Lagoon to be desludged
One of the storage lagoons at the Warragul wastewater treatment plant is almost full and will be emptied over the next few months.
The lagoon stores semi-solid matter left over from the wastewater treatment process, known as sewage sludge or biosolids.
Between August and November, the sludge will be dredged out of the lagoon, de-watered and then transported to Gippsland Water’s soil and organic recycling facility for composting.
About 10,000 cubic meters of sludge will be transported from the treatment plant on Albert Rd to Dutson Downs, near Sale, in B-Double trucks. The trucks will enter and exit the treatment plant between 8am and 4pm on weekdays.
Gippsland Water encouraged all drivers on Albert Road to take extra care while the works are being carried out. The trucks will move slowly as they manoeuvre around the tight corner at the entrance to the plant and may take up extra room on the road.
The contractor completing the de-sludging work will take appropriate measures to mitigate the potential for noise and odour throughout the process. The liquids extracted from the sludge will be captured and treated on site.
The lagoon has not been emptied since the current wastewater treatment plant was constructed about 20 years ago.
Gippsland Water said the lagoon must be emptied to enable the treatment plant to continue to function.
“In the normal course of operations the sludge is compressed to squeeze out excess liquid and then composted, but on occasion, the sludge must be stored in the lagoon,” a Gippsland Water spokesperson said.