Sports ground gets a solar-powered sewer

Solar technology is being used to power a pressure sewer system at the Truemans Road Recreation Reserve on the Mornington Peninsula, futureproofing sports club facilities for the local community and opening up new possibilities for the provision of wastewater facilities in remote areas.

The milestone comes courtesy of South East Water’s Peninsula ECO project, which involves the connection of more than 16,500 properties on the Mornington Peninsula to an intelligent pressure sewer network that is able to cope with the region’s peak season usage. It is also tackling the issue of failing septic tanks, which can cause pollution of groundwater and waterways.

With Mornington Peninsula Shire Council facing repairs to an ageing septic tank system serving the reserve’s busy club rooms, South East Water saw an opportunity to showcase its solar-powered pressure sewer technology, which uses solar PV panels as the source of energy for the pressure sewer pump and OneBox controller. Flows are remotely managed on an individual property basis, removing peaks and troughs and enabling the use of smaller pipes.

The project successfully demonstrated that solar power supported by battery technology can be used to pump wastewater from the pressure sewer holding tank to the reticulated network and on to the water recycling plant, regardless of the time of day or season. For council, the result is a reliable, cost-effective reticulated sewer connection located off the electricity grid, minimising construction and operating costs and freeing up more space in the reserve.

“The use of solar-powered, intelligent sewer technology will deliver significant benefits for residents of the Mornington Peninsula by extending access to pressure sewerage services,” said Member for Eastern Victoria Daniel Mulino. “This cutting-edge technology will also result in gains for the environment as more equipment will be powered by renewable energy.”

Kevin Hutchings, managing director for South East Water, added that the project highlights the benefits that solar-powered pressure sewer technology can deliver in remote and rural communities.

“Areas with unreliable power, or no power at all, can still take advantage of pressure sewer technology and the environmental and cost benefits it delivers,” he said. “It’s an important step forward in improving the livability and sustainability of our communities.”

Image caption: Charlie Littlefair, General Manager for Asset Creation at South East Water, Councillor Antonella Celi of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Daniel Mulino MP, Member for Eastern Victoria, with members of the local soccer and cricket clubs that will benefit from the solar-powered sewer installation.