IXOM: Designing and Building Water Treatment Plants in Australia

IXOM: Designing and Building Water Treatment Plants in Australia

Water treatment challenges across Australia are becoming more complex. Industrial operators, water authorities and resource companies are managing variable water sources, tighter environmental regulations, and increasing demand for reuse and efficiency.

As part of our offering and expertise across the water industry, IXOM designs and builds water and wastewater treatment plants across Australia, delivering bespoke, end-to-end solutions that perform reliably in real operating conditions.

What IXOM Does

With more than 100 treatment plants delivered since 2001, IXOM combines engineering expertise, chemical capability and local manufacturing to support complex water treatment requirements, from concept through to ongoing operation.

We deliver:

• End-to-end plant solutions (design, manufacture and construction)
• Treatment systems for potable, industrial, process and recycled water
• Process optimisation, pilot testing and technical support
• Integrated chemical supply and treatment programs
• Containerised water treatment plants
• Rental WTPs and Chemical Storage and Dosing Systems for quick-deployment
• Standard chemical dosing and storage systems
• Cube™: Enclosed IBC storage and dosing
• Bulle™: Self-bunded tanks
• Bullet™ CDU: Transportable building for Chemical Dosing Unit
• Chlorine CDU: Transportable building for Chlorine drums/cylinders storage and dosing
• Ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M)

This integrated model ensures that each plant is designed and delivered as a complete system, aligned from process design through to long-term performance.

Designing Water Treatment Plants for Real-World Conditions

A water treatment plant is designed to remove contaminants and produce water suitable for discharge, reuse or consumption. In practice, this requires systems that can adapt to changing inputs and operational pressures.

IXOM specialises in designing water treatment plants for complex and variable environments, including:

• Remote or infrastructure-constrained locations
• Highly variable or difficult feedwater
• Multi-use requirements (environmental discharge, reuse, potable supply)
• Industrial and resource sector applications
• Flexible and modular process design

Our experience spans plant capacities from 0.1 ML/d to 140 ML/d, with many systems designed to operate reliably under challenging and changing conditions.

From Concept to Operation: A Complete Delivery Model

IXOM brings together engineering, manufacturing and operational expertise to deliver water treatment plants across their full lifecycle.

Design and engineering:

• Concept development and process selection
• Pilot trials and jar testing
• Detailed engineering and documentation
• Process optimisation and performance improvement

Manufacturing and construction:

• Australian-based equipment design and fabrication
• Skid-mounted systems and modular plant design
• Full construction and commissioning services

Operations and ongoing support:

• Operations and maintenance (O&M)
• Membrane and consumables management
• Process optimisation and technical support

This approach reduces risk by ensuring all elements of the plant are aligned from the outset.

Australian Manufacturing and Delivery Certainty

IXOM designs and manufactures the majority of its treatment equipment at its Edwardstown facility in South Australia.

This provides:

• Greater control over quality and performance
• Shorter lead times compared to offshore alternatives
• Transparency through design reviews, inspections and factory acceptance testing (FATs)
• Flexibility to respond to project and operational changes

Local manufacturing also enables stronger collaboration with clients throughout delivery, supporting better project outcomes.

Integrated Treatment Technologies, Equipment and Chemicals

IXOM's capability extends beyond plant design and build. We integrate treatment technologies and equipment with chemical programs to deliver consistent, long-term performance.

Our chemical solutions include:

• Coagulation and flocculation
• Disinfection and oxidation
• Odour and corrosion control
• Membrane cleaning chemicals and antiscalants
• pH, alkalinity, nutrient and algal control

By aligning process, equipment and chemistry, IXOM ensures treatment plants operate as integrated systems rather than disconnected components.

Case Study: Mine Water Treatment Plant (New South Wales)

A coal mining operation in New South Wales required treatment of mine-affected water from multiple sources, with highly variable quality and strict compliance requirements.

Challenge:

• Water sourced from pits, dams and underground bores
• Seasonal variation between surface and groundwater
• Brackish water with high metals, sulphate, hardness and organics
• Three compliance pathways: environmental discharge (NSW EPA), underground reuse and potable supply (ADWG)
• Flow variability from 0 to 20 ML/d
• Long transfer pipelines (up to 2.5 km)
• Integration with existing mine operations
• Requirement for future expansion

Solution:

IXOM delivered a turnkey water treatment plant, including process, civil, mechanical and electrical design and construction.

The plant was designed to:

• Manage highly variable feedwater quality
• Maintain stable performance across wide flow ranges
• Support multiple end uses from a single system
• Enable expansion from 11.5 ML/d to 20 ML/d with minimal disruption

Automation and process control were central to ensuring consistent compliance and operational flexibility.

Results:

The completed system delivers:

• 20 ML/d WTP
• Reliable compliance across environmental, operational and potable standards
• Environmental discharge (~18.5 ML/d)
• Underground reuse (~1.5 ML/d)
• Potable supply (~0.1 ML/d)
• Stable performance under highly variable operating conditions

IXOM operated the plant for 5 years continuously, supporting long-term reliability and performance.

Why IXOM

IXOM is uniquely positioned in the Australian market as a provider that integrates:

• Water treatment plant design and engineering
• Local manufacturing and construction
• Chemical supply and process optimisation
• Long-term operational support

This reduces complexity and risk for clients, ensuring systems are designed to perform in real conditions, not just on paper.

IXOM water treatment plants are built to deliver consistent, compliant performance over the long term.

Talk to IXOM About Your Next Project

If you are planning a water or wastewater treatment plant, or looking to improve an existing system, IXOM can support your project from concept through to operation.

Contact the IXOM Watercare team to discuss your requirements.