ProsPect (New South Wales, Australia)

Water Filtration plant

ProsPect (New South Wales, Australia)

Water Filtration plant

Project detailsThe Prospect Water Filtration Plant was opened by the Premier of New South Wales, the Honourable Bob Carr, on the 4th of November 1996.

The plant was built under a 25 year Build, Own and Operate contract between Sydney Water Corporation, and the Prospect Water Partnership, a consortium consisting of Lyonnaise des Eaux (now SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT), Ondeo and Unisuper. Degrémont (a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT) is the plant operator.

The project manager during construction was Civil & Civic, now trading as Bovis Lend Lease, and the principal designer was the Prospect Water Group, a joint venture of Australian Consultants CMPS&F and Sinclair Knight Mertz.

Technical Innovationplant HydraulicsPlant location and layout meant that only 5.2m of head was available to allow gravity flow to be maintained throughout the Plant. Several innovations in the passive flow control systems were incorporated resulting in:

• Excellent level of accuracy in flow split to each filter, plus or minus 2%

• Even flow conditions past chemical dosing points, maximising chemical usage efficiency and filter yields

• Minimal headloss

• Plant layout rationalisation resulting in construction cost savings of approximately $40 million

Chemical MixingThe sheer size of the four contact channels, each over 4m wide and 6m deep and the low head available, meant that innovative solutions for chemical mixing systems had to be developed to ensure rapid and even dispersion and efficiency. Hydraulic flash mixing was developed on a scale never before attempted. The result was:

• Full chemical dispersion across the channel within one second resulting in highly efficient coagulation

• Minimum chemical consumption.

FiltersAt Prospect, solids removal occurs directly on the filters, eliminating the need for a sedimentation stage. However, to achieve adequate filter runs, major innovations in filter design were required. The result is filters:

• With a filtration rate of 24m/hour, which is double the previous average for conventional filters

• That are among the world’s largest, with an individual bed size of almost 240m2

• Have the highest capacity per m3 of any in the world

In addition, an innovative non-expanded bed backwashing system with simultaneous air and water backwash was incorporated into the filter system.

The outcome has been:

• Treated water of a quality that has consistently and substantially exceeded contractual requirements

• Improved filter yields

• 50% less backwash water used over conventional expanded backwash system.

the Prospect Water Filtration Plant is recognised as one of the world’s largest water filtration plants, with a capacity to provide drinking water to 80 per cent of sydney’s population – 3.5 million people. Located at Prospect reservoir some 15 kilometres west of sydney’s cBD, the Prospect Plant operates 24 hours a day and uses innovative water filtration techniques to purify the water. It can currently filter up to three billion litres of water a day.

the Plant provides sydney with high quality drinking water that complies with Australian Drinking Water Guidelines published by the National Health and Medical research council.

Operational ReliabilityTo achieve an extremely comprehensive level of operational reliability, a highly automated process and management system was incorporated into the Plant. The inherent flexibility in being able to adapt to change, has also allowed the plant to operate at maximum efficiency.

Innovation in the Delivery ProcessConstruction / project ManagementConstruction of the plant was completed:

• 6 months ahead of schedule

• Within budget

• Overcoming major site limitations to produce a very compact and cost effective plant

environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental sustainability was a key concern at Prospect from the beginning. The following practices were adopted:

• An Environmental Management Plan outlining agreed standards was implemented and reviewed before construction commenced

• All workers receive environmental training as part of their site induction

• Very effective silk curtains were developed, preventing sediments entering Prospect Reservoir

Quality assurance SystemsThe Plant complied with the requirements of ISO 9001 during construction, and has since been certified ISO 14000 and ISO 9002 for operation as well as obtaining the NSCA 5 star safety rating.

CommissioningThe commissioning process, based on a 30 day Operating Trial, was completed without a single failed day, and was described by Sydney Water as exemplary.

Human resource ManagementAn innovative human resource management (HRM) system was developed which is based on:

• Self directed and cross functional teams focused on continuous improvement

• Multi-skilled

• Empowered staff with a customer focus

• Remuneration system based on annualized salary

• A flat management structure with only four levels from Plant Technicians to Managing Director

• A fully autonomous site. The result has been high job satisfaction, and excellent relations with trade unions, including ratification of an Enterprise Agreement by the Australian Services Union.

operationsThe Plant is performing even better than expected.

• The average treated water quality has been consistently better than the quality required in the contract;

• The Plant has been operating efficiently since commissioning, with operating costs within budget; and an excellent operating reliability track record.

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tel: +61 (0)2 8759 7900

FaX: +61 (0)2 9332 6882

WWW.DeGreMont.CoM.aU

Warragamba Pipelines

1. Warragamba Pre Chlorination2. Pre Oxidation3. ph Adjustment / Filtered Supermatant Return4. Pre Chlorination (Prospect)5. Ferric Chloride6. Catonic Ploymer / Lime Water7. Non Ionic Polymer (NIP)8. ph Adjustment9. Chlorine / Floride10. Chlorine11. Ammonia12. Anionic polymer13. Ferric Chloride / Catonic Polymer / NIP14. NIP

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ProsPect (Wetherill Park, NSW, Australia)

Characteristics

Raw water criteria

Treated water

objectives

Treated water

criteria

Capacity up to 3,000 MLD

Filtration rate up to 24 m/h

Turbidity (NTU)

Max 40 <0.1 <0.5

True Colour (HU)

Max 60 <5 <10

Alkalinity (mg/l as CaCO3)

21 – 45

pH 6.27 – 7.87 7.7 7.5 – 7.9

Chlorine Residual (mg/l)

1.7 1.5 – 1.9

Chlorine: Ammonia

4:13.7:

1 – 4.3:1

Algae (ASU/ml)

1000Compliance

with Guidelines

Compliance with

Guidelines