Kooringal Wastewater Treatment Plant, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales

Kooringal wastewater treatment plant is located on Vincent Road, Lake Albert, within Wagga Wagga City Council, New South Wales, Australia. The plant serves a population of approximately 27,742 and is classified as a medium-sized municipal facility. It operates under the regulatory framework of the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, which enforces the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997. As an operational plant, Kooringal provides secondary treatment in line with Australian guidelines for wastewater management. The plant's capacity and treatment processes are designed to meet local environmental standards, ensuring compliance with discharge limits set by the state regulator. For agglomerations of this scale, typical treatment includes biological processes to reduce organic matter and nutrients. The treated effluent is discharged into the Murrumbidgee River catchment, which flows into the Murray River and ultimately reaches the Southern Ocean. The plant plays a key role in protecting the local waterways, including Lake Albert and the surrounding wetlands, which support diverse aquatic life and are important for regional biodiversity.

Kooringal plant discharges into the Murrumbidgee River catchment, part of the Murray-Darling Basin, one of Australia's most significant river systems. The basin supports extensive agricultural activity and provides habitat for native fish species such as Murray cod. Downstream, the Murrumbidgee joins the Murray River, which flows into the Southern Ocean via the Murray Mouth in South Australia. The plant's operations help maintain water quality in these ecologically sensitive waters.