking purposes like toilet flushing, garden irrigation and washing machines.
The plant design will incorporate an organic food chain reactor made to look like a natural garden, allowing the plant to blend seamlessly into the residential development.
The energy-efficient treatment facility will also include a greenhouse and provide all the aesthetic and odour benefits of the organic process. It can treat 207kL of wastewater daily, the volume of an Olympic swimming pool in 12 days.
South East Water Managing Director Lara Olsen said Aquarevo is a fantastic working example of using an integrated water management approach to deliver water services and reduce urbanisation’s impact on water supplies and local environments.
“We’re excited to work with Hydroflux to deliver Australian-first water treatment services to our customers that will reduce reliance on previous drinking water across our network in Melbourne’s southeast,” said Olsen.
Construction is planned to start in early 2025, with the plant to be operational by late 2026.
Expanding recycled water infrastructure and diversifying water sources are important steps in securing future water supplies, a key objective outlined in the Government’s $56.6 million investment in the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy.
Aquarevo is a collaboration between South East Water and Villawood Properties to create a water—and energy-efficient urban housing development.
Aquarevo residents benefit from having three types of water plumbed straight to their homes (drinking water, rainwater and Class A recycled water) to reduce their reliance on drinking water by up to 70 per cent.
On average, homes within the Aquarevo estate will use 40 per cent less drinking water than typical homes in the South East Water network (with some achieving a reduction of around 60 per cent).
Aquarevo residents are also taking advantage of forward-thinking digital solutions that help them better control their water use and bills. This includes reducing their reliance on drinking water through fit-for-purpose use of recycled and rainwater.
The Aquarevo Water Recycling Plant will set a new benchmark nationally, given the enhanced community engagement in the estate to support the adoption of beneficial water reuse.
For more information, visit Aquarevo Water Recycling Plant | South East Water.
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