Healesville Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade
Early works are starting soon
Early works will start from Monday 13 July 2026. Works will be delivered by our contractor and include:
- Building wet weather storage tanks to better manage heavy rain and floodwater
- Building access roads
- Setting up site offices and installing fences.
We also plan to plant a significant number of trees to help screen the upgraded plant.
Planning and approvals update
- Yarra Ranges Council has granted our Planning Permit (application PDPER-2025-0180) which is expected to be issued by 7 July 2026. Early works will start when the planning permit has been issued.
- Our Development License application (APP047556) is still under assessment by the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA). We’re working closely with the EPA as they consider our application.
A Development Licence isn’t required for the early works. Construction of the upgraded plant will only begin once the EPA grants the Development License.
The feedback you gave us in 2025 helped shape these applications, particularly around monitoring and managing odour and noise.
What to expect during works
- Works will start on Monday 13 July 2026.
- Working hours are:
o Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm
o Saturdays, 7 am to 3 pm as necessary. - Measures will be in place to minimise dust, noise and other amenity impacts.
- Some trees and vegetation will be removed. All necessary permits have been obtained and the area will be revegetated in line with council requirements.
- Increased vehicles and machinery movement along Argoon Road.
- For rare, oversized deliveries, permits and traffic management will be in place to maintain safety and traffic flow on Maroondah Highway and Argoon Road.
Why do we need to upgrade the plant?
The current plant at Argoon Road, has been treating sewage to a high standard for discharge to the Yarra river since 1987 and can treat around 1.4 million litres a day. It services thousands of homes and businesses in Healesville as well as wineries and industry in the surrounding Yarra Valley area.
The plant is nearly 40 years old and reaching the end of its life. This can increase the risk of faults in our treatment process. The upgrade will provide a reliable way to treat sewage to a high standard, and increase the amount of sewage we can treat. Treated wastewater discharges to the environment in accordance with stringent conditions set out in our EPA licence.
Invitation to give feedback on our Development Licence and planning permit applications - Feb 2026
Yarra Ranges Council and EPA Victoria advertised our applications as part of their public consultation processes. We invited the community surrounding the treatment plant to review and give feedback on our applications by:
- Searching for our Planning Permit application PDPER-2025-0180 on Yarra Ranges Council website.
- Searching for our EPA Victoria Development Licence application APP047556 on Engage Victoria website.
Have your say - May 2025
The local community gave us feedback about our plans to upgrade the treatment plant and concerns they want us to be aware of as we progress the project. The key themes we heard from your local community at our engagement pop-up sessions and discussions with neighbours are:
• Concern about impacts to the visual amenity of the area and visibility of the upgraded plant.
• Opportunities for early vegetation screening.
• Making sure we control odour and continuously monitor air quality.
• The potential for increased noise, odour or flood risk from the upgraded plant.
• Concerns about increased and inappropriate development in Healesville.
• The population size the planned upgrade of the plant will support.
• The timeframe for future sewerage system connections in Healesville.
See the questions we invited the local community to give us feedback on in January 2025.
Project updates shared with the surrounding community
View Community Notice (July 2026) (PDF 296 KB)
View Community Notice (January 2025) (PDF, 273 KB)
View Community Notice (February 2026) (PDF, 293 KB)
When will works start?
Early works are starting on Monday 13 July 2026.
We expect it will take around 2 years to build the upgraded sewage treatment plant.
What's involved in the early works?
Early works include:
- Building wet weather storage tanks to better manage heavy rain and floodwater
- Building access roads
- Setting up site offices and installing fences.
We also plan to plant a significant number of trees to help screen the upgraded plant.
What’s involved in the upgrade?
We will build new infrastructure and install equipment to manage and treat sewage. This includes storage tanks, pumps and pipework, as well as new buildings.
The upgraded treatment plant will be able to treat 2.5 million litres of sewage a day. The bigger plant will also be able to manage heavy rain and floodwater better - up to 7.5 million litres a day – and will include a 1.6 million litre storage tank.
By making the plant bigger and adding a new storage tank, we can manage stormwater that enters the sewer system when it rains and reduce sewage spills. This will ensure the treatment plant continues to meet stringent environmental regulations and reduce risk to waterways. The upgraded plant will also have more capacity to support homes and businesses in Healesville and surrounding areas into the future.
Map of Healesville Sewage Treatment Plant site
Find sewage spill information
We publish sewage spills on our website and on social media. Check our Faults Map or Facebook Alerts page for the latest spill locations.
Got a question?
If you have any questions about the proposed upgrade, please contact Ben Costa, Project Manager, at [email protected] or 03 9872 1573.
Have your say - May 2025
Now is the time for you to have your say about the sewage treatment plant upgrade and anything you think we should be aware of as we progress the project.
Join us at our pop-up information stall at Healesville Walk Shopping Centre (outside Coles) to find out more about the upgrade:
Monday 5 May 2025 from 4:30-6:30 pm
Thursday 8 May 2025 from 3-5 pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the upgraded Healesville Sewage Treatment Plant be located?
The Healesville Sewage Treatment Plant will remain at our existing site at 45 Argoon Road, Healesville.
Why are you upgrading the facility?
We’re upgrading the treatment plant to increase the amount of sewage that we can treat each day and when it rains to protect the environment, waterways and human health.
How do you manage sewage spills into waterways?
By making our treatment plant bigger and adding a new storage tank, we will be able to better manage stormwater that enters the sewerage system when it rains. This will reduce sewage spills into local waterways. When sewage spills happen and when it’s safe, we assess the spills and test the water quality.
What will it look like?
We’re still designing the site and buildings. We’ll work with our neighbours to consider what the site looks like. This will include the buildings and what we plant in the area.
When will construction start?
Early works will start in mid July 2026 and include:
- Building wet weather storage tanks to better manage heavy rain and floodwater
- Building access roads
- Setting up site offices and installing fences.
We also plan to plant a significant number of trees to help screen the upgraded plant.
Construction of the upgraded plant will only begin once the EPA grants the Development Licence. We expect it will take around 2 years to build the upgraded plant.
Who approves this proposal?
We’ll need approvals before works can start, including a Development Licence issued by Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA Victoria).
To be approved for a Development Licence we’ll have to demonstrate that we’re properly managing risks, such as odour and noise. EPA Victoria advertised our Development Licence application (APP047556) as part of their public consultation process during February and March 2026. Our Development License application is still under assessment by EPA Victoria. We’re working closely with the EPA as they consider our application. A Development Licence isn’t required for the early works. Construction of the upgraded plant will only begin once the EPA grants the Development License.
The treatment plant upgrade also needs planning approval from Yarra Ranges Council. Yarra Ranges Council has granted our Planning Permit (application PDPER-2025-0180) which is expected to be issued by 7 July 2026. Early works will start when the planning permit has been issued.
Will it smell?
We’ll design the plant to make sure air quality is always acceptable for the local community.
It’s unlikely you’ll notice odours from the upgraded sewage treatment plant. It’s been operating at its current site since 1987 and will continue to operate under strict EPA Victoria odour control requirements when it’s upgraded.
Our Development Licence application will include information about how we plan to manage potential odours. The community will be able to view this information and respond before EPA Victoria makes a decision on the Licence. Once the application is approved and the Licence is obtained, we must follow all its requirements.
Will it be noisy?
We’ll include noise assessments and modelling as part of the design. This will make sure the facility doesn’t make noise that impacts people in the area.
During construction, we expect typical noise from construction activity and nearby residents may notice increased vehicle traffic to and from the site.
When will the treatment plant operate?
Like all treatment plants, it will operate 24/7. This is to ensure we provide essential sewerage services 24/7 to the community in Healesville and surrounding area.
What impact will it have on traffic?
We don’t expect significant traffic delays or diversions on Maroondah Highway, Heritage Lane or Argoon Road. In the rare event of a big delivery, such as an oversized load, we’ll have permits and traffic management to make the area safe and keep traffic moving.
When the new facility is up and running, the amount of traffic will be the same as we currently get.
Do you use chemicals?
Chemicals are used in all sewage treatment plants and some treatment processes. We follow safety guidelines to manage and store chemicals on site.