This is a historical data record of the Victorian Wastewater testing program. Data contains results from October 2022.\r \r Testing of wastewater can show if SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – is present in a geographical area or population.\r \r Victoria conducts wastewater surveillance and uses testing results with other health data as part of our COVID-19 response.\r People who have or have recently had COVID-19 may shed fragments of the virus. These fragments can enter wastewater through toilets, bowls, sinks and drains. This viral shedding may come from different sources such as used tissues, off hands and skin, or in stools. This shedding may last for a number of weeks beyond when a person is infectious.\r \r Samples of wastewater are collected from treatment plants and in the sewer network, both in metropolitan and regional locations. These samples are analysed for fragments of coronavirus.\r \r If viral fragments are detected in the wastewater of an area where there have not been recent COVID-19 cases, local communities can be more vigilant, promptly seek clinical testing if symptomatic, and practise COVID-safe behaviours with increased vigilance.\r

This data provides daily accumulated inflow volumes for wastewater treatment at the two Melbourne Water site (Western and Eastern). This data is collected using network flow monitoring devices. This data has been processed and stored as official inflow volumes received by Melbourne Water over a 24 hour period (12am to 12am). Wastewater volume is the total accumulated flow received from the sewer and stormwater networks. This data set is best used in long and short term wastewater services demand analysis.
NOTE: Whilst every effort has been taken in collecting, validating and providing the attached data, Melbourne Water Corporation makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this data. Any person or group that uses this data does so at its own risk and should make their own assessment and investigations as to the suitability and/or application of the data. Melbourne Water Corporation shall not be liable in any way to any person or group for loss of any kind including damages, costs, interest, loss of profits or special loss or damage, arising from any use, error, inaccuracy, incompleteness or other defect in this data.

This experiment tested the effects of secondary treated sewage effluent on infauna assemblages that were collected 2km from a sewage outfall ('reference' assemblage). Twelve intact sediment cores were collected from this site on the Western Treatment Plant foreshore (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria) and brought back to the laboratory. Four cores were assigned to each of three treatments, which were low dose (3.5mls effluent per minute), high dose (7mls effluent per minute) or no dose of effluent. The experiment ran for 14 days in October 1997.

Throughout the experimental period, dissolved oxygen levels were measured and animals that migrated from the sediment were collected, counted and identified. At the end of the experiment, sediment chlorophyll levels were measured and infauna remaining in the sediment were counted and identified.

The Melbourne Water Corporation (Melbourne Water) is undertaking the construction of Werribee Western Treatment Plant (WTP) Stage 2 Augmentation project in Victoria, Australia.The project involves the construction of a sewage treatment plant with the capacity of 140 million liters of sewage per day in two phases. The first phase involves the trial of three different technologies and approaches. The second phase includes the design and construction of a full-scale secondary sewage treatment plant at WTP, to be developed from the preferred treatment concept identified from the initial phase.The project includes the upgrade of pumps, handling, and out-loading facilities, electrical and control systems, the installation of new screens to improve wet weather performance and the construction of related facilities.In December 2014, Melbourne Water selected three joint ventures to participate in the trial phase of upgrading the project. The joint ventures are iN2ovate (a joint venture between John Holland, Aquatec-Maxcon and GHD Co); Organic Water (a joint venture between McConnell Dowell and DownerTenix, complemented by Organica Water, Inc. and CH2MHill); and Thiess-UGL-Jacobs joint venture.The joint ventures will have an opportunity to optimize designs and mitigate risk, and for Melbourne Water to refine its requirements and gain a better understanding of viable solutions. All three joint ventures will be undertaking pilot plant trials and onsite testing.The objective of this trial phase of the project is to select a preferred treatment technology for a plant upgrade of 140 million liters per day.The technology used by Organic Water and Thiess-UGL-Jacobs joint venture is yet to be revealed.In May 2015, iN2ovate, Organic Water, and Thiess-UGL-Jacobs have established their trial plants at WTP and have commenced operation.Over the 12 months time, they have collected analytical data and design information, to optimize their designs and mitigate risk. Simultaneously Melbourne Water started the process of refining its functional requirements and gains a better understanding of viable solutions.Veolia has been appointed as a lead consultant. Derek Gee Installations has been appointed as installation contractor.In the early third quarter of 2016, Melbourne Water issued the tenders for the design-build contractor. A list of undisclosed companies has already submitted their bids.On November 25, 2016, CPB Contractors, in a joint venture with UGL Ltd secured US$94 million design-build contract. The scope of the contract includes the design and construction of: > Construction of an influent system which will draw influent from the 55E Lagoon system> Construction of a nutrient (nitrogen) removal plant with a capacity to treat 140 million liters of sewage per day. > Construction of an effluent discharge system which will return treated effluent downstreamAfter the completion, the joint venture will also undertake the operations and maintenance of the plant for up to two years, until the end of 2020.In January 2017, construction works commenced on the project. Construction is underway and expected to be completed in late 2018. Read More