On-site system design for seasonal variations in wastewater generation at caravan parks

Central Queensland University (CQU) has two on-site wastewater reuse trial sites at isolated rural caravan parks. One site is located at the St Lawrence recreation area in the Broadsound Shire, and the other at the Gem-Air Village Caravan Park in the Willows gem fossicking area of the Emerald Shire. At peak times, during the autumn and winter months, the sites have an equivalent person (EP) value of 100. Over the summer period this figure falls to below 10EP for each site. This paper discusses how the sub-surface irrigation technique has influenced the transpiration rate of the treated effluent and enabled the system to cope with the variation in EP. It also investigates the changes in soil parameters over a one and two year period. Water quality figures for the treated effluent, in particular microbial data, will also be discussed. The aim of the paper is to assess the viability of the two treatment and effluent reuse schemes and how they cope with the variation of wastewater generation volumes.