North East Water has officially opened an $84 million upgrade to the Wodonga wastewater treatment plant, its largest infrastructure project to date. The upgraded West Wodonga facility will support residential, commercial and industrial growth in regional Victoria through to 2045.

The project expands wastewater treatment capacity while repositioning the site as a resource recovery and circular economy hub. It creates opportunities to recover recycled water, biomethane, heat and biochar from wastewater.

The upgrade is expected to reduce the plant’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 88 per cent. It will also lower energy consumption and operating costs while supporting the utility’s transition towards renewable energy.

The facility is set to be powered entirely by renewable energy around the clock through a combination of solar power and onsite biogas generation. The biogas will be produced from wastewater treatment processes, helping the plant reduce its reliance on external energy sources.

North East Water said the investment will strengthen wastewater services and provide capacity for future population and industrial growth. The project also demonstrates how wastewater infrastructure can deliver environmental, energy and resource-recovery benefits beyond conventional treatment.