WMA is providing Townsville and Magnetic Island with an environmentally responsible wastewater management network that will ensure our natural environment is protected and preserved for future generations.
The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is a marine haven for millions of plants and animals and is of major natural significance to not only Townsville but the entire country and the world. The area spreads across 347,800 square kms from the top of Cape York to just north of Fraser Island. Townsville and Magnetic Island lie right at its front door.
This unique ecosystem is home to more than 1500 species of fish, a third of the world's soft coral species, marine turtles and their breeding grounds, coral reefs and seagrass beds, but sadly, faces many threats.
The Water Matters program has equipped our city with state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facilities to promote greater reuse and reduce the amount of treated wastewater flowing into this area. The new treatment facility at Horseshoe Bay has average operational requirements of less than 10 milligrams of nitrogen per litre and less than 3 milligrams of phosphorus per litre. This provides a great improvement when compared to the previous facility, which operated at approximately 24 milligrams of nitrogen and 6 milligrams of phosphorus per litre.
Council is committed to ensuring the protection of our valuable natural environment by providing and promoting responsible wastewater management and recycled water reuse.
Improving our wastewater treatment facilities means we can better protect our fragile marine environment, promote greater recycled water reuse and provide higher quality treated wastewater in lower volumes for discharge into the environment.