Dubbo’s new advanced wastewater treatment facility – a first in the southern hemisphere – has been completed, with Squadron Energy, Australia’s leading renewable energy company, and Dubbo Regional Council marking the water security milestone on-site today.
Squadron Energy CEO Rob Wheals said seeing the facility up and running was a great demonstration of the company’s commitment to delivering legacy infrastructure for the region.
“Together with Dubbo Regional Council we have delivered an advanced wastewater treatment facility that will benefit the community for decades to come,” Mr Wheals said.
“Contributing to the long-term water security for the region is a proud moment for us and we’re very thankful for the opportunity to partner with council to deliver this critical legacy infrastructure.
“Despite the recent rain, I’m sure memories of the 2019 drought are still fresh in people’s minds. This facility will help drought-proof the region during the next dry spell.”
Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Josh Black said the public private partnership undertaken to complete the advanced wastewater treatment plant put water security in the hands of the community.
“The advanced wastewater treatment plant means we won’t have to choose between drought and development. We have partnered with Squadron Energy to turn wastewater into a resource our community can actually use,” Cr Black said.
“Our people are working through the approval process now to get this water approved for use in dust suppression and concrete batching, but that’s just the first step.
“We are already looking at what else this water could do for the Dubbo region down the track, and we have the University of Newcastle working alongside us to help work out the path forward,” Cr Black said.
Mr Wheals and Cr Black gathered at Dubbo Sewerage Treatment Plant to cut the ribbon on the $7.8 million facility which is capable of treating up to 700 megalitres of water per year, or the equivalent of 280 Olympic sized swimming pools. This equates to around 11 per cent of the region’s annual water usage.
They were joined on site by Squadron Energy Regional Economic Development Manager Bart Sykes and Dubbo Regional Council General Manager Andrew Wilsmore to celebrate the milestone.
Squadron Energy and Dubbo Regional Council announced plans in 2024 to deliver water security to the region through the public private partnership. The first sod was turned on the project in August 2025.
The project was delivered by TWS Evolution and overseen by Upright Consulting.
To date, Squadron Energy has invested more than $6.3 million across the Central West Orana region and is currently constructing Uungula Wind Farm, near Wellington. Once completed, the wind farm will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 220,000 homes and prevent more than 560,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.