Goolwa Wastewater Treatment Plant, South Australia | Small Municipal Facility

The Goolwa wastewater treatment plant is located on Kessell Road in Goolwa, within the Alexandrina Council area of South Australia, Australia. It serves a population of about 5,058 residents, making it a small-scale municipal facility. The plant is operational and has a designed capacity of 1.00 megalitres per day. As a small agglomeration in Australia, the plant is subject to state and national wastewater regulations, including the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling and the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy. Plants of this scale typically employ secondary treatment processes such as activated sludge or lagoon systems to meet discharge standards. The plant's treated effluent is discharged into the local environment, which ultimately drains into the Murray River system and then to the Southern Ocean via the Murray Mouth near Goolwa. This region is ecologically sensitive, supporting diverse aquatic life and important migratory bird species. The plant plays a key role in protecting the water quality of the Lower Murray Lakes and Coorong area.

The Goolwa wastewater treatment plant discharges into the local watershed that feeds into the Murray River, Australia's longest river system. The river flows into Lake Alexandrina and then through the Murray Mouth into the Southern Ocean. This area is ecologically significant, supporting diverse aquatic habitats, migratory birds, and fish species. The plant's operations help protect the water quality of the Lower Murray Lakes and Coorong, a region of high conservation value.