Leeton Shire Council is undertaking a significant upgrade to the soda ash (sodium carbonate) dosing system at the Leeton Water Filtration Plant, which supplies the community with potable water. The plant has a design capacity of 25 megalitres per day (ML/d), with daily production typically ranging between 6ML/d and peaks of 15–17ML/d. Soda ash is a critical reagent used to adjust pH and alkalinity during treatment, ensuring compliance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG), particularly maintaining a final pH between 6.5 and 8.5.

The current soda ash system, now over 40 years old, is outdated and presents numerous reliability, safety, and efficiency concerns. It includes manual handling of 1000kg bulk bags, vacuum-loaded into a 500kg rooftop hopper that gravity-feeds a solution tank. Dosing rates vary from 3–9g/s (approximately 39mg/L), and daily soda ash usage ranges from 200–730kg.

This upgrade will deliver a fully integrated, modern, and robust turn-key chemical dosing solution designed to ensure long-term operational reliability, dosing precision, and compliance with health and safety requirements. The system will encompass chemical storage, handling, mixing, dosing, automation, integration with Council’s SCADA, and safety and maintenance features.