Kurri Kurri WWTW is an operational wastewater treatment plant owned by Hunter Water and operated by Veolia. The Kurri Kurri WWTW accepts wastewater from Kurri Kurri and surrounding areas. It provides treatment of approximately five megalitres of wastewater per day.

The area surrounding the WWTW is vegetated (see REF). The Hunter Expressway occurs approximately 250m north of the WWTW ponds.

The Loxford residential area is located approximately 500m north of the site and is separated from the development area by bushland and the expressway. Residential areas and a school occur approximately 300m south on Northcote Street. The location of the nearest waterways is Swamp Creek.

The two effluent ponds to be cleaned of biosolids under this contract were constructed in 1989 and have not been used for waste water treatment for more than seven years, both are isolated from the wastewater treatment process.

A small pond is located at the Northern end of Maturation Pond 1. This pond supplies recycled water to the Kurri Kurri TAFE. Work within the TAFE pond is excluded from this contract. The contractor is to conduct works so that the operation of this pond and the supply of water to Kurri Kurri TAFE is not interrupted.

The Kurri Kurri WWTW will at all times be operational for the duration of this contract. The Contractor must undertake the activities required under this contract so as to not interfere with the day to day operation of the Kurri Kurri WWTW.

At January 2016 there was approximately 0.5 m of standing rain water in Pond 2 and no water in Pond 1. The amount of standing water in the ponds is variable due to rainfall. The ponds are predicted to contain biosolids to a depth of 400 mm (based on survey results).

Veolia undertook grading of the biosolids in the pond in accordance with the NSW EPA Biosolids guidelines. The test results indicated that the sludge would be Grade E due to Mercury levels and therefore unsuitable for reuse. (See Technical Specifications).

The operation of WWTW is subject to Environment Protection Licence issued by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) under Section 55 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. The contractor should consider the requirements of this licence at each plant.

The Contractor must also comply with the requirements of the EPA Biosolids Reuse Guidelines and any other relevant regulations or guidelines.