Coorong District Council

Within the Coorong District Council, two wastewater treatment plants designed and constructed by Factor UTB are currently in operation. These facilities provide centralised wastewater management for local communities, replacing reliance on septic systems and uncontrolled disposal. Both plants were engineered to meet the requirements of SA Health and the EPA, incorporating treatment
processes that consistently produce high-quality recycled water suitable for irrigation reuse.

Tailem Bend is a regional township located on the Murray River in South Australia, approximately 100 kilometres south-east of Adelaide. The town is strategically positioned on the Princes Highway and the Adelaide / Melbourne rail corridor, serving as a gateway between the Murraylands, the Southeast and metropolitan Adelaide. With a population of around 1,800, Tailem Bend functions as
both a service centre for surrounding agricultural districts and a hub for freight, transport, and tourism.

The Tailem Bend wastewater treatment facility was originally constructed in 2008 to provide a centralised solution for the township, reducing reliance on on-site septic tanks and unmanaged disposal methods. In response to population growth, planned new developments and the need to connect previously unserved allotments, a capacity upgrade was commissioned in 2019.
Factor UTB was directly engaged by the Coorong District Council to deliver the upgrade works, reflecting the strong and long-standing working relationship established with both Council operations staff and executive management. The upgrade expanded the plant’s treatment capacity to accommodate future growth while ensuring compliance with South Australian Health and EPA requirements.

The improved facility provides reliable treatment performance, supports the township’s continued development, and safeguards the environmental health of the nearby Murray River system by reducing risks associated with septic tank effluent and harmful site discharges. A second Factor UTB treatment plant is located at Meningie, a township of approximately 1,100 residents situated on the south-eastern shores of Lake Albert at the northern end of the Coorong, about 150 kilometres south-east of Adelaide. Meningie functions as a local service hub for surrounding agricultural districts and smaller communities along the Lower Lakes and Coorong.

The treatment facility was specifically designed to address the region’s high environmental sensitivity. Lake Albert and the Coorong are Ramsar-listed wetlands of international importance, where nutrient inputs must be tightly controlled to prevent ecological degradation. Factor UTB’s plant provides reliable wastewater treatment to meet stringent SA Health and EPA requirements, incorporating tertiary processes to ensure effluent quality is suitable for safe reuse or secure disposal.

By delivering this infrastructure, Factor UTB has enabled the Coorong District Council to improve public health outcomes, reduce the risks associated with septic systems and protect one of South Australia’s most significant wetland environments.