- Melbourne’s population is projected to increase to 6 million in 2031, and 8 million in 2051.
- Yarra Valley Water’s Bald Hill water network has been established to support the water distribution requirements for growing communities.
- Yarra Valley Water has chosen ABB’s ACS880 ultra-low harmonic drive and ACQ580 water-dedicated variable speed drives as part of their commitment to embedding energy-efficient and sustainable technologies into their plant infrastructure.
In Melbourne, Victoria, the population is projected to grow from 4.6 million in 2016 to 8 million by 2051, with approximately 60% of that growth expected to occur in the northern and western suburbs.*
A significant part of this population growth is supported by Yarra Valley Water’s now operational Bald Hill network. This network includes a new Pressure Reducing Station and a Multifunctional Pump Station in Kalkallo, Victoria. These facility investments are crucial for distributing clean water to Melbourne’s developing suburbs and Yarra Valley Water's newest customers.
A look inside the Bald Hill pump station
This pump station primarily lifts water to the Bald Hill Reservoir at a maximum height of 107 meters and a flow rate of 325,000 litres per second. The reservoir then uses gravity to supply potable water to communities for their everyday needs. Additionally, the station is designed for future zone pressurisation in the expanding network through dual Variable Speed Drive (VSD) controlled pumps or a hydraulically controlled pressure reducing valve. Yarra Valley Water approached ABB for drive technology to support these operations.
Meeting a need, and reducing energy consumption with advanced technology
Santiago Dominguez, Project Officer at Yarra Valley Water, has been part of this project from ideation to execution. Three 450kW ACS880 ultra-low harmonic (ULH) VSDs, along with two 55kW ACQ580 VSDs were selected to be installed at the Bald Hill pump station to efficiently control the station's pump set in the required mode.
The ACS880 cabinet-built drives will control the motors that power the hydraulic lift pump to fill the 10,000,000 Bald Hill Reservoir tank with a minimum required flow of 107 litres per second, with a maximum design flow of up to 650 litres per second.
The ACQ580 wall-mounted drives will manage a lesser load and enable zone pressurisation of the water distribution to 100 MWG at a modest 60 litres per second. Yarra Valley Water utilises this mode when the reservoir needs to go offline, such as during maintenance or tank inspections.
"It makes sense to do this efficiently and avoid introducing harmonics into the electrical network. Thanks to ABB’s ACS880 drive with built-in harmonic mitigation, we don’t have to worry about electrical disturbances."
When asked about the impact of the ABB drives on their operations, Santiago Dominguez said, "This station will be operating continuously, handling some of our high-flow pumping of potable water throughout Yarra Valley Water’s network. It makes sense to do this efficiently and avoid introducing harmonics into the electrical network. Thanks to ABB’s ACS880 drive with built-in harmonic mitigation, we don’t have to worry about electrical disturbances."
What exactly are harmonics?
Harmonics pollute the electrical network and cause connected equipment to behave erratically. In excess, they can degrade power quality, leading to voltage fluctuations and disruptions or failures in other connected electrical equipment, not only nearby but also in surrounding buildings.
Harmonics can also cause damage to sensitive electronics, interference in communication equipment, and transmit false readings on measurement devices.
ABB’s ACS880 ULH VSD produces exceptionally low harmonic content, exceeding the requirements set by low harmonic standards. Compared to a conventional drive, it typically achieves total harmonic current distortion of less than 3%.
Santiago continues, "It makes a significant difference in ease of use and maintenance when we have the same reliable, energy-efficient drives operational in all our applications. Besides the small footprint of the ABB drives, they also incorporate less wiring than others on the market. Due to their inherent features, we can reduce cabinet space in the pump station. This subsequently makes it easier for our technicians to maintain our assets, and we can provide our consultants with simpler, uniform guidelines to follow."
Santiago shared that Yarra Valley Water also uses the advanced drive technology not only as full motor controllers but also for safety protection.
"For example, the fault alarm feature is sent via a MODBUS communication link to our SCADA monitoring system, which instantly notifies us if something is wrong. This has been a real standout feature. Having in-depth information from the drive means Yarra Valley Water doesn’t have to send technicians to the site when there is an alarm or event. Now, we can manage the site and address issues using drive feedback, preventing unplanned downtime before it occurs," he said.
A technical handover -taking a look at one of the three ABB ACS880 ultra-low harmonic drives installed at Yarra Valley Water’s Bald Hill pump station in Victoria. 
Santiago Dominguez, Project Officer at Yarra Valley Water takes a look at the ABB ACS880’s intuitive control panel for effortless commissioning and operation. 
(L-R): Santiago Dominguez, Project Officer at Yarra Valley Water together with Arvind Sharma, Business Development Manager for Drive Products at ABB Australia. 
A look inside the ACS880-37, cabinet-built ultra-low harmonic VSD now in operation at the Bald Hill pump station in Kalkallo, Victoria. 
The two ABB ACQ580 drives installed at the Bald Hill pump station. These drives have been specifically designed for water and wastewater applications. 
A close-up look at the ACQ580 drive, wall mounted. 
A growing community in Kalkallo, Victoria, includes land areas that will be developed with housing. Yarra Valley Water’s Bald Hill network will deliver water to these new developments. 
External view outside the Yarra Valley Water Bald Hill water pumping station.
How variable speed drives impact energy efficiency
A VSD adjusts a motor’s speed to match its load requirements, meaning whenever a motor is not operating at full speed, it saves power. This is especially important in water applications, as approximately three out of four motors run pumps that rarely need to operate continuously at full speed.
Reducing a motor’s speed by just 20% can cut energy use by 50%.
Slowing a motor can produce significant savings. For example, reducing a motor’s speed by just 20% can cut energy use by 50%, resulting in an average energy cost saving of around 30%. Despite this, only about 23% of the world’s electric motors are optimised for energy efficiency through the use of VSDs, meaning many businesses are missing out on a significant opportunity to save electricity.
Yarra Valley Water - looking to the future
Santiago says, "Our 2030 Strategy sets the direction we need for the years ahead. It’s centred around our purpose and commits us to achieving bold ambitions that will support the health and wellbeing of our customers.
Acknowledging that Melbourne is growing but also facing challenges like climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality, we want to ensure that our decision-making considers all these factors and makes a positive impact where possible. It only takes a few simple changes to optimise motor-drive assets with already available technology, and we continue to see the impact ABB drives make in improving efficiency and reducing harmonic distortion on the network, without compromising water supply or operations."
Arvind Sharma, ABB Australia Business Development Manager for Drive Products, says, "I’m excited to see how Yarra Valley Water continues to embed energy efficiency in their operations. We regularly conduct technological workshops with their team to ensure sustainability remains a priority in their infrastructure.
Yarra Valley Water was also one of the first organisations to join the Energy Efficiency Movement in Australia. This is a true testament to their commitment to integrating efficiency principles into their operating model for climate change mitigation.”
Yarra Valley Water aims to encourage more water utilities to follow suit, and make positive changes in their own asset choices, to strengthen Australia’s race to Net Zero.
*Source: Victoria in Future 2016, Victorian Government.
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