Assignment 1

CVEN30008 Engineering Risk Management

 Assignment 1

The Qualitative Risk Analysis Assignment

1 is based on the design and construction
of the “Tertiary Upgrade Project” for
Melbourne’s Eastern Sewage Treatment
Plant, which was successfully completed
in December 2012.

Note: Assignment 2 will also be related to a sewage

treatment process.

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What is a sewage treatment process?

Sewage treatment is the process of removing contaminants

from wastewater, primarily from household sewage. Physical,
chemical, and biological processes are used to remove
contaminants and produce treated wastewater (or treated
effluent) that is safer for the environment. A by-product of
sewage treatment is usually a semi-solid waste or slurry,
called sewage sludge. The sludge has to undergo further
treatment before being suitable for disposal or application to
land. (Wikipedia)

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WTP ETP
SEO

Eastern Treatment Plant Situation

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• Commissioned in 1975 and enhanced over time to meet changing community and customer
expectations:
− Capital and operating efficiency through innovation
− From treatment & disposal to sustainable resource management: shaping investment to
support integrated water management

• ETP today is one of Melbourne’s most diverse & complex assets:

− HV supply, on-site power generation, natural gas, biogas, heat recovery & various
service water systems
− Aerobic & anaerobic biological process, multiple solids streams
− Odour control, two major pumping stations, bulk chlorine facility, on-site oxygen
& ozone generation & LOX storage
− Integrated process control & energy management
− Treats 100% of flow to a very high quality using advanced treatment

Eastern Treatment Plant Situation

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• It serves ~1.6 million people, receives ~ 400 million litres per day
− 90% of this is residential wastewater
− 10% is commercial wastewater (but 30% of the load)
− 1,750 million litres per day peak flow
• Melbourne Water’s customers for wholesale sewage treatment are Retail Water Companies
• Produces treated water quality that :
− Protects sensitive receiving environment < 1 km from a major surf beach
− Is suitable for reuse in Class A applications (e.g. residential 3rd pipe)
• Pumps treated water via a 56 km pipeline to recycled water users or Bass Strait
• Supplies recycled water to two retail companies, TopAq and South East Water
• Produces roughly 40,000 tonnes of soil-like biosolids each year

Eastern Treatment Plant Situation

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The three stages of the sewage treatment process at
Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant:

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The three stages of the sewage treatment process at
Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant:

Primary treatment
Primary treatment physically removes pollutants from
sewage.
It involves:
> Using fine screens to filter out cotton buds, rags and other
rubbish
> Adding oxygen to so that fine particles like grit and sand
float letting heavy items sink to form a layer of sludge, in a
process called sedimentation
> The sludge and floating debris is pumped to large tanks
called digesters, where the temperature is controlled to help
decomposition.

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The three stages of the sewage treatment process at
Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant:

Secondary treatment
Secondary treatment uses different types of bacteria that
live in different environments: with oxygen (aerobic), and
without oxygen (anoxic). These break down organic material
and remove nutrients.
The sewage then passes through sedimentation tanks called
clarifiers, where more sludge settles to the bottom before
being sent to the digesters. This leaves clear, treated water
called secondary effluent, which flows on to large holding
basins.

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BASIC EASTERN TREATMENT PLANT FLOW DIAGRAM

ADVANCED TERTIARY TREATMENT PLANT FLOW DIAGRAM

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The three stages of the sewage treatment process at
Melbourne’s Eastern Treatment Plant:

Tertiary treatment
Tertiary treatment disinfects the water. Treated effluent is
pumped into the advanced tertiary treatment plant, where:

>Ozone, generated on site, is added to disinfect the water and reduce

colour and odour
>Biological filters with helpful bacteria break down any remaining
organic matter, oil, grease, foam, litter and solids
>Ammonia is reduced to very low levels to make chlorine disinfection
more effective, and minimise the impact on the environment where
effluent is released.
>Ultraviolet light provides further disinfection
>Chlorine is added for final disinfection

Some of the treated water is then used on-site or provided

to nearby customers as recycled water. The rest is released
into the ocean at Boags Rocks under strict conditions set by
EPA Victoria to protect the environment.
The sludge from earlier treatment stages is dried and stored
in large stockpiles, or reused as biosolids.

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Cape Schanck

Gunnamatta Beach

SEO discharge point at Boags Rocks

St Andrews Beach

Recycled water discharge situation.

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SEO discharge point at Boags Rocks

Recycled water discharge situation.

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South East Outfall Tunnel (SEO) – Transfer of Class A Recycled Water (previously Class C)

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Reasons for investing in the tertiary upgrade

• Particulate organic material supported

colonisation of exotic worms on the Rocks
• Visible discharge plume
• Effluent odour
• Foaming
• ‘Fat balls’
• Litter
• Community interest & concern

NB. Primary toxicant is ammonia

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Reasons for investing in the tertiary upgrade

Community interest & concern:

“Peninsular Surf riders Club” with support from “The Clean Ocean Foundation”

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Reasons for investing in the tertiary upgrade

• To address impacts of the current discharge on the receiving marine environment

• To produce high quality ‘fit-for-purpose’ recycled water for non-potable applications
• High degree of alignment between project objectives in support of integrated water cycle
management:
- Reduction in solids, colour, odour, + disinfection
- Higher quality recycled water is suitable for a broader range of end uses = increased
recycled water usage
- Increased diversion from the marine environment reduces residual impacts of the
discharge e.g. nitrogen load
- Class A recycled water offers best opportunity for potable substitution
• Recycled water treatment requirements & expectations have evolved over the life of the
project
• Continuous treatment technology innovation is both an enabler and a challenge/risk

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Decision-making process over more than 10 years

1996-1999 CSIRO Scientific Studies (environmantal impacts)

2001 EPAV Works Approval Submission for discharge at Boags Rocks
2001-2003 Review & Appeals
2003 EPAV Works Approval:
Ammonia Reduction -Tertiary Upgrade with Outfall Extension
2003-2006 MW Scientific Studies Recycling + EWRP
2006-2007 MWC Policy: Decision by 2009 & ETP Upgrade by 2012
2007 Ammonia Reduction works completed
2008-2012 Tertiary Technology Trials
2009 – 2010 EPAV Works Approval: Advanced Tertiary Upgrade without Outfall Extension
Independent Scientific Panel + Independent TBL Review = Recycling Business Cases declined
Early 2010 Business Case approved for tertiary upgrade proposal
March 2010 “Eastern Tertiary Alliance” formed for detailed design & construction
2010 Construction & Recycled Water approval processes for “fast-track” delivery method
December 2012 Tertiary Upgrade completed on time & on budget
December 2012 Recycled water approval achieved

NB. Many decisions were based on the Quantified Microbial Risk Assessment technique. (see Reference 1)

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Initial solution favoured by the Environmental Protection Agency, Victoria

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Melbourne
Water
options

Demonstration of Options to the Environmental Protection Agency

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Melbourne
Water
options

Demonstration of Options to the Environmental Protection Agency

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Demonstration of Proposal to EPAV.

• Internationally significant
• Explored limits & opportunities of existing
treatment technology
• Essential to demonstrating:
− treated water quality
− design parameters influencing option costs
• 38 permutations based on 22 unit processes
• Demonstrated Advanced Treatment could
address original drivers for Tertiary + Outfall Ext.
and produce high quality recycled water
• Synergies across treatment train delivers
multiple treatment benefits & optimal
investment

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Demonstration of Proposal to EPAV.
New process can turn this into this

• Consistently low ammonia = low marine toxicity • Residual foam formation potential - same as tap water

• Colour reduced by ~ 90% • Solids/turbidity reduced by ~ 90%

• Odour reduced by ~ 60-80% (plus residual odour character • Production of Class A recycled water - multiple barriers,
improved) >99.999% pathogen reduction

• Litter – eliminated

• Biological Foam – eliminated

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South East Outfall Tunnel (SEO) –

Hazard :
Potential for Bio-film on concrete surface
Reference 2 – Repurposing the SEO

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Project Elements

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 March 2010

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November 2011

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December 2012

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Fore-bay & Tertiary Supply Pump Station Interface Works

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Underground Pipe Work

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Ozone Area

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Biological Media Filters

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Chlorine Contact Basin

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Project Example Hazards for three Risk Owners involved in the Project:
Project Owner Project Designer Project Constructor (Contractor)

1 EPA approval is required in stages to Concrete will be exposed to a Large awkward lifts required (key
be defined as the project develops. corrosive environment. (key words words mobile cranes, rigging methods,
(key words fast-track construction). chloride attack on concrete) weather conditions)

2 Community is sensitive to the project Some wide-span structures have Operations labour force &
outcome. (key words community foundations in poor ground construction labour force working on
engagement, project delays, reputation) conditions. (key words ground adjacent sites. (key words managing
improvement techniques) labour relations)

3 Cost budget must be fixed at an early The bio-film in the SEO could Working in confined spaces. (key words
stage of project development. (key jeopardise the discharge quality. (See Worksafe Victoria))
words risk adjusted cost estimates, cost Reference 2 provided)
management)

4 Project must be completed quickly The chlorine disinfection process High rainfall events likely during the
by December 2012. (key words fast-track requires sufficient contact time with construction period. (key words
construction , time management). the effluent (key words management of construction site flood protection)
chlorine contact time)

5 EPA must be convinced to change The project will introduce a large Residential Neighbours (key words EPA
from its initial works instruction chlorine storage requirement. (key noise and EPA dust regulations)
issued to MWC( key words Eastern words, safety in design, HAZOPS process)
Treatment Plant Works Approval submission)

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This case study provides you with

experience based on a world class
project in the water sector.

Good luck with your assignment

CVEN30008 Engineering Risk Management