The upgrade will allow the Woodman Point Water Resource Recovery Facility to process 180 megalitres and 120 tonnes of organic matter daily. Photo: WA Water Corporation.
Work has commenced on a $238.5 million upgrade of Western Australia’s largest water resource recovery facility at Woodman Point in Munster.
The upgrade will allow the facility to sustainably convert wastewater into clean water, renewable energy and biosolids suitable for use in agriculture.
The work comprises installing new thermal hydrolysis pre-treatment technology, a new dewatered sludge reception facility, a new solids thickening and dewatering system and new odour treatment provisions.
The work is being performed by a joint venture between Clough and Jacobs Group Australia and is expected to be completed by mid-2026.
The Woodman Point Water Resource Recovery Facility collects and safely treats 150 million litres of wastewater daily from around 900,000 homes and businesses in Perth’s southern suburbs. Each day, it processes up to 78 tonnes of organic matter, which is treated to produce biosolids – a valuable resource used as safe, sustainable fertiliser in broadacre agriculture.
Enhanced energy recovery technology will enable the facility to capture and reuse more biogas – mostly methane, which is naturally produced during treatment – as a renewable energy source.
The upgrade will allow it to treat up to 180 megalitres and 120 tonnes of organic matter daily to keep pace with the growing population.
WA Water Minister Simone McGurk said people often don’t consider what happens to water once it’s flushed away, but there is considerable innovation in how Water Corporation treats, recycles and repurposes wastewater.
“The Woodman Point Water Resource Recovery Facility is a key piece of infrastructure servicing more than 900,000 homes and businesses in Perth’s south, and now it will set a new benchmark in sustainable resource recovery too,” she said.
“This $238.5 million investment by the Cook Government will create hundreds of jobs and help meet the needs of a growing population while reducing emissions, improving efficiency and promoting wastewater as a valuable resource.
“Nearly half the plant’s energy needs will be generated on-site, which is another significant step towards Water Corporation’s target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.”
Cockburn MLA David Scaife said the facility plays an important role in servicing the community of Cockburn and beyond.
“As the largest water resource recovery facility in WA, these upgrades will ensure it can meet the needs of the community in an efficient and sustainable way,” he said.
“Importantly, this project will cater for population growth in Perth’s booming southern corridor well into the future.”
