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:

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

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

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

Burwood Beach WWTW provides secondary treatment of wastewater. It currently treats wastewater for approximately 190,000 people.
Cessnock

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

Clarence Town has a population of about 800 people. It is located approximately 50 kilometres north of Newcastle and approximately 25 kilometres south of Dungog. Sewage collected from the residential area of the town is transported to the Clarence Town Waste Water Treatment Works located to the west of the town.
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

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

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

Helpful Information

Frequently Asked Questions
- What is wastewater?
  
  Answer
  
  Wastewater from individual houses, units and businesses enters a network of wastewater pipes that ultimately travel to a wastewater treatment facility, where it is processed.
  
  At our 19 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 Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
- 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 up to 5 million litres per year. Recycled water usage is supplied for:
  - Municipal Use - including local golf courses, a local trotting track and the Kurri TAFE.
  - Industrial Use - including Eraring Power Station and the Oceanic Coal Washery.
  - Agricultural Use - including local farmers, woodlots and the effluent reuse schemes at Clarence Town and Karuah Wastewater Treatment Works.