Black & Veatch has joined the Eastern Tertiary Alliance following the success of stage one of the project in which Black & Veatch was asked to lead a series of technology trials to determine the preferred treatment technology to be used.

The Eastern Tertiary Alliance also includes Melbourne Water, who owns the Eastern Treatment Plant, Baulderstone/UGI, a joint-venture of two local construction firms and KBR, an international engineering consultant.

The Aus$380 million upgrade will greatly improve the quality of treated effluent discharged into the Bass Strait with resulting benefits for the marine environment.

The construction phase will commence soon and is scheduled for completion in 2012.