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: Byron Bay Effluent Reuse Project : Constructed Wetlands : Malabugilmah Treatment Wetlands : The North Coast Mop Crop Project Byron Bay Effluent Reuse Project
Byron Effluent Reuse Wetland Every time you flush a toilet in Byron Bay, think of Ecotechnology Australia. Our Chief Ecotechnologist, Dr Bolton, was the Scientific Coordinator and Project Manager of the 24 ha Byron Effluent Reuse Wetland, a collaborative project between Southern Cross University and Byron Shire Council. 750,000 paperbark trees were hand planted to reuse and polish Byron Bay’s sewage effluent. As the effluent passes through the wetland, the trees pump water into the atmosphere, reducing the hydraulic load on Byron’s waterways. Effluent that does make its way into the surrounding area is polished and primed, making it much safer for environmental discharge. Dr Bolton and his colleagues also demonstrated that effluent can be used to manage acid sulfate soil and to regenerate a degraded wetland. The Byron Effluent Reuse Wetland has become an important habitat for a diverse range of local wildlife, and is rapidly becoming a major tourist attraction. ETA is now helping other local Councils to develop similar wetlands to turn their effluence into affluence. This is about turning effluent into affluence.
Constructed Wetlands
Malabugilmah Treatment Wetlands
Malabugilmah Treatment Wetlands and Football Field Malabugilmah Village is a remote Community in Clarence Valley where Jayson Winmill (ETA’s On-Site Watercycling Manager) and Keith Bolton (ETA’s Chief Ecotechnologist) have spent much of their time. When Keith was introduced to the Community in late 2004, he noted serious failures in the existing sewage treatment works, which could be linked to health issues within the community. During brainstorming sessions with the Community, other issues were identified including the lack of sports facilities, high unemployment, and few educational and training prospects. However, a number of opportunities were also identified: there was a regular stream of resourcewater (17.5 kL per day), a willing workforce, and a great place to build a football field. In collaboration with the Community, ETA came up with a solution: • Treat the effluent to a high quality using constructed wetlands. • Build a football field to irrigate with effluent • Employ and train Community members during the entire process. At the time of writing this script (August 2006), the wetland system and the football field have just been completed after four months of full time project supervision by Jayson and Keith. The benefits of this project exceed the installation of new infrastructure. The football field is set to become a major focal point for Malabugilmah and neighbouring Communities, which has already produced football-turned-boxing star Anthony Mundine. Community members have received certified training, and are now gaining employment in other projects. Ecotechnology Australia and Southern Cross University intern students will be monitoring the performance of the wetland as it becomes established, providing ongoing educational outcomes. ETA continues to work with remote Communities to turn wastewater into resourcewater, community effluence into community affluence.
The North Coast Mop Crop Project
SignificanceThe North Coast Mop-Crop Project.“There is no such thing as wastewater, there is only resourcewater”. This is a core ETA philosophy that Chief Ecotechnologist Dr Keith Bolton drew strongly upon when he dreamed up the North Coast Mop Crop Project. Effluent contains some of our most scarce resources – water and nutrients. Ironically, most of Australia’s resourcewater is dumped into local waterways, causing harm to these aquatic ecosystems. Buoyed by the success of the Byron Effluent Reuse Wetland, Dr Bolton brought together local councils, Southern Cross University and rural industries to create sewage farms to recycle the valuable resources in sewage effluent. Dr Bolton and fellow researchers cultivated fibre crops – including the well publicised hemp crops – and irrigated them with effluent from sewage treatment plants. It was no surprise that all crops had exceptional growth rates, especially hemp, which produced 23 tonnes dry material per hectare in just 110 days! North Coast Councils are now establishing sewage farms. ETA continues to provide consultancy services based on extensive on-ground experience to help local Councils to turn their effluence into affluence.
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