The first of its kind in Victoria, the scheme involved pumping treated water from Werribee Salt Reduction Plant through a series of underground pipe networks into a below ground aquifer for future use by customers in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

The bore field consisted of five 150m deep bores that allow water to be injected into a below ground depleted aquifer. Two bores were equipped with recovery pumps suspended within the bores to allow the bores back-flush to waste periodically, and to pump the treated water in the aquifer to a large holding tank within the recycled water distribution system.

The project involved complex works and shut downs within an existing brownfield treatment plant, including HV installations, a chemical dosing system, large diameter pipework and intricate electrical and SCADA works. The entire system has been proven to operate manually, locally from site controls and remotely from City West Water’s control centre.