Completed Minor Projects
Grey Water Upgrade
| Project: | Grey Water Upgrade |
|---|---|
| School/Division: | Division of Facilities Management |
| Location: | Albury-Wodonga Campus |
| Project cost: | $106,000 |
| Project Status: | Completed November 2008 |
| Project contact: | Neil Wright (newright@csu.edu.au) |
Project Brief
Background
The Albury-Wodonga Campus of Charles Sturt University was established in 1996 with the following philosophies:-
- regulatory compliance
- low energy consumption
- water conservation and re-use
- resource management
- environmental sustainability
- environmentally sensitive design
- teaching and research associated with these philosophies.
Initiatives that were incorporated in the design and development of facilities which are consistent with the avove philosophies were:
- installation of rainwater tanks at all buildings
- installation of dry composting toilets at the student accommodation and teaching facilities
- collection of grey water from these buildings and treatment in wetlands and evapo-transpiration areas
- re-use of water collected for sit irrigation, utilising a high level storage and solar powered pumps
Grey water from the campus and residential accommodation is collected and treated in three wetland systems:-
- Residential Precinct Wetlands - servicing 48 bed cottages. Soon to be 248 in 2009.
- Learning Precinct Wetlands - servicing learning precinct. Currently being upgraded to maximise the recovery of reclaimed water for site and landscape irrigation.
- Academic Precinct Wetlands - servicing the academic precinct.
Sine construction all three wetland systems have experienced operational difficulties. There are a number of reasons for the variable treatment performance, including:-
- manual operation of valves to fill and drain wetlands
- operational problems with the treatment system serving the residential block including overloading and inability to handle wet weather flows.
- hydraulic (flow) problems (inadequate fall across units) with the wetlands serving the academic precinct
- lack of flow to wetlands during vacation periods
- inlet blockages (inflows are not screened).
Grey Water Upgrade Project
The University obtained a Community Water Grant in 2007 to improve the operating performance of the Learning Precinct Wetland (Stage 1). A new grey water pond was constructed at the site of the learning precinct pond using as much of the existing infrastructure as possible. Additional work also involved:
- Raising inflow pipes to ponds,
- Raising base of primary ponds to increase flow into secondary pond,
- Constructing a drain from secondary pond into existing contour drain,
- Installing sediment removal system at inflow pipes,
- Installing devices to control inflow/outflow and allow sampling of water for analysis.
The water related by this pond will flow to the wetlands system for collection, further treatment and reuse.
Anticipated results include:
- Improvement in system performance,
- Prevention of blockages that interrupt normal function,
- Maximising the recovery of reclaimed water for site and landscape irrigation,
- Recovering and treating grey water form the new residential village.
The intent of this project is to not only restore the wetland but also to provide a valuable research and demonstration project.
Consultants
Design Engineers: DLM Consultants
Engineers: Eslers & Associates
Managing Contractors: Zauner Constructions