Harnessing the sun's power is delivering both environmental benefits and significant cost savings for Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) at the Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility.
TRC Water and Waste Committee chair Cr Nancy Sommerfield said Council recently completed the replacement of fibre glass roof sheeting material for the solar hall structure that was commissioned in 2006.
"The solar hall is one of a handful of similar facilities in operation across Australia. Council's wastewater operations staff identified that the ageing solar hall roof sheeting panels were not drying out the biosolids as efficiently as they could," Cr Sommerfield said.
"Typically, the solar hall processes around 41-46% of the treated wet biosolids at the Wetalla Water Reclamation Facility. This dry treatment process aerates and condenses the biosolids, making it easier and cheaper to transport than wet biosolids.
"This process reduces Council's biosolids transport costs by up to 30% per year.
