Aqwest is planning to build and operate the Bunbury Water Resource Recovery Scheme (BWRRS) which will be capable of treating and distributing up to 2 gigalitres (GL) of water per year from Water Corporation's existing Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The scheme will consist of a Recycled Water Treatment Plant (RWTP) and associated pipework with the ability for expansion to a Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) scheme in the future.
This project strongly aligns with the Western Australian Government’s Climate Policy (DWER, November 2020), which names Aqwest as a lead agency to “Invest in [regional] water infrastructure and water recycling to enhance security, efficiency and resilience of community water schemes”. Similarly, Aqwest will be a key stakeholder and leader in the WA Government’s water security sector adaptation plan under the soon-to-be-legislated Climate Change Act (DWER, September 2023).
The BWRRS will provide local jobs through the construction of a fit-for-purpose recycled water scheme that will be used for:
mitigating the impacts of climate change in relation to critical water resources
reducing ocean discharge of treated effluent
reducing freshwater resource use
maintaining ground water supplies for critical uses (e.g., drinking water)
providing an environmentally sustainable method of maintaining community amenities during summer
facilitating future major capital construction projects in the region to support economic growth
limit the requirement to develop future water sources such as desalination
future expansion to a MAR scheme that will replenish local aquifers
