West Byron STP
Byron Shire Council: West Byron Constructed Wetland, Byron Bay
Effluent treatment, biodiversity, rehabilitation and reuse
The rapidly developing community of Byron Bay faced serious issues in managing the town’s wastewater. The community had expressed strong support for effluent re-use and opposition to ocean outfalls. However reuse opportunities in agriculture were scarce, and a normal land-based effluent discharge would impact on the environmentally sensitive Belongil Estuary, an intermittently closed estuarine lagoon.
Challenges
- Increase in effluent flows
- Large scale effluent irrigation impractical
- Acid sulfate soils pollution
- Community demand for sustainable eco-friendly solution
Our role
- Design of constructed wetlands
- Design of wildlife area
- Preliminary design of wetland reuse area (carbon sink)
- Control of acid soils
- Management advice for downstream estuary
Outcomes
- Healthier estuary (measured reduction in nutrients)
- Carbon sequestration on 24ha
- Acidity neutralised
- Award-winning system built
Our Solution
A wetland-based system design was developed to complement a new BNR treatment plant and produce near-natural quality outflow water, with some evapotranspiration in the 17ha of constructed treatment wetlands. A 24ha trial site using native wetland forest for evapotranspiration was added. A 3.5ha biodiversity wetland was developed in the centre of the effluent management complex. The design provided for the West Byron constructed wetland system was derived from rehabilitation of ‘first generation’ wetlands, global wetland research and development, and advanced modelling.
Byron Shire Council: West Byron Biodiversity Wetland, Byron Bay
An area previously developed for flood management had evolved into a periodically-valuable habitat mainly for waterbirds and waders, but seepage and evaporation resulted in decreased vegetation and associated habitat at times.
Our Solution
The system was re-designed and managed for increased biodiversity values during 2000-04. The EIS for the larger project then identified a need to formalise and protect the habitat wetland further. A management plan was written that included topping up the system with treated effluent when required, along with mudflat creation and setting of water level ranges and operator guidelines.
Outcomes
The biodiversity wetland now uses effluent treated through the large constructed wetlands to maintain hydrology, and protect threatened bird species (Comb-crested Jacana and Black-necked Stork). In addition, the system has been further developed for high diversity through niche habitats, diverse food supply, shelter and nesting material.
An ornithologist has identified over 200 bird species on the site and it is common to see threatened species. This wetland is highly valued by the community and an education facility has been erected for guided tours and education program at the site, along with a popular bird hide.