Water and Wastewater

West Camden Water Resource Recovery Facility - Stage 3

Location
Grasmere, New South Wales
Value
$200 million
Client
Sydney Water
Status
Complete
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About the project

BMD, in joint venture with Downer, delivered a critical upgrade to double the wastewater treatment capacity of the West Camden Water Resource Recovery Facility, supporting population growth in South West Sydney.

The project involved end-to-end delivery, including design, construction, commissioning and process proving. This upgrade unlocks the potential to develop up to 70,000 new homes in the region while providing high-quality recycled water for local agricultural and recreational use.

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Project scope

Construction of new inlet works

Installation of four new membrane bioreactor secondary treatment systems to manage increased influent loads and reduce effluent total nitrogen and total phosphorus in accordance with Sydney Water’s discharge licence

Upgrade of the biosolids handling, thickening, dewatering and outloading systems to accommodate increased biosolids production

Expansion of site-wide utilities and auxiliary services to support the new plant capacity and infrastructure

Construction of a second high-voltage feed to the plant and upgrade of internal electrical systems, including PLC and SCADA networks, to ensure reliable and modernised control and power distribution

Delivery of all associated civil works, including road and drainage upgrades

Commissioning, process proving and handover to Sydney Water Operations, followed by the safe decommissioning of redundant assets

Outcomes

The project successfully delivered the largest membrane bioreactors currently operating in the southern hemisphere, marking a major advancement in treatment capacity and showcasing industry-leading innovation.

New assets were constructed within a live operating plant requiring exceptional planning, coordination and risk management in a constrained brownfield environment.

The project integrated advanced digital tools including a common data environment for 3D modelling, virtual reality design reviews, and early vendor collaboration through BIM 360, a cloud-based platform for collaborative 3D design and project management. This approach allowed suppliers to directly contribute specifications and feedback – enhancing stakeholder coordination, streamlining the design process, improving constructability, reducing rework and delivering best-practice digital engineering.