Wastewater Treatment Works

Wastewater from households, commercial premises, schools, hospitals and industry enter a network of wastewater pipes that all ultimately lead to a wastewater treatment facility.

Hunter Water operates a number of wastewater treatment works (WWTW) at:

  1. Belmont

    The Belmont Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) serves the areas of the eastern side of Lake Macquarie from Charlestown and Redhead in the North, to Swansea in the South.
  • Boulder Bay WWTW

    Boulder Bay

    Originally built in 1994, the Boulder Bay Wastewater Treatment Works is an ocean outfall plant which serves the communities of Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Dutchmans Bay, Corlette, Fishermans Bay, Boat Harbour, Anna Bay and Salamander Bay.
  • Branxton WWTW

    Branxton

    Branxton Wastewater Treatment Works currently treats one Megalitre per day and can handle wastewater from a population equivalent to 5,000 people.
  • Burwood Beach Thumbnail

    Burwood Beach

    Burwood Beach WWTW provides secondary treatment of wastewater. It can handle wastewater from a population equivalent to 180,000 people.

  • Cessnock

    The Cessnock Wastewater Treatment Works serves the communities of Cessnock, Aberdare, Bellbird and Nulkaba. It currently treats 5.8 Megalitres per day.

  • Dora Creek

    Dora Creek WWTW currently treats 3.1 megalitres of effluent per day and can handle wastewater from a population equivalent to 48,000 people.
  • Dungog Wastewater Treatment Works

    Dungog

    Dungog Wastewater Treatment Works serves the township of Dungog, treating 0.52 megalitres per day.
  • Edgeworth Watsewater Treatment Works

    Edgeworth

    Edgeworth WWTW serves the communities of Charlestown, Hillsborough, Cardiff, Boolaroo, Speers Point, Glendale, Edgeworth, Barnsley and Killingworth.
  • Farley WWTW

    Farley

    Farley Wastewater Treatment Works treats 5.6 megalitres per day of effluent and can handle wastewater from a population equivalent to 50,000 people.

  • Karuah

    Karuah Wastewater Treatment Works currently treats 0.34 Megalitres per day and can handle wastewater from a population equivalent to 1450 people.

    • Frequently Asked Questions

      • What is wastewater?

        Answer

        Wastewater from individual houses, units and businesses enters a network of wastewater pipes that all ultimately travel to a wastewater treatment facility, where it is processed.

        At our 18 wastewater treatment works we treat the wastewater before it is reused or discharged to rivers or oceans in accordance with strict licence conditions issued by the Office Environment and Heritage (OEH).

        Wastewater is treated to a very high standard and clear effluent is discharged to waterways or reused where it is economically and environmentally beneficial.

      • How does Hunter Water treat wastewater?

        Answer

        Our wastewater treatment processes rely on both biological processes and chemical processes to treat wastewater to an acceptable quality for discharge into local waterways or the ocean.

        Our treatment processes differ at each site in small ways, but can be broadly split into:

        • inlet works
        • biological treatment
        • chemical treatment
        • biosolids handling
        • effluent disinfection (for inland wastewater treatment works)

      • What does Hunter Water currently supply treated, recycled water for?

        Answer

        We recycle approximately 5091ML (5091 million litres) per year. Recycled water usage is supplied for:

        • Residential Use -  including three land developments at Thornton North, Gilleston Heights and Coorangbong North.
        • Irrigation Use - including local golf courses, a local trotting track and the Kurri TAFE using approximately 469ML of recycled water per year.
        • Industrial Use - including Eraring Power Station and the Oceanic Coal Washery using approximately 2061ML of recycled water per year.
        • Agricultural Use - including local farmers, woodlots and the Karuah Effluent Reuse Enterprise using approximately 341ML of recycled water per year.

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