ICON Water have announced price rises and upgrades to their water treatment plants.

The utility is commencing a major capital investment into both of Canberra’s water treatment plants which will see the upgrade of their disinfection systems – installing new chlorine gas disinfection systems—for the water supply for the ACT and the region.

The project will replace the outdated disinfection equipment at the two water treatment plants, Mt Stromlo Water Treatment Plant, and Googong Water Treatment Plant, and will use the most advanced technologies that are available for drinking water supply.

Global leader in water technology, Evoqua Water Technologies have been engaged as design and construct contractors to lead the project, and are currently working on designing the new systems, construction of which is expected to start later in 2016.

Kimberly Lippmeier, Acting Operations Manager at Icon Water said that the project was an important one for Icon Water and would enhance both safety and technology aspects at the plants, and it would provide major benefits in the operations of each of the plant.

“The project will renew all mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control equipment associated with the dosing of chlorine at both plants,” Kimberly said.

“The upgrades will importantly provide the opportunity for us to contemporise the systems at both plants to ensure they are safer and easier to operate.”

“The new chlorine system will have the added safety benefit of being “gas offtake” instead of the existing “liquid offtake” which effectively decreases the consequences of a chlorine leak and will reduce the potential exposure to chlorine of Icon Water staff and contractors, which is important.”

Most of the existing equipment was originally installed around 20 years ago and Evoqua will replace the complete chlorination system at both sites, from drum storage, all the way to the chlorine dosing sparges. The estimated project costs currently being finalised and completion date is November 2017.

Additionally, from July 1, water and sewerage prices will slightly increase which will mean a change for an average residential customer* of around $0.17 a week, or around $2 on their quarterly bill.

On average, water bills will increase by 0.4% and sewerage bills will increase by 1.2%. These price changes have been approved by the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and will enable Icon Water to continue to supply Canberra with top quality water and sewerage services.

* A typical Canberra household consumes around 200kL of water per year.

[Photo by Marcus Fillinger]