Environmental success of the Flovac system in an eco resort
The Couran Cove Eco Resort in Queensland, Australia, is an award-winning environmental success story for Flovac and for our client. The Couran Cove Eco Resort, located in Gold Coast, is a sustainable resort that operates in an eco-friendly way and respects the surrounding natural environment. From the design of the dwellings using sustainable materials, to on-site sewer treatment, and collection of drinking water from natural springs, the resort employs various initiatives to minimize its ecological footprint and encourage the local habitats’ biodiversity to thrive.
Couran Cove Eco Resort, Queensland, Australia
EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency of Queensland, demanded that vacuum technology was used at the resort to preserve the natural environment and cause minimal impact on the landscape. The vacuum sewerage system that was installed in Couran Cove Eco Resort was designed to comply with the best environmental practices, which included refunds to staying guests if they used less than average electricity and water during their stay. A vacuum collection system was a natural choice, chosen for its ease of installation and environmental credentials. Because of this, Flovac’s installation won the Commerce by Design award in the annual Gold Coast Urban Design Awards.
The vacuum sewerage system at a glance
The vacuum sewerage system that was installed in Couran Cove Eco Resort consists of the following elements:
- 1 Vacuum Pump Station.
- 215 Collection Pits.
- Fiber Optic Monitoring System.
- Capacity for 2,000 Guests plus Staff.
- Facilities: villas, apartments and cabins along with a conference facility, restaurants, sporting areas, offices and marina pump out facility.
System benefits and environmental success of the project
The developer showed a strong preference for a vacuum sewerage system as they saw it offering significant benefits in this development over each of the alternatives. These benefits were identified as:
- Ability to handle low flush toilets thus reducing the ultimate treated water disposal problem.
- Minimal impact on the landscape during construction with shallow trenches.
- Maximum water recovery for reuse in the re-vegetation irrigation system.
- Construction route flexibility thus minimizing the damage to vegetation.
- Ability to transport grey and black water in the one small bore pipe.
- Ability to safely lay all services in the one trench with minimal spacing.
- Zero infiltration and exfiltration.
- Ability of the system to service the entire site with one centralized pump station.
- Ability of the scheme to service the Boardwalk accommodation and even the boat sullage.
The vacuum valve and collection sumps were located under the walkways in stainless steel vessels. Also, it was important that the system was quiet so as not to disturb guests at night. It was also mandatory that there was no chance of sewage spilling into the water areas. The system also had to be able to handle seasonal flows from different areas within the resort, as the remote beach restaurant is 3 km from the main resort.
Vacuum Valve and Collection Sumps
The Couran Cove Eco Resort project is an example of an environmental success story for both Flovac and the resort developer. If you would like more information about this project or would like a free concept and budget for your next project, please contact us here.
