BeneTerra deployed a BeneVap unit within two weeks—restoring the pond’s full storage capacity and eliminating the need for 20 tanker loads of off-site disposal.

When Cyclone Debbie delivered intense rainfall across southern Queensland, a regional council landfill experienced leachate breakthrough into a stormwater pond—threatening compliance, environmental safety and the site’s capacity to manage ongoing wet weather. The council needed an immediate, practical solution that could remove contaminated water quickly, safely and cost-effectively

At a Glance

    

  • 500,000 L of leachate contaminated stormwater removed
  • 3,000 L residual concentrate safely returned and recirculated on site
  • 75% cost saving compared to tanker transport and disposal
  • 100% stormwater capacity restored ahead of further rainfall

Client Context

The client is a small regional council south of Brisbane. Following Cyclone Debbie, the site received heavy rainfall over 48 hours, overwhelming parts of the landfill and causing leachate to enter a stormwater pond. Because the pond forms a critical part of the site’s water management system, it needed to be cleared rapidly to prevent structural contamination and ensure capacity

Council engaged BeneTerra to deploy a BeneVap system—an approach they were familiar with from its long-standing use in the CSG industry to manage highsalinity brines. While the technology had never been used in an Australian landfill at the time, BeneTerra had years of operating experience in the US and could provide confidence in both performance and environmental safety.

The Challenge

The situation presented a unique combination of pressures:

  • Environmental urgency: The contaminated stormwater could not be discharged, and leaving it onsite risked leachate permeating the pond’s lining.
  • Regulatory approvals: As this was the first landfill use of the technology in Australia, emergency permission from the Department of Environment was required.
  • High public and industry visibility: With regulators, nearby councils and industry observers watching closely, the project needed to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.
  • Volume and cost: Removing 500,000 litres by tanker would cost more than $100,000 and require approximately 20 truck movements—challenging during a regional natural disaster.

Council needed a solution that was fast, compliant, and minimised operational disruption.

Beneterra’s Solution

BeneTerra mobilised a BV300 BeneVap unit (“Ethel”), delivering a complete, self-contained evaporisation system configured for disaster-response conditions.

Key elements of the solution:

  • Rapid mobilisation: The unit was deployed within two weeks, arriving onsite as soon as emergency approvals were in place.
  • Self-sufficient setup: Mounted on a semi-trailer with its own generator, the system required no gas supply—avoiding delays.
  • Optimised feed system: A 30,000L feed tank and floating intake pump ensured consistent operation without drawing in pond sediment.
  • High conversion efficiency: The dilute leachate enabled 99.4% of the water volume to be converted to vapour, leaving just 0.4% concentrate for return to the landfill.
  • Continuous operation: The BeneVap ran 24 hours a day for 14 days, completing the task within the expected timeframe.

BeneTerra’s team of environmental, chemistry and engineering specialists monitored operating conditions and emissions throughout the project.

Results & Impact

The emergency response delivered strong environmental, operational and financial outcomes:

Environmental Protection

  • Pond sediment sampling confirmed no infiltration of leachate into the pond structure.
  • Air emissions were well below regulatory thresholds, aligning with long-term BeneVap performance across landfill applications.
  • The stormwater pond was reinstated to full function within two weeks.

Operational Assurance

  • BeneTerra captured all required operating data and prepared a final report enabling Council to confidently respond to the Department of Environment.
  • The project avoided 2,400 km of heavy vehicle transport that would have been required for tanker disposal.

Financial Benefit

  • The BeneVap solution cost approximately $25,000, compared to more than $100,000 for off-site disposal—representing a 75% saving