Apex Water completed a substantial upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant at Raglan for Watercare to improve compliance with their wastewater discharge consent along with the removal and reinstatement of the site solar farm.

The project added a new headworks package and an advanced biological treatment process, including membrane bioreactor (MBR), for an initial design flow of 3.5MLD expandable to 6MLD, or more than 20,000 people. This future flow capacity was incorporated into the build during the project to add value and resilience.

To ensure the programme was as short as possible, the earthworks design was expedited and work commenced within a month of Contract award.  Whilst these civil works were being completed onsite, the process, mechanical and electrical designs were progressed to HAZOP and procurement stages.

During the construction phase, the client opted to incorporate MABR modules into the plant to accommodate the future flow requirements without the need for additional costly civil works.  The decision was made to add MABR modules from the outset to achieve the 6MLDfuture capacity target. The process and M&E design was modified to incorporate this change without significant disruption to construction timelines.  

The significant upgrade to the treatment plant was completed ahead of the discharge consent renewal, allowing the plant's performance to be demonstrated and validated.  This innovative approach supports the establishment of new consent conditions and fosters trust among stakeholders, particularly the local community and Iwi groups, who have previously expressed concerns due to non-compliance events.  

As one of only three sites in New Zealand to integrate MABR technology, this project highlights Apex's commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions.