Australian Water Management Review Issue 1 2011 by APRS Media

Australian Water Management Review

2011

INTEGRATED INNOVATIVE

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OuR cApAbIlITIEs plAcE yOuR NEEDs fIRsT You seek sustainable water solutions to meet community demands and population growth. We deliver the technical knowledge and skills to ensure the preservation of this vital natural resource for future generations. The Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Upgrade Alliance Program (pictured) is working to deliver one of Western Australia’s most substantial WWTP upgrade programs. The project includes conceptual design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services for capacity upgrades at the Water Corporation’s Beenyup and Woodman Point WWTPs. Our water infrastructure and services specialists are delivering major projects across Australia and New Zealand. We bring a range of multidisciplinary engineering skills, including civil, mechanical, hydraulic, tunnelling and processing capabilities, to this important sector. Through our integrated capabilities, we also provide network maintenance and asset delivery solutions through our Thiess Services subsidiary.

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Dams, weirs and catchment works Desalination Plants Bulk irrigation schemes Major pipelines Plant operations and asset management Sewage treatment Transfer and network distribution Water recycling plants Water treatment

Swan Water, WA Metrowater, NZ

contact National

New South Wales and ACT

Rob Evans – Manager – Water

Phillip Charley – Water and

07 3121 8500

Wastewater Manager

Victoria, South Australia

02 9332 9444

and Tasmania

Western Australia

Bob Brownlee – General

Jim Aquino – Business

Manager Utilities - Services

Development Manager

03 8892 5900

08 9214 4200

Water Management Review 2011

Editor Kathryn Edwards Head Designer Michael Griffiths Designers Bianca Fidge Kimberley Smith Kasha Abbott

Foreword WIOA

WIOA – The Australian Water Industry “The Other Crisis”

WSAA – The Urban Water Industry

BOM – Water Storage Information for Australia

MDBA – Judging the basin plan

South East Water – IWM in action (integrated Water Management in Action)

AGIC – Sustainability rating scheme

Publisher Garth Wright CEO Gary Peach General Manager Graham Miles Marketing Co-ordinator Johnathon Dunstan APRS Head Office Level 6, 38 Currie Street Adelaide SA 5000 GPO Box 1746 Adelaide SA 5001 Phone: 08 8113 9200 Fax: 08 8113 9201 Pre-Press: 08 8113 9206 Email: prepress@aprs.com.au Advertising Advertising: 08 8113 9200 Email: sales@aprs.com.au Printer Newstyle Printing Co. Pty Ltd 41 Manchester Street Mile End SA 5031 Phone: 08 8234 6155 Disclaimer APRS is not committed to nor takes responsibility for the views expressed in articles or advertisements herein. The publishers could not possibly ensure that each advertisement published in this magazine complies with the Trade Practises Act and responsibility must therefore rest with the person, company or agency submitting the advertisement for publication.

Major Projects 46

Western Corridor – Water Secure

Wimmera Mallee – GWM Water

Victorian Desalination – Aquasure

Alkimos – Water Corporation

Altona – City West Water Waste Water

Kinglake Waste water treatment Plant – Yarra Valley Water

Christies Beach Upgrade project - City Of Onkaparinga

104

Black water treatment plants reduce waste Desalination

108

Making water while the sun shines Irrigation

116

Putting people in Irrigation - Irrigation Australia

130

Riding a New Wave - Golf Course Superintendents Association Pumping

137

Australian pump industry Alive and well – Australian Pump Industry Association Trenchless Technology

144

Trenchless technology improving water and waste water networks Water Storage

162

Managed Aquifer Recharge – CSIRO

166

Dam Safety upgrades – SunWater Stormwater

170

Changing the stormwater management focus – Stormwater Industry Association

176

Stormwater Management – Yarra Valley Water

177

Accolades for Sustainable Water Management – City of Onkaparinga

180

Education, training and development

Water Management Review 2011

DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Water Proofing the South - delivering a localised, integrated water management strategy for Adelaideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southern suburbs. The City of Onkaparingaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainable approach to water management is being recognised at all levels. This innovative approach responds to the challenges of drought, population growth, industrial demand and climate change. The $215M Water Proofing the South program* will deliver approximately 6GL of treated effluent and stormwater for reuse in new housing developments, the irrigation of public open space and the local viticulture industry. As stage 1 of the project nears completion the City of Onkaparinga has been acknowledged for its collaborative alliance across all tiers of government and the private sector. It has also been applauded for its excellence in sustainability and an integrated, community oriented approach to strategic planning for water related infrastructure. * Stage 1 has been made possible through the collective effort of the City of Onkaparinga, SA Water and the privately owned Willunga Basin Water with funding support from the federal and state governments. Stage 2 is to be delivered by the City of Onkaparinga with funding support from the federal and state governments.

WPS486

Operators Protecting Public Health

For many years, water has been at the forefront of public and media attention, mostly as a result of prolonged drought. The topics most often discussed relate to reservoir levels, restrictions and management of our rivers. Little attention is given to the operational side of the industry and the challenges that need to be met on a daily basis.

Issues such as flooded water and wastewater treatment plants, damaged infrastructure, poor quality source water and algal blooms, all impact on our ability to supply safe, palatable drinking water every single time the consumer turns on their tap. Clearly, to be able to perform at the required level under all circumstances, operational staff need sound training and extensive knowledge, coupled with well developed practical skills and experience. They also need a well maintained and fully functional water treatment plant, appropriate for the source water being treated. Treatment plant operators are often the last line of defence in protecting the public from waterborne disease. The question can be posed: “How much training and experience is necessary to equip operators with the necessary skills to allow them to meet their responsibilities?” There is no Australia wide definition or standard. In addition, the quality of training courses vary widely in their content and suitability to underpin the necessary knowledge. Errors at treatment plants or within water distribution systems can place thousands of people at risk as has been amply demonstrated in Walkerton (Canada) and Milwaukee and Gideon (USA). These incidents directly contributed to widespread illness and a number of deaths in their communities. Countries such as the USA, Canada and to a lesser extent New Zealand now have formally

regulated systems in place in response to these types of events. These regulations ensure the pathogen contamination risk of the source water is matched to a treatment plant able to manage the risk posed by the source water. Additionally, the operator skills set required must then meet the complexity and sophistication of the plant itself. Sadly, Australia has not kept up with overseas best practice.

Australia has recommended a number of actions including mandatory compliance with ADWG and the development of a more highly skilled workforce through the establishment of a nationally consistent trade qualification. These recommendations are consistent with the stance taken by WIOA and as an industry, we need to embrace these ideas and help see them implemented.

The Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA), has worked tirelessly to establish and promote minimum standards of training, skill and experience for operators and to inform the entire industry about best practice systems. Through the publication of a series of “Practical Guide” books and the technical Journal “WaterWorks”, WIOA has alerted the industry to, and suggested means to rectify, many examples of substandard operational systems or practices. WIOA recognised quite some time ago the need to implement better systems and has been proactive in working with the Victorian Department of Health and VicWater in the development of the “Victorian Framework for Water Treatment Operator Competencies - Best Practice Guidelines”.

To date there has not been a major water quality incident in Australia – we want to help keep it that way.

Once implemented in early 2011, for the first time in Australia we will have specified minimum training, competency and experience requirements in place, as well as a requirement to undertake refresher training to keep skills updated. Further, operators will be “Certified” under a new scheme offered by WIOA, as having the appropriate training and experience to match the types of systems they are operating. This issue has now also gained national importance with the announcement of a project to develop a National Certification Framework for Potable Water Treatment Operators under the direction of COAG (Councils of Australian Government). The recently released Regional Towns Water Quality and Security Review undertaken on behalf of Infrastructure

George Wall Executive Officer Water Industry Operators Association of Australia

Ken Matthews

The Australian Water Industry “The Other Crisis”

The following article by Dr Peter Mosse and Mr George Wall appeared as an editorial in the December 2007 edition of the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia’s (WIOA) journal “WaterWorks”. An update on some of the issues raised appeared in the June 2009 edition of the same journal. Even after more than three full years of lobbying and highlighting these issues in as many forums as possible, very little recognition of the issues or any action to address them has occurred.

Skills Taskforce. There is currently a project managed by the National Water Commission under the direction of COAG (Councils of Australian Government) to develop a National Certification Framework for Potable Water Treatment Operators across the country.

One notable exception has been the release in Victoria of the Department of Health’s “Victorian Framework for Water Treatment Operator Competencies Best Practice Guidelines”. The issue of Certification of Operators has also gained prominence through the Water Industry

The original article was written at the height of the drought and although many parts of the country have now experienced significant rains, the issues raised still need to be addressed pending the arrival of the next dry period. The problems brought on by the flooding and

Water Management Review 2011

The establishment by the National Quality Council (NQC) of a new national system to audit the operation of training organisations may also address some of the issues raised relating to water industry training, but this is yet to be proved.

its impact on both water and wastewater plants also highlights the very same deficiencies. The original text is reproduced below. The shortage of water in this country, at this time, is clearly the major crisis facing the water industry. There is however a second crisis. This crisis relates to the ability of water supply systems in this country to deliver safe drinking water 100 per cent of the time and the ability to ensure this into the future. The consequences of this crisis are worsened by the impending implementation of indirect potable reuse schemes.

Operations

Treatment plant operators are often the last line of defence in the protection of public from waterborne disease. Errors can place thousands of people at risk

training for technical skills. This begs the question of the duration of competency. In the face of changing technology, and changing expectations, water supply operations teams must ensure currency of knowledge and skills. This principal is well established in our society from first aid training, life saving and airline pilots to name just a few professions with responsibility for some aspect of consumer safety. •

Modern businesses including water utilities are experiencing rapid rates of staff turnover. This has been exacerbated recently in the technical areas with technical staff being tempted by the high salaries offered by the mining and other industries. Finding suitably qualified replacements is often very difficult leading to the tendency to train “on the job”. This is not compatible with the production of safe drinking water 100 per cent of the time. The rate of remuneration for water industry operators in most cases is not commensurate with their level of responsibility, training, skills or expertise which is also adding to the staff turnover problem.

Training

Education and training are the cornerstones of maintaining a modern society. Training needs to be matched to the specific disciplines and to provide continuity into the future. The water industry faces limitations for both current and future operations. as has been amply demonstrated in Walkerton (Canada) and Milwaukee (USA).

and the progressive acquisition of functional knowledge in the appointment and matching of operators to treatment plants. In many cases, water businesses with a vacancy appoint whomever they think best for the job regardless of their level of training or competency. Human society in many areas recognises the progression of responsibility and expectations. A recently qualified pilot with a qualification to fly a single engine Cessna does not fly a jumbo jet – why shouldn’t this be extended to the water industry? There are similar deficiencies in the area of distribution system and wastewater treatment plant management as well.

In Australia at present: •

There is no minimum standard for the operation of treatment plants and there is no minimum educational or training standard required for operators.

•

There is essentially no minimum standard for the quality of water produced from a water treatment plant. There is certainly no minimum standard for the production of safe drinking water (the ADWG are guidelines, not regulations, and do not appear to have been widely adopted or used).

•

There is no recognition of the need for both training and experience

•

There is no recognition of the need for ongoing formal refresher

In Australia at present: •

The mediocre performance of some Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) has raised a number of issues:

•

RTOs with the Water Industry Training Package are audited against a set of nationally agreed standards the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) using training recognition consultants. The role of these auditors is to confirm that RTO’s are complying with the requirements of the AQTF including Standards 7 and 8 covering the competence of RTO staff and RTO assessments. Competency assessment under the AQTF requires assessors with the necessary knowledge and experience to assess the skills, or assessment to be undertaken in conjunction with an industry expert.

Anecdotally it appears that the audit process does not effectively determine if the RTO employs trainers who have demonstrable knowledge, skills and expertise in the areas of the water industry they train in. There is a need for the audit to be conducted in conjunction with an industry expert, designed to assess individuals who have completed training with the RTO to determine that they have met the assessment criteria of the Training Package. •

The quality and content of training materials varies considerably presumably reflecting the depth of knowledge of those responsible for assembling the study materials or different interpretations of the stated course requirements or alternatively to just make it easier for candidates to pass. There needs to be a more formal definition of content/ curriculum and a more thorough auditing of content.

•

Accounts abound of staff from RTO’s turning up at water businesses to assess competencies or run courses with limited knowledge or experience in the subject in question. Often they have to first obtain the necessary knowledge from operations staff within the utility.

•

Accounts abound of staff from water utilities undertaking a Recognition of Prior Learning or Recognition of Current Competence process with some RTO’s where provided the staff member can answer some relatively simple questions, they are ticked off as competent for units as high as Certificate III level. This is often based on time in the job alone. (The new NQC audit process may alleviate some of these issues but requires proactive input from water business that receive sub-standard service from a training organisation).

•

Un-nesting of units within the Water Package, particularly at Certificate II and III levels (removal of the need to demonstrate all the knowledge required at lower levels before embarking on a higher level qualification) is also likely to be problematic for two reasons. •

Water Management Review 2011

and skills to complete the more specialised training at the higher levels by building in the lower level competencies into each training unit, but there are no guarantees that every RTO will do this. This is particularly relevant to technically oriented training which requires a clear progression of the acquisition of knowledge. These changes at a time when the complexity of the industry and the expectations of public and regulators require increased operational skills, are a cause for major concern.

Un-nesting should require RTO’s to modify their existing training programs to ensure that students have the knowledge

•

The number of units required to complete a Certificate II & III has reduced from 22 under NWP 01 to 19 under NWP 07 but can be as few as 11 units if direct entry to Certificate III is approved. Under NWP 07, individual RTO’s can decide at what level a trainee can enter, and therefore how many units they must complete to achieve a qualification. There is no doubt that in efforts to save training dollars, some water businesses will “strongly encourage” RTO’s to do only the minimum amount of training to achieve a Certificate.

•

Competency assessment criteria are often generic rather than specific and open to a wide range of interpretation according to the experience and motivation of the assessor.

•

The lack of “streamed qualifications” within the training package means there is scope for individuals to achieve any Certificate level without necessarily combining an appropriate group of units. For example it is possible for a Water Treatment Plant operator to achieve Certificate III qualification without having completed any of the key units such as filtration or disinfection or coagulation/flocculation. To successfully employ or train a person appropriate for a job role now requires the Human Resources staff within water authorities to have a high level of understanding of the content of units within the Water Training package and the type of processes the person would be expected to operate. In many authorities, HR staff do not have this

expertise. The inclusion of tightly controlled “streamed qualifications” which identify areas of expertise and which specify units to be completed could help eliminate some of this confusion. •

A Level III certification does not necessarily qualify an individual to operate a treatment plant.

•

The completion of Certificate III should be the minimum aim for all staff who operate a water or wastewater treatment plant. Importantly though, employers need to recognise that the completion of the Certificate should not be the trigger that ends all technical training.

•

Although it is being addressed by Government Skills Australia at present, the Certificate IV units in NWP 07 predominately concentrate on front line management. The range of units does not provide adequate scope for persons wishing to complete a technically focussed qualification suitable for high level plant operation or to provide technical specialist support staff to help optimise and trouble shoot plants. (Note - this has been rectified with the release of NWP 07 Ver. 2 in early 2011).

Reporting

The provision of safe drinking water is of such importance to modern society that reporting of performance for external scrutiny is essential. Such expectations are well established in the financial sector. Pathogens are the major risk in the provision of safe water to consumers, reporting requirements need to reflect this knowledge.

Systems drawing water from high risk catchments with a high probability of pathogen contamination and/or with a large community with highly sensitive industry, health or tourist requirements require a higher level of plant capability and higher operational skills. The plant risk classification therefore needs to be matched with a treatment plant suitable to mitigate the risk. The operator skills set required must then meet the complexity and sophistication of the plant itself. (This approach has been adopted in the newly released Victorian Department of Health Framework for Water Treatment Operator Competencies). In Australia at present: •

There is no requirement for classification or registration of treatment plants.

•

There is no formal recognition of the need for plants capability and operational skills to match the overall risk profile.

This type of system already exists in countries such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand. Sadly, Australia is lagging well behind in this regard.

What We Need!

A national program for the production of safe drinking water is required. This program needs to recognise the need for, and integrate, a classification and registration system for treatment plants, minimum standards of operation and required levels of operation according to the classification level of the plant and formal requirements for appropriate reporting. More specifically: •

Treatment plant risk and sensitivity profiles need to be assessed and a plant classification established.

•

Treatment plant competency needs to be assessed and registered.

•

Minimum levels of operator qualifications and experience needs to be linked to the risk/sensitivity assessment of the plant. A high risk/high sensitivity plant would require a higher operational skills and experience set than a lower risk/ lower sensitivity plant.

In Australia at present: •

There is no requirement to report meaningful safe drinking water measures to regulators on the production of safe drinking water. Recording a value of zero (0) E coli is no longer suitable as a stand alone indicator. At a minimum reporting of individual filter performance and disinfection performance is required.

Plant Registration or Classification Treatment effort needs to be proportional to the risk and to the sensitivity of a community receiving the water.

•

A career path with entry from school, university or TAFE needs to be further developed and promoted

in conjunction with GSA and the water industry. •

Training courses need to be expanded and controlled to ensure that the skills sets identified above can be achieved by entry from multiple levels (e.g. school leavers, water industry employees, university graduates.)

•

Specific training course curricula need to be established.

•

Competencies need to be specific rather than generic.

•

A higher level technical specialist strand (possibly within the developing Certificate IV or Diploma level) needs to be developed to provide the higher level skills sets necessary for the operation of high risk/high sensitivity plants and the provision of specialist technical support within the industry. The stream would also provide a high level technical career path within the operations sector of the water industry. (Note – completed).

•

Reporting is required against the two key barriers for the control of pathogens in conventional water treatment, media filtration and disinfection. Chlorine disinfection (practiced at the vast majority of Australian plants) is only effective against bacteria and most viruses. Media filtration is the only barrier to protozoan pathogens. Reporting needs to be able to demonstrate that these barriers are consistently applied.

We realise there are a significant and diverse range of ideas and issues raised within this article. We contend that unless the water industry Nationally recognises these issues, understands the potential risks of ongoing inaction and works proactively to address them, the time bomb that is a major water quality incident with potentially serious health implications and possibly even deaths is imminent. Is it going to be your part of the country where it occurs? We hope not. We would welcome any comments, ideas, suggestions or feedback on how we can further progress our goal to improve the performance of all operational aspects of the Australian water industry.

SunWater setting in motion its strategic outlook for water in Queensland

SunWater, Queensland’s largest bulk water supplier, is leading the way in water infrastructure management and development and building on its reputation as one of the most progressive and successful water infrastructure companies in Australia. With a proven 80 year history of growth and leadership in delivering world-class bulk water infrastructure solutions, today SunWater owns and manages around $7 billion in water infrastructure assets and supplies 40% of all water used commercially in Queensland. These strong foundations have cemented SunWater’s position in Queensland’s Bowen and Galilee mining basins as the water infrastructure developer that new and established mining organisations turn to for value adding water supply solutions. The key to this success in the mining sector, according to SunWater’s Infrastructure Development General Manager Mark Browne, has been the organisation’s ongoing focus on planning for industrial water supply needs before they become critical. “Years before the mining boom swept across regional Queensland, SunWater was actively investigating strategic water supply infrastructure that delivered solutions for not only new mining developments but also for established miners that were keen to shore up their water security to take advantage of the increasing demand for coking coal,” Browne said. “In the case of the Bowen and Galilee mining basins, we foresaw a need for water and immediately set in motion a three-staged water supply strategy that would deliver the water security that the mining industry would eventually need. “It is this foresight - coupled with the strategic dovetailing of our developments with the Queensland Government’s Central Queensland Regional Water Supply Strategy - that has resulted in positive outcomes for all stakeholders. “Our 5200ML Gattonvale offstream storage and 23,000ML/a Burdekin to Moranbah Pipeline projects were the first two stages of our strategic water infrastructure development program and they enabled us to secure reliable water supplies for some of the Bowen Basin’s major mining operations.”

Water Management Review 2011

An indicative drawing of the proposed Connors River Dam

The Burdekin to Moranbah Pipeline project proved to be such a success that we are now carrying out its $30 million augmentation to meet future capacity demands. SunWater’s success with these early projects has also been key in building its portfolio of external asset management contracts with some of the region’s major mining operations.

“This $1.6 billion investment in infrastructure development will provide the necessary water security that the mining industry needs to achieve their goals during this intense period of demand,” he said. More information on how SunWater can deliver your total water solution can be found at www.sunwater.com.au

“Apart from managing our own billion dollar portfolio of water infrastructure assets in the Bowen Basin, we also manage an extensive network of water infrastructure pipelines owned by large scale mining operators. “In addition to our existing asset management and operational interests in the region, SunWater is well advanced into stage three of its infrastructure development program throughout the Bowen and Galilee basins.” The program’s main elements include a large scale dam on the Connors River and 365km of large diameter pipelines which will deliver up to 50,000ML/a of additional water supply to the basins.

SunWater owns and manages a water distribution network across Queensland, but is also responsible for the delivery and management of client infrastructure and bulk water supply.

Such is the region’s thirst for water, 84% of the available water allocations from these projects were snapped up by mining operators within days of them hitting the market. “Water is a key element to industrial production so it comes as no surprise that miners in the Bowen and Galilee basins were keen to become Foundation Customers of this project to shore up water security for their operations. “With this level of commitment we are now able to confidently move in to the pre-construction phase of detailed design engineering, construction procurement and finalisation of the investment decision.

Strategic planning ensures SunWater is able to pre-empt water supply needs before they become water shortages.

Driven by innovation and motivated by success, SunWater’s total water solutions are structured to meet the most complex water needs without compromising quality. We’ve spent 80 years delivering water infrastructure and know the finer details on making water work. Our total water solutions look to optimise our clients’ cost efficiencies, reduce maintenance, save energy and maintain infrastructure integrity. From designing and building dams and pipelines, managing and operating bulk water infrastructure, to finding new ways to deliver water to remote locations, we are the

contact

specialists that industry, mining and government turn to for total water solutions.

For a custom solution to your complex water needs, contact SunWater’s Business Development team: Phone

+ 61 7 3120 0000

business@sunwater.com.au

Web

www.sunwater.com.au

What specific capabilities and advantages does your company bring to this type of project?

Scope of works

Promains often is asked the question about how and what we can offer our clients. What makes us different to all the other suppliers within the market place. Our response to this question is always the same. Promains is a service business, not a product business. Anyone can supply products but not everyone can provide best in class service. Below is a case study explaining how our best in class services are delivered to our clients.

Best in class service in action

Promains offered Barwon Water practical experience and industry knowledge through expert trained staff, and the ability to understand the intricacies of a multi facet project. Extensive product and application knowledge is a key strength to the Promains offering. The ground water’s high temperature of 40ºC, low pH and other technical specifications required a customised product offering. The product offering was SUPERLIT Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipe, Ductile Iron Fusion Bonded Epoxy (DI FBE) coated and Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) fittings, VonRoll Hydro Ductile Iron Polyurethane externally and internally coated pipe and fittings (ECOPUR), specialised fabrication services for both GRP and DI pipe and fitting products such as flange pipes and offtakes. The product offering took into account various aspects of the project to complete a package that was compatible with ease of installation in mind. The SUPERLIT GRP had a stiffness rating of SN10,000 and pressure ratings of PN25 and PN32 in variety of lengths and sizes. The advantage of SUPERLIT GRP, it can be manufactured with any stiffness and pressure class and made to any desired length. With excellent corrosive resistance and characteristics that manage high fluid temperatures made it an ideal choice for the project. SUPERLIT GRP was one of two solutions for the overall project. VonRoll Hydro ECOPUR, a K12 ductile iron product with superior polyurethane external and internal coating made it perfect for the

Water Management Review 2011

aerator and bridge crossing. Customised fabrication services Promains were able to offer transformed a standard length of ECOPUR pipe into a fully coated flanged pipe system, essential for the projects corrosion control. Fabrication and modifications carried out were integral for completing complex project stages and provided Barwon Water superior options that had not been before considered or available.

product specifications and capabilities, handling and installation techniques on behalf of Barwon Water.

Promains approaches projects in a multi directional fashion and are able to provide simple and effective services. Promains experience with contractors and engineers have the capability to deliver specialised product training session’s offsite and onsite at a moments notice.

Promains offers all its clients the same level of service regardless of the size of the project. Your objectives, milestones, targets and outcomes become ours. Through innovation and our vast industry experience we can develop a solution to suit your needs and budget. As we always say, Promains is big enough to deliver, small enough to customise and smart enough to partner.

The Civil Contractors undertaking the construction and the Consulting Engineers who designed the project were invited to attend numerous training sessions developed and delivered by Promains on

Promains provided Barwon Water services above and beyond the industry standard. Special and customised services are available due to the many client relationships and the experience of the staff employed here at Promains.

Conclusion

The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is the professional body that supports the Australian urban water industry. Its members and associate members provide water and wastewater services to approximately 16 million Australians and many of Australia’s largest industrial and commercial enterprises.

Water Services Association of Australia The Association facilitates collaboration, knowledge sharing, networking and cooperation within the urban water industry. It is proud of the collegiate attitude of its members which has led to industry-wide approaches to national water issues.

“WSAA will advocate, collaborate and innovate to deliver value for its members.”

WSAA can demonstrate success in the standardisation of industry performance monitoring and benchmarking, as well as many research outcomes of national significance. The Executive of the Association retain strong links with policy makers and legislative bodies and their influencers, to monitor emerging issues of importance to the urban water industry. WSAA is regularly consulted and its advice sought by decision makers when developing strategic directions for the water industry.

The industry aims to be responsive to its customers and provide cost effective delivery of water services, while ensuring the sustainable management of urban water resources and minimising any impacts on the environment. WSAA supports the community and stakeholder engagement of its members through regular assessment and reporting on the performance of the urban water industry. It also identifies and shares an understanding of the risks confronting the industry and advises members on their management.

WSAA’s Vision for the urban water industry is to provide:

WSAA is always willing to innovate and seek new and smarter ways of doing things and prides itself on making decisions that are based on sound knowledge and research.

“Valued Water Solutions for a Better Future” It supports this Vision through its Mission

Water Management Review 2011

In achieving the Vision and Mission, WSAA is ever mindful of the importance of urban water services to the community particularly the protection of the public health of the community.

The Australian Urban Water Industry in 2011 Climate variability and population growth are still the main drivers of activity in the Australian urban water industry. The need to diversify water sources has created unprecedented capital investment during the past 10 years. While desalination is a very important component of the overall solution to supplying water to the Australian community it is not the only source of water being developed. There is considerable investment in recycled water, groundwater, stormwater and aquifer storage recharge. A consequence of multi source water supply systems is an increase in the complexity of managing these systems so they can be optimised from a water resource, energy and public health perspective. WSAA is increasingly involved in advocating the views of the urban water industry to key water stakeholders at the national level. WSAA was involved in extensive discussions with stakeholders in Canberra on a carbon reduction pollution scheme. The urban water industry has a proud leadership role in maximising the generation of renewable energy and reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of the industry. The National Greenhouse and Energy Report System (NGERS) is another area where WSAA has made representation to ensure that there are still incentives for water utilities to offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with desalination and recycled water schemes through the construction of renewable energy sources. WSAA Members value the opportunity to exchange information and learn from others and WSAA conducts forums, meetings and workshops for its members regularly across Australia.

WSAA regularly produces reports in relation to the water industry The National Performance Report (NPR) presents a consistent and informative overview of the performance of Australian urban water utilities and the essential services they provide. The Australian Urban Water Industry publishes more information than any other utility sector in the world, its latest urban report includes information from 73 utilities over 120 indicators. The NPR was prepared by the National Water Commission, all State

and Territory Governments and WSAA and is a requirement of the National Water Initiative. Occasional Paper No. 25 Implications of population growth in Australia on urban water resources. One of the key findings of this report is that Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major urban centres will experience a significant increase in demand even on the most conservative estimates of population growth. By 2026, on current population trends, it is predicted that major urban centres will have an additional demand of over 600 billion litres annually and by 2056 of over 1000 billion litres. However, with the recent investment in desalination and recycled water, the additional demand can, in theory, be met up to 2026 assuming rainfall does not continue to deteriorate. The industry is well positioned to accommodate higher population growth through the development of a diverse portfolio of water supply sources and sophisticated water efficiency strategies. Long term planning with regular review is imperative.

Asset Management Program The urban water industry manages assets worth nearly $100 billion, including ~80,000km of water mains and ~75,000km of sewer mains and channels. Sustainable management of this asset base is the focus of the WSAA Asset

Management Program, which supports WSAA members to improve community confidence in the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management of its assets through effective knowledge management and sustainable asset management decision making. This is achieved through targeted workshops and member networks.

Codes WSAA is the body that administers reviews and updates the Water Supply Codes. The third edition of the Water Supply Code was completed in 2010. Adopting utilities are currently preparing their variation documents prior to its public launch in 2011. This edition addresses the design and construction of water and non-drinking supplies, and incorporates much of the additional material published by utilities that have adopted the Code. It has been simplified to two parts that address planning and design and construction, testing and commissioning. Standard drawings have been replaced by figures throughout the Code to demonstrate design and/or construction principles that need to be incorporated in a set of project specific design drawings.

National Framework for Urban Water Metering (NFUWM) This Framework is a foundation for better water management practices within the urban water service industry with the

primary objective agreed by jurisdictional governments that national metering standards should provide an accurate and fair measurement of water consumption for all water users. The Framework is intended as a guide for urban water service providers (as well as other sectors of the urban water industry), outlining best practice principles and recommendations related to the metering of water. The Framework itself does not introduce any new regulatory requirements upon any sector of the urban water industry.

The Metering Codes of Practice NFUWM refers extensively to the Metering Codes of Practice which will contain technical requirements for the guiding principles established in the Framework. A WSAA Smart Water Metering Specification is being developed over the next two to four years to ensure a consistent approach in smart water metering and to provide economies scale benefits and encourage innovation.

Intelligent networks and smart metering Intelligent network solutions are emerging technologies and systems, which will deliver significant benefit to WSAA members through integrated water management and customer value enhancement. Through the Metering

Codes of Practice project, an industry specification for domestic smart water meters is being developed and has attracted significant international interest from meter suppliers given this is a world first.

Coordinated subscription funded program This program delivers the new and existing pressurised pipes and gravity sewerage system projects as well as preparing for the introduction of new asset classes in 2011.

Research Collaboration WSAA has built up a strong relationship with the new Centres of Excellence for Water Recycling and Desalination and strengthened its relationships through representation on steering groups or collaborative projects with several organisations such as Water Quality Research Australia (WQRA), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

WateReuse Association In mid-2008, a MoU was signed between the Chairs of WSAA and the WateReuse Association to create an Australian Division of the Association. The local Division was formed to tap into the wealth of knowledge in the US on water recycling and desalination and to build networks and share expertise on common issues such as technology developments, community outreach and customer acceptance.

Water Research Foundation and Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) WSAA and its Members are subscribers to the two largest US urban water research organisations, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the Water Research Foundation giving WSAA access to, and influence over $28 million of relevant water research annually.

Water Quality and Health Program This Program provides the strategic research agenda for maintaining water quality and public health for WSAA Member utilities and identifies emerging water quality policy issues and develops appropriate water industry responses.

Water Management Review 2011

All images in this article: Dams spilling after the heavy rains in 2011

Environment and Sustainability Program This program advises WSAA members on issues relating to environment and sustainability of the urban water industry, and identifies the strategic research agenda for achieving sustainability. Third party subscription projects in this program area include the Smart Approved WaterMark and the development of the Eco-footprint tool.

WSAA Networks These communities of practice and are created and disbanded according to the needs of the WSAA members and create a forum for knowledge transfer, skills sharing and networking with colleagues. Any employee of a WSAA member is entitled to join any number of networks.

Contact WSAA

Conclusion

Phone: (03) 9606 0678 Fax: (03) 9606 0376

The strength of WSAA is the close contact it maintains with Members which ensures that WSAA reflects the views of the utilities in its publications, in the media and when making presentations at public forums. We look forward to the future with a great deal of confidence but also aware that we are working in a rapidly changing industry and that the future holds many challenges. We believe that the challenges create opportunities which the industry must capitalise on.

Melbourne Office

Level 8, 469 Latrobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Mail to: PO Box 13172, Law Courts Post Office, Melbourne VIC 8010 Sydney Office Suite 1 Level 30, 9 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2001 Mail to : GPO Box 915, Sydney NSW 2001 Phone: (02) 9221 5966 Fax: (02) 9221 5977

MWC0055_UD

Protecting our waterways through water sensitive urban design Melbourne is growing, with an estimated increase of one million people by 2030. Melbourne Water has a key role in ensuring that as our city grows, people and property are protected from floods and our waterways stay healthy. Working with councils, developers and landowners, we ensure new developments include

water sensitive urban design measures such as raingardens or rainwater tanks. In this way, we work together to help protect and improve river health by removing pollutants at or near their source, and move closer to our aim of a sustainable water future. For more information visit melbournewater.com.au

Waking up to the true value of water By Siobhan Boyle; Gentrack Market Consultant

the frequency and severity of water restrictions, Australians are instead looking beyond these measures to a smarter means of water consumption management. The blanket approach to water efficiency is changing to one based more on individually accountable usage.

DRIVING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

When water stressed regions around the world search for water conservation programs to replicate, their eyes quickly turn to Australia. This already arid continent has, since 2001, been suffering from a long and painful drought. With both rural and urban water reserves plummeting, water consumption patterns, and attitudes, had to change, and change quickly. Tight water restrictions were implemented in many regions and new water saving devices subsidised. The move to billing households on water consumption, rather than on the value of their property, has also forced consumers to link usage with cost. But have these programs actually had an impact? The results would suggest so. Total residential urban water consumption has reduced by 12 per cent since 2003, even on the back of a 7.7 per cent population expansion1. But population growth and climate change will place further demands on already stretched water resources. For a country rich in natural minerals, water will continue to be its most prized commodity. So as other nations facing shortages consider water metering and increase

Water Management Review 2011

Many water commissions and utilities have already started down this path; the state of Queensland is a good example. It has for the last few years set fairly aggressive voluntary residential use targets. The latest, Target 200, expects households to use less than 200 litres per person per household, two thirds of the pre- drought daily consumption of 300 litres. Households using more than 300 litres per day receive notification and could receive a total outdoor water ban. In parallel it has backed up this tough stance with a range of education programs on water efficiency and easy to read water bills that highlight any savings made. Visual comparisons are made between households in the same area and those with the same number of inhabitants. For businesses, efficiency improvement goals are even tougher. But with much of the water billing in Australia done on a quarterly basis, there tends to be a significant lag between actual consumption and visibility of that consumption. In times of severe water shortage, this can make it difficult for consumers to know if their water usage is running below revised consumption targets. This issue is even more acute with utilities that bill water usage on an annual basis - commonplace in the UK and Europe.

REAL TIME CONSUMPTION VISIBILITY

The obvious answer is to implement water measuring devices that capture more granular data, and thus give consumers a near real time window to their water consumption. The deployment of true interval based smart meters is one option, but is for many too capital intensive in the short term and fraught with major technical challenges.

A few Australasian metering technology companies have instead focused on developing a much lower cost pulsebased data logger and a raft of such products are now available. Progressive water utilities are rolling these out to sit alongside the existing meter to record the time and date when a predetermined volume is consumed. The data is then transmitted back to a central site via GPRS or RF on a daily or weekly basis, and presented to utilities and customers highlighting potential leakages and excessive consumption. Utilities can then tap into this information to: â&#x20AC;˘L et consumers know how they are performing - We all tend to react better to targets than we do restrictions. By providing near real time visibility of usage against targets, households are much more likely to curb consumption immediately, when it is needed the most. â&#x20AC;˘ I mprove Leakage detection - Customer premise based leaks are usually hard to pinpoint when billing on a monthly or quarterly basis. By breaking down water use into time periods throughout the day, any continual overnight usage can be quickly detected - a common indicator of such leaks. â&#x20AC;˘P revent un-authorised use. In periods of drought or lowered water targets, utilities can monitor if consumption is dropping as per the general trend, and/or detect spikes in the evening or at night that could represent outdoor water use in breach of restrictions.

FLEXIBLE BILLING AND CRM ESSENTIAL

But access to this consumption data alone is not enough. Utilities already on this path are discovering that the capabilities and flexibility of the billing and customer care system have become as important as the technology at the metering end. The billing system of old may have had embedded CRM. Now however, the emphasis is changing. Think instead of a customer interaction platform with embedded billing - aggregating consumption data for display online in

customer portals or mobile devices, managing the sending of SMS or emails to households with probable leaks, and implementing strategies for dealing with overuse offenders. But this is not the end of the journey to better water management, only the beginning. The way we buy and use water will change, again and again. There will be new innovative tariffs, numerous local water reforms, more sophisticated communication networks and smarter water saving appliances. And despite current cost concerns, the smart water grid is on its way. Estimates from Pike Research (July 2010) suggest that smart or smart enabled water meters could ultimately account for 31% of all new water meter shipments2.

PUT THE CUSTOMER AT CENTRE OF YOUR STRATEGY The lessons being learned from the smart electricity grid rollouts globally also suggest that new metering infrastructure, whether it is data logger or an interval meter based technology, cannot be deployed in isolation. Early investment in smart grid ready back office platforms is equally as critical. Opting for highly configurable open systems that leverage configurable workflows and SOA will protect that investment through the inevitable shakeout of standards and technologies. Implementing a system that also places customers at the centre of evolving water management strategies can only reap further rewards.

While much of the rest of the world may have been slow to wake up to the true value of water, Australian based utilities have long been ahead of the pack in smart water management. With the tools now available to engage every consumer in improving water sustainability, Australian water management is set to get a whole lot smarter still. References 1 https://www.wsaa.asn.au/Publications Documents/201007%20WSAA%20Occasional%20 Paper%2025.pdf 2 http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/installedbase-of-smart-water-meters-to-surpass-31-millionby-2016

Bermad Water Technologies Product Update We now have available, and exclusively distribute in Australia, the Xenon device from Sensus which further enhances the capabilities of the Sensus Meter range.

Xenon product summary Overview The unique Xenon device from Sensus is a true ‘plug and play’ AMR solution, and with data stored on a secure server, there is no software set up required. By utilising SMS/GSM network as the communications medium, it means that Xenon has almost limitless range and can operate reliably and efficiently in cabinets or pits. Anywhere there is cell phone coverage, Xenon will operate. As well as hourly logged readings transmitted once per day, Xenon offers immediate alarms for leak and burst. Each device features four inputs, to pulse or mini bus data and two alarms which can be used for additional security. This allows connection to up to two metres.

Key features • Autonomous usage - no cable, no phone line, no external power required • H ourly consumption and meter reading data • D ata transmission using one Short Message Service (SMS) per day* • E asy access to the data hosted at the XENON data center** • L eakage and broken pipe and alarm predefined mobile phone number • I nternal Lithium battery with estimated lifetime of 7 years • E asy to install and no software required on site • C onfiguration by SMS with a mobile phone device or through the data center •

• Water tightness classified in IP68

** Data hosting and *SMS data transmission are not part of the XENON Box and require separate service contracts and will generate additional costs

Functionality The Xenon device logs data from the meter each hour and transmits one time

Water Management Review 2011

per day. This data packet will include 24 timed readings as well as internal diagnostics such as temperature, signal level, battery voltage, etc. The data is transmitted by SMS to the Global Data Centre servers and can be accessed by web browser through a simple log in process. This means no complex software configuration is required and customers can commence data collection from the first day of install. In addition to the routine daily data transmission of the previous 24 hourly readings, Xenon can also send immediate notification of leaks, pipe burst or tampering (if configured) by email, fax or SMS. Xenon will operate efficiently with any brand or type of water meter that has a pulse output and with many other pulse signal devices.

Global Data Centre The Global Datacenter has been constantly advanced for more than 10 years and currently manages more than 30,000 units. It is the central communication node where all messages from telemetry and remote meter-reading units from installations all around the world are sent to. This also includes projects in South America as well as Asia. After reception all the incoming messages are evaluated, stored in a central database and finally made available via web-interface. The platform already contains a lot of features to evaluate incoming data on-thefly, such as a consumption page, graphical long-term history views and many more. With the integrated access-control mechanism, it is possible to control and restrict the privileges of every user account which is able to log in. In addition, the web interface can also be used to set up alert notifications and message forwardings to fax devices, mobile phones and e-mail accounts. Alternatively the Datacentre also provides interfaces to third-party software, such as direct ODBC access to the database or various export possibilities, e.g. the widespread XML format, the Excel XLS format or the well-known CSV export files. By using the Datacenter, customers don’t have to worry about the integrity and safety of their data. The Datacentre has a fully

redundant system in-house which provides automatic failover capabilities and takes care for the regularly scheduled backup. After the login, the client is able to access any piece of data that the devices have ever transmitted. Furthermore, the Datacenter is totally backed up by a remote second server installation.

BERMAD WATER TECHNOLOGIES proudly announce that we are the exclusive distributors of Sensus (Meinecke) water meters. SENSUS meters • Revolutionary new design • First Helical meter with EEC class C pattern approval • Ready for AMR/AMI use • District metering • Pipe Network monitoring and leakage detection • Increase Customer billing revenue

www.bermad.com.au (03) 9464 5421

Emerson With over 25 years of experience in developing industry-leading magnetic flowmeter technology, Rosemount understands the issues facing users in the most demanding conditions. Traditionally, verifying Magmeter calibration has required the flowmeter to be removed from the line, and recalibrated in a flow lab or with a prover. Emerson’s Smart Meter Verification on Rosemount’s E-Series Magnetic Flowmeters allows users to verify calibration without additional equipment. Initiated directly through the meter’s Local Operator Interface, the 475 Field Communicator, or AMS™ Suite: Intelligent Device Manager, the Smart Meter Verification diagnostic verifies both the transmitter and flowtube sensor calibration. Smart Meter Verification

diagnostics deliver a fast and costeffective approach to meter verification, satisfying regulatory requirements with no additional equipment. The Rosemount E-Series Magnetic Flowmeters are designed for reliability. The all-welded sensor design and fully isolated dual compartment electronics housing prevent moisture from damaging electronic components, and broad material options can be matched to the applicaiton to provide extended life. Only Rosemount E-Series Magnetic Flowmeters have a comprehensive solution to optimise installed performance and signal stability, even in the noisiest application, without additional dampening. The high process noise diagnostic alerts you when variability is caused by the process noise and not the actual flow variation. This allows the user to adjust

to a higher coil drive frequency to stabilize the output. By taking advantage of the high process noise diagnostic and scalable coil drive capabilities, process control is improved, product quality is increased, and scrap is reduced. The advanced diagnostics in the Rosemount E-Series Magmeter allow for improved installation practices with ground and wiring fault detection to get it right the first time. Maintenance practices are improved by the simplification of Smart Meter Verification diagnostics as well as the reduction in cost. Taking advantage of the best practices for magnetic flowmeters is easy. Ordering Rosemount’s E-Series Magnetic Flowmeters with the Smart Meter Verification diagnostics will deliver results that directly impact the bottom line.

Phone: 1300 55 3051 Facsimile: 03 9720 4215 ausales@ap.emersonprocess.com

www.emersonprocess.com

Water Management Review 2011

Entura An example of this is the businesses recent involvement in projects to predict the effects of climate change on our water resources.

As a leading water and energy consultancy in the Asia-Pacific region, Entura helps companies tackle big problems with clever solutions. Entura is the consulting business of Hydro Tasmania, one of Australia’s largest water managers. Entura’s expertise is built on Hydro Tasmania’s almost 100 years of developing and operating major water and power infrastructure, including 30 hydro power stations, 59 major dams and 212 km of pipelines, tunnels and canals. This long history has also involves managing the health of surrounding water and land environments, including catchments, lakes, rivers and landscapes. Entura uses this experience and knowledge to provide solutions for companies facing similar issues in similar industries. This is particularly true of the businesses dam design capabilities, for which Entura is considered an industry leader. Wyaralong Dam

Entura has been involved in many of the country’s key dam’s projects in recent years, including the Samson Brook Dam in Western Australia, the Cotter Dam in A.C.T., and the Paradise and Wyaralong Dams in Queensland. Entura’s experience runs the full breadth of dam engineering and includes expertise in RCC, concrete faced rockfill, arch, embankment and concrete gravity dams for locations across Australia in internationally. With matching capability in hydrology, hydraulics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and environmental assessment and management, Entura offers complete end-to-end solutions for major water and energy projects. The innovative approach of Entura’s consultants ensures the business is always at the cutting edge of the latest technologies and techniques.

One such project saw Entura in collaboration with the CSIRO to provide water managers and users with robust estimates of current and future water yield for all irrigation catchments within Tasmania. The Tasmania Sustainable Yields project estimates in consideration of the effect of climate change, the development of irrigation, and other water interception activities such as forestry and changes in groundwater. Entura’s growth has led to the establishment of Australian offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney. Internationally, Entura has a regional office in New Delhi, India and a project office in Sarawak, Malaysia staffed predominantly by hydro power and dams experts. For more information on Entura, their projects, or how they can help you with your water or energy project, contact info@entura.com.au, or visit www.entura.com.au.

Water Storage information for Australia Australia has around 500 publicly-owned major water storages. The Bureau of Meteorologyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Storage website now contains information about more than 250 of these storages. It includes water level and volume, accessible capacity and background information on the storage owner or operator, the impounded river and the year the storage was completed. Water storage information is available for individual storages, and aggregated values are shown for cities, rural systems, States and drainage divisions.

The Bureau reports on public storages with a capacity of 1 GL or greater, accounting for over 90% of the water available for consumption. Over the coming year, further water storages will be added, however, because most of the largest storages are already included in our product, the aggregate volume of water reported will only increase slightly. Sixteen operating agencies supply data to the Bureau. This will increase to over 40 as the remaining water storages are added. Since 2007, the Bureau has expanded its new role as the national agency for water information, with responsibility for gathering, holding, managing and publishing Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water data and information. The online water storage product is one of numerous innovations developed by the Bureau, in conjunction with water managers, to improve the accuracy and currency of water information. The information on the Water Storage website will support improved water use planning, as regularly updated and accessible information assists the process of forecasting and decisionmaking. Public awareness will also

Water Management Review 2011

increase because this information is freely available to all Australians. A key element of the Bureau’s national water information role is standardisation. This is the first time that standardised national water storage information has been available at a single website. Many water management organisations across the country publish their local water storage data. Sometimes this information differs from the numbers published by the Bureau because: The Bureau standardises the information. For instance, some suppliers report against total capacity including the dead storage, which is the water at the bottom of a dam—below the off-take pipe—that can’t be accessed. The Bureau consistently reports against the accessible capacity for each water storage. The Bureau and data suppliers may use different methods to smooth or round the

data they publish. Some organisations smooth or round the data they publish. For example the Bureau might say the accessible capacity on a particular day is 3 125 ML rather than 3 100 ML, and this will affect the percentage full value for the water storage. The Bureau may update daily values at different times to the data-supplying organisation—sometimes later, sometimes earlier—with data being received by the Bureau over periods ranging from seconds to weekly. The methods applied to aggregate data at various scales (eg. city, basin, supply system, state and national) include business rules that affect when the Bureau can publish a valid aggregate water storage value. Although the published numbers may sometimes differ, both sets of information are correct. The Bureau’s Water Storage website allows everyone to

compare standardised water information across Australia. In standardising this information, the Bureau reports on the volume of water accessible for use.

National water market information Water markets and trading is another area where the Bureau has significantly increased the accessibility and consistency of water information. The Bureau has worked with State agencies and irrigation companies to gather, standardise and publish water markets information on the National Water Market website. This includes reporting allocations trading, entitlements trading and publishing of entitlements on issue. The market for water in Australia is worth over $2 billion per year. The water market reports provide weekly updates to water trade and entitlement information, with volume and price information that can be viewed at levels from individual trading zones, to systems, States and at a national level. The Bureau has worked closely with the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and with State agencies and irrigation companies to gather, standardise and publish water markets, information on the National Water Market website. It is available at www.nationalwatermarket.gov.au

Water information products The online water storage and water market ‘dashboards’ are examples of the products that the Bureau provides in its role as the national, authoritative source for water information. The Bureau’s other water information products include foundation data sets such as the Version 1 national Geofabric, consisting of surface cartography, a surface stream network, and surface catchments; a national standard for transferring water data (the Water Data Transfer Format); seasonal streamflow forecasts, and a pilot version of the National Water Account. For more information on the Bureau’s water information role and products, please visit www.bom.gov.au/water

It never rains but it pours...

Paul Cooper (Industry Director, Water) Never are these words more apt than at present with respect to our water situation in Australia. But the same words could also apply to the underlying floods of data that most organisations struggle to turn into meaningful and useful knowledge. For many years SMS Management and Technology (SMS) has helped organisations manage their “data floods” and enabled business to convert raw data to quality business information. Our engagements in the water industry have highlighted the challenges and benefits in managing large amounts of data effectively. We’d like to share some of our lessons learned. There is an abundance of instrumentation capturing measurement of the hydrological cycle that delivers a flood of raw data which in isolation provides useful reference of a point in the cycle – but it is the ability to bring that data together, applying appropriate reference data and hydrological calculations to deliver useful information that really matters to the water industry and general public. Our work with our clients has been to help transform such data into useful information. This data transformation aspect was particularly important for the BoM who has responsibility for the provision of quality water information to the public and industry. SMS worked with the BoM as industry partner to help create AWRIS (Australian Water Resource Information System) that is the service designed to provide this information. AWRIS receives regular data feeds from over 240 water organisations including stream flows, dam levels, device and location reference data and must consolidate and present the information in a variety of data formats to allow users to gain the greatest benefit from the integrated information. To successfully develop and implement AWRIS, the BoM needed to develop an adaptive and resilient IT system that was able to handle the wide range of historical and real time data that was presented in a variety of data formats and widely varying volumes. Successfully delivering the first phase of AWRIS provides an initial set of information that will be built upon moving forward to deliver knowledge of the hydrological cycle. SMS was also engaged by a major water-data supplier to help develop

Water Management Review 2011

the applications and data management systems to provide the right data through to BoM AWRIS. Our team at the supplierend used an agile software development approach (an approach that greatly speeds development in part through enhanced communication between stakeholders and the use of short iterative development cycles) to rapidly devise a reusable data transfer application to extract data from two different client business systems and translated into the format required by the BoM. This approach was successful because of the development of a robust data model and because the client team was receptive to the agile approach. Working on the AWRIS project itself, we found that major issues related to inconsistent data standards and data quality across the industry. SMS worked closely with BoM hydrologists to resolve these issues including developing business rules to help deal with transient or longterm missing data elements, and how to deal with the ingest of massive amounts of historical data while still enabling ongoing processing of current data. Lesson 1: Use Information Architecture principles to establish clear expectations of data required to be interchanged. Deliver a clear and syndicated data model, define and manage interface specifications and deal with data quality issues at the source. Lesson 2: Use agile approaches and maintain high quality data models for key data. Lesson 3: Develop and test business rules that are required to handle exceptions. Our experience is that this exception handling is frequently underestimated by project teams. Automated test and load processes help, but there is only so much that such processes can do. The real work is resolving and agreeing how to handle exceptions. Lesson 4: Maintain Focus. A final lesson from our work at both the major water organisation and the BOM is that consistent management attention for these types of projects is essential. Fortunately, both organisations demonstrated high levels of management focus which was essential for the wellbeing and success of the projects. SMS are continuing in our partnership with the BoM to develop further extension

of the AWRIS solution and data suppliers to ensure effective data management and integration is achieved. Our ongoing work includes contribution to the development of WDTF (Water Data Transfer Format) which will provide a standard data interchange format for hydrological information to drive higher quality data. We are pleased to see that the systems are being used to feed information through to the public and other organisations e.g. the very important dam level information provided by BoM (see www.bom.gov.au/water). The aim of providing this information is best described by Rob Vertessy (Deputy Director Water at BoM ) who states “We aim to help the public become as informed about water as they are about the weather.”

Transforming Business through Information and Data Management SMS Management & Technology (SMS) has been delivering innovative and creative solutions to Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading corporations and government departments since 1986. Data is one of any enterpriseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key strategic assets. Effective data governance, strategy, design, solution delivery, reporting and analysis to support business execution and decision making is a challenge all industries face. The SMS Information & Data Management (IDM) Practice provides pragmatic solutions and specific consulting expertise, delivered through application of best practices and methodologies. SMS has significant experience in the architecture, design, delivery and support of enterprise scale solutions across the Water Industry and Utility sector. Spanning the lifecycle of Enterprise Information Management, the IDM Practice provides services ranging from Information Management strategy development, data warehouse, business intelligence, Master Data Management and data quality & remediation services to name a few.

SMS Management & Technology Level 41, 140 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 www.smsmt.com

About SMS SMS Management & Technology is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading publicly listed [ASX:SMX] Management Services company. We employ in excess of 1,600 permanent and contract staff in offices throughout Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore. Best known for delivery excellence, SMS helps its clients improve their business performance through the implementation of strategy and the delivery of business and technology projects. Industry expertise spans the Water Industry, financial services, ICT, government, defence, health, utilities, mining, gaming and infrastructure sectors.

Judging the Basin Plan: A statement from the Chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s vision is a healthy, working Basin. We are currently developing a draft plan for the Basin that will work towards achieving that vision. This will be one of the most ambitious, far-reaching and complex policy developments ever attempted in Australia. Water reform on this scale is unique, with the plan encompassing four states and one territory, covering 19 regions and 38 distinct social areas. Without a precedent to build upon, developing the plan has required sourcing sophisticated models and the best available science from around Australia and the world. Although we’re drawing on the expertise and knowledge of leading experts in fields such as ecology, hydrology, economics and public policy, we’re also relying on local knowledge. This local knowledge is particularly important in developing the plan. Most of the feedback we have received has been from individuals who have realised the importance of what we’re trying to achieve and are determined to assist the Authority in understanding the on-ground issues beyond the science and politics. Since taking on the role of chair in February 2011, I’ve travelled around the

Water Management Review 2011

Basin to hear first-hand these issues and to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of the reform process on local communities. This has also given me an opportunity to actually see what the science is telling us. Despite the recent drought-breaking rains, the Basin is far from healthy. We want to learn the lessons from the last drought while they are fresh in peoples’ minds and build our capacity to cope into the future. As a result of encountering so many people and perspectives around the Basin, I’ve come to a realisation - creating a plan for the Basin ultimately comes down to judgement. We will be using judgement in determining a balanced outcome for the Basin, an

outcome that considers all the factors, including feedback from the community. Obviously, it’s crucial that we continue to use the best available science, internationally peer-reviewed, to inform the development of the Basin Plan. However, science doesn’t give us the answer, science is one of multiple streams of information. At the end of the day, we will need to use our judgement and that will be informed by working with as wide a crosssection of interested people, communities and governments as possible. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has been given an enormous responsibility in undertaking this unprecedented scale of water reform, and we are determined to create certainty for the future of the Basin. Craig Knowles, Chair

Collaborative Decision-making in NRM Cross-sector & cross-scale governance arrangements to improve NRM outcomes 30th June & 1st July 2011, Citigate Central, Sydney

Over 120+ pe op attended le in 2010!

Join us at the Collaborative Decision-Making in NRM Conference 2011 which brings together senior level NRM experts who will examine where disparities exist across NRM scales and sectors, as well as the challenges and impacts this has on NRM goals. Over 120+ people attended in 2010. Register now to be part of the discussions! Hear expert analysis from: Ken Matthews Former Chair and Chief Executive Officer National Water Commission

Cr Phyllis Miller Mayor Forbes Shire Council & Convenor Natural Resource Advisory Council, NSW

Alex McMillian Executive Director Natural Resource Commission, NSW

Geoff Penton CEO Queensland Murray Darling Committee

Paul Sinclair Healthy Ecosystems Program Manager Australian Conservation Foundation

John Whittington Deputy Secretary Resources and Information Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, TAS

Gain insights into: Designing roles and responsibilities for shared decision-making Approaches for aligning regional, state and national objectives NRM governance arrangements across jurisdictions The role of community-based groups and networks in NRM governance Challenges and opportunities for NRM in carbon investments

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Integrated Water Management Solutions for south-east Melbourne Over the past decade, climate change and dry conditions have had a major impact on water resource planning. South East Water, one of Melbourne’s three metropolitan water retailers, is tackling this situation by focusing on Integrated Water Management (IWM).

In line with South East Water’s commitment to meet the needs of its customers and community, the water retailer identified IWM as a strategic priority in 2009 and has since been working to develop an IWM Strategy for its service region.

IWM aims to provide customers with the most sustainable mix of all possible water solutions in a geographical context, considering energy aspects, environmental benefits and improved social outcomes. IWM also involves considering the water cycle in an integrated way, rather than managing the individual components, such as drinking water, waterways, flood mitigation and groundwater, in isolation.

South East Water General Manager – Strategy, Hamish Reid, said that producing truly sustainable outcomes for the community requires a broader view than focusing on traditional water and sewerage services.

Water Management Review 2011

“We need long term integrated water solutions to address the challenges posed by climate change, population growth and our customers’ desire to play a more

active role in water cycle management,” Dr Reid said.

Developing an IWM Strategy South East Water, in partnership with Southern Rural Water and Melbourne Water, is hard at work to deliver an IWM Strategy for the south-east region of Melbourne—from Port Melbourne to Portsea and from Parkdale to some 30 kilometres east of Pakenham. This region is of great environmental, economic and social value, featuring internationally recognised wetlands and numerous waterways, such as Dandenong Creek and the Bunyip and Tarago rivers, and rich soils supporting agriculture. It also includes the established industrial

to achieving the most sustainable outcome is to collaborate with others, which is why we’re partnering with Melbourne Water and Southern Rural Water to develop this strategy,” Dr Reid said.

such as increased collaboration across the region’s internal boundaries, increased understanding of other stakeholder interests and ongoing relationship building.

Melbourne Water manages water supply catchments, treats and supplies drinking and recycled water, removes and treats most of Melbourne’s sewage and manages waterways and major drainage systems in the Port Phillip and Western Port region. Southern Rural Water is responsible for the rural water across the entire southern part of Victoria, from the Great Divide to the coast, which includes irrigation districts, major reservoirs, and licences to use groundwater or river water. And South East Water provides water, sewerage and recycled water services to residential, industrial and commercial customers in urban Melbourne and outlying peri-urban and rural areas.

The group was formed in early 2010 and has since worked through a structured process, which involved: •

Setting a long term vision for the south-east of Melbourne and establishing the role of water in achieving that vision.

•

Identifying the full spectrum of potential local water management opportunities.

•

Establishing the optimal mix of water management opportunities, considering the extent to which the solutions can meet the long term vision and deliver waterway and bay health, flood mitigation and greenhouse gas minimisation.

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Developing the required supporting planning and regulatory frameworks to ensure these solutions can be implemented.

Collaboration and engagement To effectively address all elements of the diverse region’s water needs and provide optimal solutions from across the entire water cycle, the project team has established a stakeholder reference group to help drive and develop the strategy. The group is made up of members from government, community and industry, offering varying interests and expertise to provide information, advice, input and recommendations on a range of issues core to the strategy’s development. This group will ultimately recommend the final strategy to the three project partners, due towards the middle of this year.

centres of Dandenong, Clayton and Port Melbourne, with future development earmarked for the Port of Hastings. The cities of Dandenong and Frankston are key commercial and residential centres with plans for further development over the coming years as urban density increases. Important water infrastructure assets in the region include the Eastern Treatment Plant and Cardinia Reservoir. Dr Reid said the fact that the various aspects of the water cycle are fragmented and managed by different organisations is one of the difficulties in achieving the best community outcomes through an IWM approach. “South East Water’s service region involves other agencies so the first step

The overall engagement objectives for the strategy were driven by the public participation values established by the International Association for Public Participation – a not-for-profit organisation that promotes the values and best practices associated with involving the public and communities in decisions that affect their lives. What sets the IWM project apart from many water projects is the overall commitment to ‘collaborate’. This commitment is a promise to partner with key stakeholders in every aspect of the decision making process, including developing alternatives and identifying the preferred solution. The stakeholder reference group is the primary mechanism for engagement throughout the project, with benefits

In addition to collaboration with the stakeholder reference group, a number of workshops were held with representatives from industry and local government to introduce the project and brainstorm potential IWM initiatives. Taking a collaborative approach to developing the strategy has generated a number of innovative ideas and a wide range of opportunities have been considered. Some of these ideas include expanded stormwater harvesting, local customer solutions such as greywater use, intelligent networks, greater coordination with land use planning and maximising fit for purpose recycled water opportunities.

Water solutions for a better future Establishing an IWM future is a complex and challenging task. It involves a significant paradigm shift away from traditional water resource management across Melbourne. In the past, water management has focused on relatively large centralised management, whereas the IWM Strategy is focusing on meeting customers’ needs and expectations through a mix of local and customised

Stormwater systems, which harvest urban stormwater from pipes and waterways, are an emerging area with strong community interest and government support. South East Water is managing a pilot scheme in Narre Warren North, Melbourne, to substitute drinking water with treated stormwater for toilet flushing and garden watering. In this project, stormwater is captured via an existing constructed wetland on Troups Creek and then treated prior to delivery using a dual pipe system. The wetland provides storage and removes some nutrients as part of a broader program to remove nutrients from receiving waters.

solutions, in addition to the traditional centralised systems. Once complete, the IWM Strategy will focus on objectives such as drinking water substitution using fit for purpose water, providing customer choice, improving waterway health and ensuring ongoing quality of bays, oceans and aquifers. According to Dr Reid, this is the first time a water retailer has embarked on such a project, collaborating beyond traditional lines of responsibility to provide the most sustainable mix of water solutions, tailored to specific areas across South East Water’s service region. “Our vision is for a community working together to manage water wisely to support a vibrant and thriving region. The challenge now is to determine how we can support this vision through the strategy,” Dr Reid said. Following on from the stakeholder engagement and collaboration process, the project team is now gearing up to launch a range of strategic IWM options, which have been developed based on a set of four distinct project zones. Dr Reid said that by assessing options within distinct zones, the team is more likely to identify areas with physical characteristics that support decentralised systems, rather than generic solutions for the whole region.

Water Management Review 2011

Through developing an IWM Strategy—a Strategic Priority for South East Water in its own right—the water retailer is demonstrating a strong commitment to meeting the needs of its customers and community. “Our strategy will provide our customers and community with sustainable solutions through a holistic approach to water management. By partnering with our customers and key stakeholders, we will deliver a strategy that looks at the total water cycle. Not only will this approach optimise the use of all water services, but also reduce the environmental footprint and community cost of water solutions,” Dr Reid said.

IWM in action South East Water is already well advanced in various aspects of IWM. Not only is there a strong water efficiency program, but also a range of initiatives to make the most of available water sources and provide fit for purpose recycled water for garden irrigation and toilet flushing. South East Water expects to service around 40,000 residential properties over the next 20 years with dual pipe networks. These properties use recycled water for toilet flushing and garden use, which typically contributes around 50 per cent of total residential demand. To date, the dual pipe estates have grown to more than 4,000 residential customers.

Rainwater tank harvesting systems have also been a popular choice for the community over the past few years and their uptake has increased markedly. To encourage uptake, South East Water offers customers a range of complete rainwater tank solutions through interest free payment plans. South East Water also supplies treated greywater to approximately 200 apartments in an apartment complex in St Kilda.

Benefits of IWM • Reduced pollutions and erosion of waterways through stormwater reuse. • Optimised asset infrastructure and lower greenhouse gas emissions. • Reduced reliance on drinking water by providing fit for purpose water to meet customers’ varying needs. • Enhanced community access to a reliable and affordable water supply. • Improved community understanding of the whole water cycle.

‘us’ - Utility Services Water Industry Operations Maintenance and Construction Services

Online Hydrant Monitoring ‘HydroTrak’ HydroTrak is a remote, online logging system for hydrant permit vehicles, enabling online recording and reporting of water withdrawn from a network.

Spill Prevention ‘BlokAid’ BlokAid is a cost effective, easy to install and fully self-contained overflow monitoring device for sewer and stormwater networks.

Smart Monitoring ‘HydroShare’ HydroShare is an integrated online recording and reporting system for remote monitoring of water, gas, electricity and trade waste.

Leaders in ‘Remote Monitoring’ ‘us’ - Utility Services is a long-term strategic program alliance between: South East Water and a consortium of Thiess Services and Siemens Limited.

We combine our network of resources, know-how and innovative products to deliver exceptional operations, maintenance and construction services throughout the Water Industry. Anything is possible with this unique mix of capabilities, technologies and innovative solutions, shared with utilities, councils and industrial customers.

Giving our clients the edge 13 28 12 www.usus.com.au 40 Commercial Drive Lynbrook Victoria 3975 Australia

‘Footprint’ Remote Monitoring 24/7 water, gas, electricity and trade waste monitoring

Company Profile ‘us’ - Utility Services is a long-term strategic program alliance between South East Water and a consortium of Thiess Services and Siemens Limited. We combine our network of resources, know-how and innovative products to deliver exceptional operations, maintenance and construction services to the Water Industry. Anything is possible with this unique mix of capabilities, technologies and innovative solutions, shared with utilities, councils and industrial customers.

Leaders in Remote Monitoring

‘us’ - Utility Services, has drawn on its wealth of industry innovations and expertise and combined several technologies and applications to create powerful, online remote monitoring and management tools. Our systems are innovative, powerful and easy to use, interactive, web based monitoring systems designed for industrial, institutional and commercial users. Bringing together a combination of modern technologies to suit individual needs, ‘us’ - Utility Services clients can now access Water Industry management data online and 24 hours a day. Reports can be accessed and generated from any location via a secure internet connection, drawing on water consumption, water quality, gas, electricity, trade waste and spill prevention information. ‘us’ - Utility Services’ systems are being used by water utilities, councils, businesses, hospitals, schools, shopping centres, parks and gardens, golf courses, and industrial organisations that are keen to better understand - and better control – their water quality, consumption, potential for spills and wastage. Our systems are unique, powerful and inexpensive, putting data online and at your finger tips providing powerful management reporting for your organisation.

‘HydroTrak’ Online Hydrant Monitoring System

HydroTrak is a push-button logging system for hydrant permit vehicles, enabling online recording and reporting of water withdrawn from a network.

Water Management Review 2011

An ‘us’ - Utility Services HydroTrak Device fitted to a South East Water Permit Holder Vehicle.

Online Hydrant Monitoring System HydroTrak is a remote, online logging system, developed by ‘us’ – Utility Services for hydrant permit vehicles. The system enables real-time webbased recording and reporting of water withdrawn from a network. Prior to withdrawing water from a Hydrant, the driver of a Hydrant Permit Holder vehicle ‘presses the button’ on the HydroTrak unit. That’s it! Hydrant fill information is immediately available online, with no paperwork to complete and reduced administration for water authorities and hydrant permit holders.

How Does HydroTrak Work? HydroTrak is an unobtrusive device that is fitted to registered Hydrant Permit Holder vehicles - a simple, easy to use device that requires the driver to simply ‘press a button’ before withdrawing water from a hydrant. This innovative device removes the need for permit vehicle drivers to complete and return cumbersome paperwork at each fill. When the HydroTrak button is pressed, the device automatically sends a coded message to the HydroTrak webbased reporting platform, including the vehicle identity, tank size and hydrant location information. This information is then displayed using an online mapping interface, enabling efficient response times for water quality complaints and online access to hydrant permit vehicle data. •

HydroTrak includes a small, unobtrusive device attached to each hydrant permit vehicle

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Vehicle drivers press the HydroTrak button at each fill

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Fill locations are displayed visually using an online map interface

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HydroTrak includes an online application and renewal process for permit holders

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Our system reduces administration for water authorities and hydrant permit holders

‘BlokAid’ Spill Prevention

BlokAid is a cost effective, easy to install and fully self-contained overflow monitoring device for sewer and stormwater networks.

New generation BlokAid units are being installed inside manholes throughout Australia and overseas.

Sewer / Stormwater Overflow Monitoring and Alarm System

Every water authority has experienced the issue of a sewer overflow at some stage. Spills can now be prevented and blockages detected early with a sewer overflow monitoring and alarm device called BlokAid. BlokAid alerts your maintenance team about higher than normal flows in sewer and stormwater environments.

How Does BlokAid Work?

By installing BlokAid in sewer or stormwater manholes, high sewer and stormwater levels can be detected as the level rises. An alarm is then automatically activated which identifies the manhole either through the Supervisory Control and Acquisition Data (SCADA) system or direct to a mobile phone or email address. Field maintenance can then be undertaken to rectify the situation. •

Save thousands of dollars in clean up and compensation costs

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Reduce the risk of household flooding and potential harm to the community

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Prevent damage to the environment

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Minimise exposure to fines, insurance premiums and other penalties

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Enhance your service delivery and reputation throughout the community

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Identify problem areas to schedule and organise programmed work more efficiently

How Does HydroShare Work?

HydroShare works by using remote site data loggers and existing communications infrastructure (GSM, GPRS, CDMA or Satellite), transferring water, gas, electricity and trade waste information to a central data server. For low-powered sites (i.e. using solar panels), data is transferred once a day for viewing via the web. Report information is ‘cumulative’ allowing you to scroll backward on trends information view and compare historical data.

BlokAid Success Stories

In the South Melbourne Area, there were a high number of sewers which had repeated blockages caused by invasive tree-roots. ‘us’ - Utility Services installed over 100 BlokAid devices throughout this area, and now sewer cleaning is planned according to monitoring results, thus saving time and money as well as providing early detection of all blockages prior to any spills and overflows. Our first batch of ‘us’ BlokAid units has been delivered to Singapore in 2010. ‘us’ - Utility Services has been successful in winning a significant tender to provide a Sewer Level Overflow Monitoring solution to the Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB). ‘us’ - Utility Services will supply BlokAid MkIV units to be installed and maintained in PUB’s network for the next 5 years.

‘HydroShare’ Smart Monitoring

HydroShare is an integrated online recording and reporting system for remote monitoring of water, gas, electricity and trade waste.

HydroShare data loggers record water, gas, electricity and trade waste information at remote meter locations.

Our ‘us’ – Utility Services HydroShare system utilises existing mobile communication networks to send data from ‘loggers’ at remote monitoring sites directly to the web. You can securely access your data reports page, which contains raw data, dynamic trends, and customised calculations. HydroShare backs up all of your data and provides online secure access 24/7. •

Low cost, low-power data recording and reporting system

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Allows online monitoring and alarming

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Online data reports, trends and calculations for all monitored sites

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Sites can be permanent or temporary

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No need for expensive radio-based telemetry for small sites

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Powerful statistical analysis and reporting of data via the web

Sites that are monitored, processed and reported manually (i.e. on a monthly basis) can now become ‘live’ on the web so that operational decisions can be made based on current, ‘real-time’ data. Instead of tying ourselves to third-party equipment suppliers, that have their own unique software and requirements, the ‘us’ - Utility Services, HydroShare system was built as an ‘open protocol’ service. As long as your data logging equipment has the ability to send emails or to transfer files over the internet, it can be linked into the HydroShare system and a webpage report can be generated. This opens the system up to many different brands of equipment, and allows for its use across many different industries.

More Information and Contact Details

For more information about ‘us’ - Utility Services, its unique suite of flexible products and services visit wwww.usus.com.au or email info@usus.com.au.

Keep your Water Management Operation running efficiently with MEX

MEX services many companies that require appropriate maintenance control for their water management, infrastructure and general operation. Some of these include Allconnex Water, NSW Office of Water, Queensland Bulk Water Supply Authority, Queensland Water Police, Tyco Water Pty Ltd, Water Corporation Water Infrastructure Group and Yarra Valley Water. MEX Computerised Maintenance Management Software allows users to keep warranty records up to date, maintaining of plants, ability to save money, and increases efficiency to prevent detrimental equipments breaks to any maintenance operation. The MEX software transforms your computer into a control centre for all the maintenance work that your organisation performs. With MEX you have the ability to know what Assets you own and manage, the work that needs to be done and has been done on an Asset, and the information on the manpower usage, spare parts, costs and failures of an Asset. MEX is written with three key concepts in mind – ease of use, Windows based and low cost. This has been the primary focus which helps us to make the decisions on how MEX is constructed, updated and evolves.

Product Description: Easy, effective, affordable. MEX is the maintenance management system which delivers you simplicity and functionality in a format that responds intuitively to your maintenance environment. MEX is used in a wide range of industry sectors, including building, facilities, local government, mining and maintenance contractors. Over 4,000 users are a testimony to the fact MEX will deliver a new level of control and efficiency to your maintenance operations.

Features: At the core of MEX are the essentials of maintenance management, including an asset register, preventive maintenance, work orders, history, inventory and reports. These functions will enable you to reduce equipment breakdowns, cut paperwork and save time. You will be able to track the value of your plant and equipment, and the reporting module

Water Management Review 2011

will help you analyse and improve performances, making for a more efficient and effective maintenance operations. The modular configuration of MEX enables companies to implement additional functionality as required. Additional modules provide an extra level of system integration including recording, inspections and Pocket PC Applications.

Benefits: •

Reduce plant maintenance costs. Ensure assets are monitored and maintained.

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MEX gives you a powerful control centre for your whole maintenance operation.

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MEX now has an SQL Database – commercial or complementary express version.

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Ability to have unlimited assets in the asset tree.

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Ability to change any labels or convert to another language.

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Listings are fully customisable including reordering, re-sizing, exporting in several formats and extensive filtering functions.

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Receive MEX Mobile free with the purchase of MEX or FleetMEX.

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Built in Asset Wizard, this allows you to graphically create your asset register which will save time and money setting up the system.

Visit www.mex.com.au to download a FREE trial of the MEX software. COMPANY: MEX – Maintenance Experts Phone: (07) 3392 4777 Fax: (07) 3392 4888 Email: sales@mex.com.au Website: www.mex.com.au

Australia’s Leading CMMS Provider MEX brings work orders to life on the iPad!*

* Do you waste too much time writing work orders and job tasks by hand? * Sick and tired of your equipment failing? * Is your maintenance operation costing your business too much money? With MEX Computerised Maintenance Management Software, you are able to keep warranty records up to date, maintain your plants, save money, and increase efficiency to prevent detrimental equipment breakdowns from your operation.

MEX Asset Management and Inventory system coming to the iPad!* You don’t need an IT degree to get our maintenance software working for your business. MEX Maintenance Software’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for any staff member to operate, helping your company to run more efficiently, at a price your business can afford. MEX’s new iPad application brings the Work Orders Module to life. Users will be able to access, add and edit their Work Orders on the go. *Released in April See why MEX is Australia’s top selling and best value for money maintenance software by downloading a free trial at mex.com.au, email sales@mex.com.au, or call our Sales Consultants for an obligation free chat on +61 7 3392 4777.

What can a sustainability rating scheme deliver for the Australian infrastructure industry? For the last two years the Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) has been driving the development of a National Sustainability Rating scheme to improve social, economic and environmental performance in the design, construction and operation of new and existing infrastructure assets. On completion, the National Sustainability Rating scheme will provide a common framework for sustainability assessment of Australian infrastructure. The development of the rating scheme is being supported by more than 90 organisational members with close to 70,000 staff from leading engineering design consultancies, construction companies and operators to government departments and non-government organisations. The National Sustainability Rating Scheme comprises a web based rating tool, a

guideline and assessment manual, case study resources, and the formal AGIC assessor and verification process together with training programs and industry awards and promotion. “The first version of the rating tool will provide the criteria and methodologies to measure performance in areas such as governance and management; environmental management; community and stakeholder relations and resource efficiencies,” Professor David Hood, AGIC Chairman said. “The rating tool can also be used by governments to check that project delivery and in-service operation actually meet, or better particular project approval conditions for sustainability.” “It will complement existing compliance requirements, driving toward more sustainable outcomes for business, governments and the community,” Professor Hood added. “Rather than add complexity the tool is designed to encourage stretch performance and create new industry benchmarks. The nominated criteria can easily fit within Key Performance Indicators and reporting frameworks currently in use in the industry,” he said.

Professor Hood explained that the full scheme is on target for release in late 2011 and nationally appointed category authors have delivered the 60% authorship milestone, with the draft tool to be applied on national project trials beginning in June 2011. The benefits of the rating tool to stakeholders include: •

Sustainability assessment and scoring designed to encourage innovation.

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Common national language, criteria,and understanding of sustainability as it applies to infrastructure .

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Reduced tendering costs to industry through the application of nationally consistent sustainability elements and performance indicators in Requests for Tender (RFT) (at present RFT sustainability requirements vary markedly from Department to Department and State to State).

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Equitable tender assessment through an aligned national sustainability assessment framework.

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Investment attraction through better risk assessment and asset valuation from the use of the rating scheme.

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Industry recognition for high sustainability achievements.

Development and trial of first assessment category “In 2009 the NSW Dept. of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) very generously sponsored authorship of the Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) category, which was the first category of AGIC’s rating tool to be developed,” Professor Hood said. The category was trialed on two projects sourced through the NSW Department

Water Management Review 2011

Shannon Dam Under Construction

of Public works. The trials were also sponsored by DECCW. Parsons Brinckerhoff was the author of the CCA category, AECOM was the technical reviewer, and GHD project managed the authorship, reviews and pilot trials. “The process was open and collaborative and designed to leverage off the experience from these three leading firms,” Professor Hood said. The authorship process included: •

A global literature review

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Interviews with key climate change adaptation practitioners

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Review and application workshops

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Two pilot trials

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Draft of the AGIC Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation

•

Assessment criteria, technical manual and case study resources

“Consideration of trends and the potential risks posed by a changing climate have not in the past had the prominence that regulators, operators, owners, and infrastructure design and construction companies are now according them,“ Professor Hood added.

“Traditionally infrastructure is designed on the basis of models based on historical weather records, and an assumption that the future climate will be the same as in the past. In addition, it is still common to find that we are not heeding the lessons (namely social, economic and environmental costs) from the impact of natural catastrophes on current operating infrastructure in our operations and maintenance plans, nor our long term strategic thinking,” he said. Responding quickly to this changing attitude, AGIC and DECCW agreed to use this category to develop an accessible Guideline on how and when to consider

Shannon Dam Complete

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This initiative has been driven from the beginning by a remarkable group of individuals and organisations seeking to address the challenges of a changing society as it comes to grips with climate change, and the need to transition to more sustainable practices. We welcome interest, comments and contributions to the scheme development.â&#x20AC;? Water Management Review 2011

Professor David Hood

climate change risk and adaptation (the CCA Guideline is available on the AGIC website - www.agic.net.au). The AGIC category and the interim Guideline cover:

“The facilitated pilot trial process ensured that the AGIC climate change adaptation guideline is practical and beneficial to the industry,” Professor Hood said.

•

When climate change related risks should be considered and how.

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Assessment of likely impacts.

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Identify timely and appropriate resilience and adaptation measures.

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Relative levels of assessment and implementation.

“The pilot trials showed how critical climate change related considerations and actions are often project specific, and when different assessment methodologies apply to the different phases of delivery, or in operations. This was a win win outcome for all those involved and certainly verified the need and usefulness of the Guideline by the infrastructure industry.

The criteria developed through the collaborative authorship process for when and how to consider climate change risk and when and how to adapt, comprised: •

Commitment.

•

Capability.

•

Climate Change projections.

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Climate Change risks assessed.

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Adaptation options assessed.

•

Adaptation options designed or implemented.

The criteria were then aligned with key infrastructure planning, design, delivery and operations phases. Benchmarks describing a range of performance expectations, from “do nothing” to “implementing best practise” were articulated, guiding the user as to what, and to what degree the processes and initiatives described should and could be implemented. The draft guideline was developed and then through facilitated workshops tested on a recently delivered dam, pump station and pipeline network located on the NSW north coast (Shannon Dam), and a planned infrastructure upgrade (roads, drainage and services) to a major waste water treatment facility located west of the NSW Blue Mountains (Lithgow Sewerage Treatment Plant). “The Project Manager, DECCW and Public Works personnel worked together prior to the workshops on identifying and sourcing the key personnel and project delivery material to ensure that the pilot trail was rigorous and fully tested the adaptation guideline.

“Lessons learned from the development of the category have now been applied to all other categories under development,” he said.

Sustainability Support Tools In addition to development of the National Sustainability Rating Scheme AGIC has also released the following supporting material:

Climate Change Adaptation Guideline A Climate Change Adaptation Guideline based on the first assessment category to be developed, and described above, was the third new product released. The guideline is also available on the AGIC website.

AGIC Knowledge Hub The purpose of the web based Knowledge Hub is to act as a directory of information relating to innovation in sustainability in infrastructure. The Knowledge Hub is structured to capture industry case studies that demonstrate innovative sustainability practices occurring in infrastructure design, construction and operation. Contributing organisations are acknowledged with the case studies. Case studies are peer reviewed by a Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) to ensure authenticity before approving the submissions for loading on to the AGIC Knowledge Hub. Stakeholders can submit potential case studies by visiting www.agic-khub.net.au.

Quick Check The second release was the AGIC “Quick Check” sustainability reference guide which was developed by AECOM. This questionnaire based spreadsheet with

136 questions allows the sustainability credentials of a new project or existing asset to be tested within two hours for areas of strength and weakness in relation to sustainability. Quick Check is freely available on the AGIC website (www.agic.net.au) and provides the user with an understanding of the issues to be covered by the National Sustainability Rating scheme when fully developed. when fully developed.

Find out more AGIC invites organisations and individuals to participate in the development of the National Sustainability Rating Scheme. Visit the AGIC website at <www.agic.net.au>

Choosing the right fund for your super First State Super’s CEO, Michael Dwyer, says he is often asked by members how do they know they are in a good super fund. “What makes a good fund depends on what you are after from your super. When we survey our members, they regularly tell us that it’s a combination of low fees, good investment returns, security and good customer service,” Dwyer says. Fees and investment returns are important, but so are things like insurance cover, good customer service and up-front information from your fund. Everyday First State Super helps people navigate their way around superannuation. Through providing practical, easy to use, accessible information, products and services they can simplify the choices surrounding superannuation. Established in 1992, First State Super is a public offer industry superannuation fund with over 540,000 members and $20 billion in assets and is top rated by major research companies*. Dwyer observes that “Our members really rate us for being up front. We believe we are a good fund. And to keep things transparent we give members the tools to check for themselves how First State Super compares with other funds. Visitors to our website, www.firststatesuper.com. au, can use the ‘Compare us’ tool, and make their own decision.”

What to compare? Not sure how to compare super funds? You could start by looking at the features of a super fund. Most super funds have websites that outline key features. Look at the security and strength of the fund including how long the fund has been established and how large is the fund. Also look at the short-term and long-term investment returns. Check the returns for the last one, five and ten years and assess the rate of growth over the medium to long term. A fund’s fees should be considered. Some fee structures can be very complicated, so make sure you are clear on these details. Does the fund charge a joining fee, fees on contributions, administration fees, asset fees or commissions – will you get value for money?

Water Management Review 2011

After you have looked at the features consider the choices and benefits the fund offers members. Insurance benefits offer protection from unplanned illness and injury. Check if the fund offers insurance cover for death, disability and income protection, and additional cover if your needs change in the future. Investment choices provide the ability to invest your money in a way that suits your timeframes and investment style. Should you be considering retirement, perhaps a fund that provides an option to convert your superannuation account into regular income payments (through a retirement income stream) might be suitable for you.

Consider First State Super Having an account with First State Super is a fantastic opportunity for you to consolidate and save, get your employer to contribute wherever you work, make your own contributions, protect your wealth through insurance and stay when you retire through their pension products. You’ll have access to a low administration fee of $52 a year (plus .02%pa for pension

accounts), no entry fees or commissions, and flexible insurance options. Importantly, you’ll have online access to your account so you can stay up to date. And you can choose from a choice of 11 investment options (including a socially responsible investment option) and two pension options if you are thinking about retiring. Winner of Money magazine’s Best of the Best Lowest-Cost Super Funds four years in a row, First State Super can help you with your superannuation choices. Visit their website www.firststatesuper.com.au or call 1300 650 873 for information.

Consider the applicable First State Super ABN 53 226 460 365 Product Disclosure Statement before deciding whether to become a member of or continue your membership is right for you. To obtain a copy visit www.firststatesuper.com. au or call 1300 650 873. Issued by FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340. February 2011 * Ratings are from Chant West Pty Limited ABN 75 077 595 316 AFSL 255320, SelectingSuper, a company of Rainmaker Information Pty Limited ABN 86 095 610 996. SuperRatings Pty Limited ABN 95 100 192 283 AFSL 311880.

First State Super

takes control

of fees

When you join First State Super you are part of a not for profi t fund First State Super control of fees where the focus is ontakes our members About our fees ■

There are no entrance fees or ongoing contribution fees We don’t pay commissions or brokerage to advisers There is a low administration fee of $52 a year (plus 0.20% pa for income stream accounts)

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Flexible insurance options

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A range of 11 investment options

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Choice of 2 superannuation income streams

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All the latest fund and investment information is available online

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Access to an experienced, responsive customer service team

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Over $20 billion in assets and 540,000 members

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Take us with you wherever you work and stay with us when you retire!

Want to join us? Web: www.firststatesuper.com.au Phone: 1300 650 873 Email: enquiries@firststatesuper.com.au

First State Super Winner of Money magazine’s Best of the Best 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Lowest Cost Super Funds

Please consider the First State Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) having regard to your own situation before deciding whether to become a member or continue membership. A copy is available by calling us or visiting our website. The information contained in this document is current as at January 2011. Prepared by FSS Trustee Corporation ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340, the trustee of First State Superannuation Scheme ABN 53 226 460 365.

BEST TAW 0111

Choose your future with First State Super

Water management and environment solutions Ludowici provides innovative water management solutions to the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors

Ludowici, a diversified industrial company, was formed in 1858 and maintains an attitude of embracing quality in product and service, respect for people and an ethical approach to its corporate responsibilities.

Watergates

Ludowici is committed to customer satisfaction and the future of the Watergates business. The relocation of Watergates into a modern, larger, well equipped facility along with ongoing investment in our people will strengthen our ability to rapidly offer you more innovative solutions accross a wider range of products.

Penstocks and Stopgates

Watergates, a division of Ludowici, is one of Australia’s leading penstock suppliers to the global water market. Watergates design, manufacture and install high quality water control equipment including penstocks, stopgates, flood gates, knifegates and flapgates for water

treatment, water recycling plants, stormwater diversion and flood control, dams, weirs, irrigation, energy and mining sectors. With decades of experience, we provide high level engineering expertise, customer support, high quality products and guaranteed performance.

Ludowici Watergates (Ludowici Australia Pty Ltd) is quality accredited to ISO9001:2008 and is an ASSDA Accredited Stainless Steel Specialist Fabricator and Installer.

The company’s specialist expertise and ability to engineer innovative client specific solutions has contributed to its strong growth and preferred supplier status amongst leading contractors, mining companies and water authorities.

Water Cannons

Ludowici Cleanwater

Ludowici Cleanwater specialise in supplying the needs of industry and mining with a range of high quality products and systems for oily wastewater treatment, filtration, screening, washdown and spraying.

Cleanwater solutions.

Ludowici as market leaders bring technical experience in water preparation, water usage and water clean up. Local application experience enables us to offer packaged and skid mounted systems, customised and turnkey projects through to system design, commissioning and after sales service.

Ludowici Cleanwater has a range of high pressure water cannons that will remove with ease that build up of clay, mud and soil on your heavy mining equipment or earth moving machinery whenever the need arises. Our water cannon products are tailored to suit your site requirements for flow rate, operator simplicity and that all important operator personal safety.

Coalescing Plate Separators Removing oil from water.

Ludowici Cleanwater range of coalescing plate separators are designed to effectively remove free oil (hydrocarbons) from water under emulsion free conditions. Typical use of our oil coalescing systems in the mining and industrial sectors would be: • • • •

Water Management Review 2011

Light and Heavy Vehicle wash bays Hydrocarbon storage areas Re-fuelling aprons Contaminated storm-water run off

Making water work from planning to completion

Successful water infrastructure hinges on detailed designs and thorough investigative research. As SunWater – one of Australia’s leading bulk water infrastructure developers and managers – has learned, undertaking comprehensive testing is critical to delivering first class water infrastructure. Since 1977, SunWater’s Hydraulic Laboratory has been providing Queensland with a facility to enable detailed physical modelling of hydraulic structures prior to construction. Located at Rocklea, the laboratory forms part of SunWater’s project management services that provides clients with test scale models for large bulk water engineering projects, as well as specialist staff to manage and overlook all phases of the modelling. The laboratory and specialised team have assisted not only SunWater to design and construct its own billion dollar asset base, it has also been utilised by government departments, consulting engineers, local authorities and private sector companies during pre-planning of large bulk water infrastructure projects. To date, physical modelling at SunWater’s laboratory has been undertaken for major bulk water infrastructure projects including; spillway design and performance; spillway energy dissipaters; intake and outlet works; tidal barrages and weirs; pump station intakes; siphon structures; diversion channels, and fishway design and flow requirements. Infrastructure Development General Manager, Mark Browne, said that SunWater’s ability to deliver infrastructure that is both safety-optimised and reliable is backed by the dependable testing and design techniques that are undertaken during hydraulic modelling at the laboratory. “The use of scale models of engineering structures is a well-established technique in testing and optimising hydraulic design,” Browne said. “Undesirable flows can occur in nonstandard and complex designs, and it is difficult to predict their effects with certainty using theory alone. “Each project has its own particular deviation from standard practice. It is

therefore necessary to prove the design before construction commences.

Inside SunWater’s Rocklea Hydraulic Laboratory

“We’ve found that physical modelling provides greater hydraulic efficiency, improved safety and reliability, and in some cases even lower construction costs.” SunWater’s Hydraulic Laboratory has an indoor area of 800m2 and utilises a recirculating water supply system with an installed capacity of 450 l/s. A tilting flume is available with a 4m long, 450mm square working section and transparent sides. Well equipped to meet a wide range of requirements, the laboratory and its instrumentation are capable of measuring flows, water levels and velocities, and static and fluctuating pressures, whilst facilities provide for moulding, machining and fabrication in timber, acrylic, metals and other materials for instrumentation and hydraulic models. The laboratory is equipped to undertake both two and three dimensional hydraulic studies. Two dimensional models are normally constructed in the tilting flume, whilst three dimensional models are contained within bays designed to suit the particular investigation. The laboratory can undertake total studies, or alternatively, provide the facilities and staff to build and operate the model under the direction of the client’s project engineer. SunWater’s technical staff are also available to provide support if required. The laboratory has developed Quality Assurance Procedures as part of the Quality Assurance System adopted by SunWater. For more information about the SunWater Hydraulic Laboratory and the services offered, contact SunWater on +61 7 3120 0000 or visit www.sunwater.com.au

SunWater hydraulic modeling services •

Spillway layout and performance – discharge ratings, approach conditions, design loadings, turbulence, gate performance and overall behaviour

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Spillway energy dissipators turbulence, energy dissipation, scour and design loadings

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Intake and outlet works discharge ratings, turbulence, energy dissipation, regulating valve behaviour, gate loads and vibration characteristics

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Tidal barrages and weirs discharge ratings, turbulence, energy dissipation, scour, bank protection and design loadings

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Pump station intake - layout, swirl and air entraining vortex behaviour and sedimentation

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Siphon structure - air entrainment mechanism, turbulence, energy dissipation and discharge capacity

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Diversion channels discharge capacity, scour and protection for diversion during construction of a major embankment

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Fish ladders and locks - overall behaviour, flow conditions and turbulence

Overcoming Barriers to Water Reuse in Australia For almost nine months from October 2009 through June 2010, global engineering, consulting and construction company, Black & Veatch, through its global water business, conducted an award-winning series of high-level roundtable discussions on water reuse around the world, including a session at Ozwater 2010. These discussions brought together 75 water industry ‘thought leaders’ to review the barriers to water reuse and to explore ways of overcoming them. The result was a white paper that captured insights from the global series and this and more is available for download at www.WaterDialogue.com. James Currie, Associate Vice President of Black & Veatch’s global water business based in Melbourne, reports on the outcomes of the roundtable series and implications for water resources planning in Australia. It may appear counter-intuitive with many regions of Australia experiencing floods in recent months; but, whether you believe the climate will be drier in future or not, Australia’s growing population alone demands that we continue to plan for a water supply system that meets both our physical needs and our more rigorous environmental values. A significant element of this planning must include water reuse for, as surely as we have just been through a decade of drought followed by catastrophic floods, we will experience such dramatic extremes again, probably in our lifetimes. If there is one lesson we have learned from the evolution of human civilisation, it is that our most durable successes have been characterised by technologies that enable us to do more with less. For example, according to the Asian Development Bank, Australia has sustained continued growth with only 30 per cent of the water it had 10 years ago and improved its irrigation efficiencies to 85-90 per cent. While Australia leads the world in water efficiency, making more from even less water as the human population careens towards nine billion is our next challenge – and we are just at the starting gate. During the recent record-breaking drought, investments in major infrastructure projects like desalination plants tended to

Water Management Review 2011

The award-winning Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant, Queensland, was delivered by a Thiess/Black & Veatch joint venture and is part of the largest recycled water project in the Southern Hemisphere. Copyright WaterSecure.

overshadow the role of reusing – recycling, reclaiming – water. It is now time to put water reuse back in its rightful place on the ‘planning for the future’ agenda. The technology to recycle water is available, safe and effective. In Australia, we have already made significant progress towards reusing water for industry and growing some food crops; but, unlike many other countries – and our near neighbour Singapore – we have yet to overcome public resistance to bringing used water back into our water system. The experience of countries that have crossed this hurdle suggests that public trust is of paramount importance in implementing a water reuse program, but that it is not always easy to achieve. Consumers often wear two hats when they’re thinking about – or voting on – water reuse. Wearing their ‘citizen hat,’ they show concern for the public good, which they generally trust the government to achieve. However, they may also be concerned about the personal impact of potable reuse. By engaging consumers early, government or water companies can often minimise the gap between these two roles. Singapore’s NEWater programme, recognised as a best-practice example of indirect potable reuse*, started the education of consumers early and often to overcome potential and understandable misconceptions. Black & Veatch also learnt through our series of water leaders’ dialogues

that another community successfully tackled reuse acceptance by not “sugarcoating” the topic. They felt if they didn’t get community buy-in early, they weren’t going to be able to make the investment they needed to make reuse work. Certainly this was an almost confrontational approach but one that brought all the objections out into the open to be dealt with successfully. Developing clear, consistent and courageous policy positions and working to gain community understanding and acceptance are as important as the technologies themselves. In January the City of Sydney announced “a decentralised water master plan for the Local Government Area, which would include Australia’s first city-wide recycled water network and significantly reduce demands on drinking water supplies.” It is estimated that 80 per cent of 32 gigalitres of drinking quality water imported each year, mainly from Warragamba Dam, could be supplemented by recycled water for toilet flushing, laundry, air conditioning cooling towers and irrigation. This followed calls by James Cameron, acting CEO of the National Water Commission, in late 2010 for greater use of recycled water because it offers the prospect of more secure, less climatevulnerable water supplies. He said the Commission saw “unrealised potential also for environmental and urban amenity benefits.” Indeed, work is also underway to realise the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence’s goal “to develop a national demonstration and engagement

program that supports reclaimed water as an acceptable ‘alternative water’ for augmenting drinking water supplies.” With population increases and climate change, reuse will be more commonly found as part of a community’s water portfolio in the next 10 to 20 years. The challenge we have now is to get ahead of the issues that will arise and work collaboratively toward a common goal. There are many misconceptions or knowledge gaps that need to be overcome. Most reuse solutions that water companies are considering are what we’d call “planned indirect potable reuse.” How many people understand that one of the multiple treatment processes of planned potable reuse or recycling – UV disinfection – sterilises water in a similar way to how doctors clean surgical equipment? And this is all done before the water is mixed with raw reservoir water and ultimately treated to a level suitable for drinking, hence indirect potable reuse. In fact, what is not fully appreciated is that throughout the world, a significant amount of our drinking water supplies are a result of unplanned indirect potable reuse. Unplanned indirect potable reuse occurs when large rivers such as the Thames, Mississippi or Ohio rivers serve simultaneous roles as discharge receivers from wastewater plants and water supply sources for drinking water plants. This is commonly occurs with cities that are far from the coast, unlike in Australia. Local communities that are considering reuse need to agree on acceptable levels of compounds and micro-constituents that remain in the reused water. Advances in technology can be a double-edged sword as our ability to measure the levels of micro-constituents increases. We need to use the technology to help the public to understand the implications from the perspectives of public health, risk, alternative approaches and cost-ofservices. Even regulators don’t always understand the performance capabilities of new technologies. A bank of credible, robust data could be used to demonstrate continuously that reused water is safe and acceptable for public use. We can assist politicians who are putting their necks on the block by giving them information they need on recycled water.

Education is at the heart of successes in Singapore. Peh Xuan Ying, the 11-year-old son of Black & Veatch professional based in Singapore, Liew Yien Phin created this mind map that explores the barriers to overcoming water reuse (he is now 12).

A more robust database should also include rigorous cost-benefit analyses to help decision-makers assess where reuse fits with other alternatives in their water portfolio. The costs incurred in producing highly treated reused water are often higher than traditional alternatives so there is a huge disconnect among price, cost and value. A comprehensive analysis of all viable alternatives would clearly demonstrate why water reuse should be included in a water portfolio and how it weighs in against all other options. This evaluation needs to consider the environmental costs of identifying another water source if reuse is deemed not to be an option. If reused water is to be taken seriously as a sustainable water source for the future, it needs to be priced realistically. Reused water is not only a sustainable source of water supply; but also, when integrated

Black & Veatch’s Water Dialogue series in 2009/2010 brought together more than 75 water industry leader around the world to review the barriers to water reuse and to explore ways of overcoming them.

correctly into the portfolio, it is a costeffective alternative and one that should not be overlooked. Recycled water is often priced to promote its use; but to make it a sustainable option for the future, industry guidelines will need to take into account two variables: the associated costs for treating the water to appropriate standards and the alternatives. Prices that are not costbased or linked to the ‘avoided cost’ of developing other sources are just a way of promoting a market. The results of the Water Dialogue series of the roundtable showed that advancing the option of water reuse will require new ways of thinking and breaking down silos that inhibit greater cooperation and interaction among agencies working with water and wastewater. Better controls, better data monitoring, better public education and better portfolio management – all should help overcome potential barriers to water reuse.

Contact Black & Veatch at: Brisbane: (07) 3010 9445 Melbourne: (03) 8673 4200 Perth: (08) 9436 8900 Sydney: (02) 9019 0600 weknowwater@bv.com www.bv.com www.waterdialogue.com

Western Corridor

In 2003 Sydney Water and consultants URS Australia Pty Ltd (URS) developed a Landscape Assessment Program (LAP) to improve the efficiency of water use in domestic gardens. This resulted in the ‘Love Your Garden’ (LYG) program where tailored watering plans are developed by Sydney Water horticulturists. The horticulturalists visit properties and produce individualised reports to help homeowners get the most out of their gardens while being water wise. To date over 20,000 LYG assessments have been completed across Sydney. One of the most significant issues facing South East Queensland today is ensuring adequate, secure and sustainable water supplies for the future. South East Queensland has one of the fastest growing populations in Australia. Over the next 20 years, the population is expected to double to more than four million people. This rapid growth, combined with the impact of climate change, has resulted in new ways to manage and use water supplies, particularly in urban areas. A new South East Queensland Water Strategy has been developed by the Queensland Water Commission as a blueprint to maintain water security in the region for the next 50 years. The strategy is based upon three key principles: conserving water, being prepared, and managing water efficiently through the SEQ Water Grid, which

Water Management Review 2011

provides drinking water to the region’s 2.6 million residents.

Wester Corridor Recycled Water Scheme Completed

The SEQ Water Grid connects the region’s water supplies and treatment facilities, and includes two new sources of water as part of the supply mix – desalinated water from the Gold Coast Desalination Plant and purified recycled water from the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme.

The $2.5 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme is an integral part of the SEQ Water Grid. The scheme purifies water that would otherwise be discharged into the Brisbane River and transports it through a network of more than 200 kilometres of large-diameter underground pipeline to the region’s two main power stations. In the future, other industries and agriculture will be supplied, and the region’s main water storage, Wivenhoe Dam, will be supplemented when required.

Over the last 12 months, South East Queensland experienced a significant shift in water supply, planning and management. The region has moved from a severe drought, to an abundance of water in storage dams, to a devastating flood. The consequences of these events have had far reaching effects on the management of water supplies and treatment services. The SEQ Water Grid, conceived in drought, has now proven itself, maintaining water quality and quantity in a flood crisis.

The scheme includes three advanced water treatment plant at Bundamba (near Ipswich), Luggage Point and Gibson Island (both near the mouth of the Brisbane River) which draw water from six existing wastewater treatment plants in the region to produce up to 232 million litres of water daily.

is running to a limited production schedule.

Water Quality and Safety Around the world, experience and studies have shown water can be purified so that it is safe for indirect potable reuse. To further safeguard public health, Western Corridor Recycled Water’s water underwent a rigorous testing program supervised by Queensland Health. The testing program showed the water consistently met the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling (Augmentation of Drinking Water Supplies), and other water quality, safety and environmental regulatory requirements. In 2010, WaterSecure released a second Water Quality Report for the Bundamba

Advanced Water Treatment Plant with results confirming the excellent quality of the water it produces. More than 47,800 water quality tests were conducted from December 2008 to June 2010, taking the total amount of tests now performed to more than 64,000. The tests show the treatment process was 100 per cent effective in removing contaminants present in the inflowing water as prescribed by the relevant guidelines as shown in figure 1. The results confirm the findings of the earlier Interim Water Quality Report and prove that it will be safe to add this water to Wivenhoe Dam when required. To meet the Queensland Health quality standards, water passes through a seven barrier treatment system as shown in figure 2.

This water is currently supplied to Swanbank Power Station and Tarong Power Station. The scheme can supply other industrial customers in South East Queensland and can be expanded in the future into new areas identified by the government for development. Since coming online in August 2007, through to January 2011, the Western Corridor scheme has supplied more than 40 billion litres of water into the SEQ Water Grid. Over the past 12 months final assets of the Western Corridor scheme were tested and completed including water tanks, pump stations, telemetry systems, and a de-chlorination facility. Modifications to Luggage Point Advanced Water Treatment Plant were completed and the plant received practical completion. Significant rainfall in the region has influenced how the Western Corridor scheme is operated. With major dams now at 100 per cent capacity the scheme

Figure 2. Seven Barrier Treatment System

The Western Corridor scheme provides three barriers in this process: microfiltration, reverse osmosis and UVadvanced oxidation, through its advanced water treatment plants. In the microfiltration barrier process, water passes through very fine hollowfibre membranes to eliminate tiny particles, viruses and microbial materials. At the reverse osmosis membrane barrier, dissolved salts, undissolved organic materials and bacteria are removed. The UV-advanced oxidation barrier uses hydrogen peroxide (a powerful oxidant) and ultraviolet light to destroy trace level of organic and microbiological organisms that have not already been rejected. Particles removed through microfiltration and reverse osmosis are processed seperately through a clarifier and denitrification system. Sludge containing phosphates, nitrates and other matter is disposed of as land fill, while the reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) water is discharged in the Brisbane River through a diffuser system.

Healthy Waterways South East Queensland includes 14 major river catchments including the Caboolture, Pine, Brisbane, Bremer and Logan Rivers. Many of these rivers and creeks flow directly into Moreton Bay, a marine park listed as a wetland of international significance under the Ramsar Convention, and home to a vast array of marine habitats, plants and animals. A significant environmental benefit of the Western Corridor scheme is a reduction in nutrient release to the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay. Phosphorus is primarily removed through coagulation at the start of the treatment process. Around 60 per cent (and up to 95 per cent at the Bundamba plant) of the total phosphorus load that would otherwise be released from six wastewater treatment plants in Brisbane and Ipswich is removed in this way. This is equivalent to stopping 1620 bags of dynamic lifter fertiliser from entering Brisbane River each day. There is also be a significant reduction in the mass load of nitrogen. At the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment

Water Management Review 2011

Plant the ROC is passed through nitrifying and denitrifying filters to manage ammonia and nitrates, which removes approximately half the amount of nitrogen. This is equivalent to stopping on average 570 bags of dynamic fertiliser from entering Brisbane River each day. International Recognition The Western Corridor scheme recently won two of the most prestigious water prizes at the 2010 International Water Association Project Innovation Awards in Montreal: the Global Grand Prize for Design, and the highest accolade, the Superior Achievement Award. This brings its total pool to 16 international, national and state awards. Such national and international endorsement is testament to the significance of the project and its importance in providing sustainable water security for the South East Queensland region for the future. Water Recycling Centre of Excellence In the last year an Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence was established to enhance the management and use of water recycling nationally and internationally through industry and research partnerships. Funded by the Federal Government and industry, and currently hosted by WaterSecure, the centre is investing in a portfolio of industry-relevant research across the full water recycling spectrum. It aims to develop practical solutions to secure Australia’s future water supply and build awareness and understanding in the community about the benefits of water reuse. The centre will produce and commercialise new water recycling technologies, processes and approaches to enable the sustainable management of our water supply. Expressions of interest have been sought to support four goals guiding the centre’s research investment over the next three years: Goal 1: Demonstrating and enhancing the social/economic/environmental value of water recycling Goal 2: Establishing a national validation framework for water recycling Goal 3: Making reclaimed water an

acceptable ‘alternative water’ for augmenting drinking water supplies Goal 4: Establishing a national knowledge, training and education program for water recycling The award-winning Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme is a project of which all Australians can be proud, and something that places Australia at the forefront of water recycling worldwide. In January 2010, South East Queensland suffered a devastating flood that affected large areas of Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba. While water supply and treatment services were disrupted to local towns and communities, particularly in the upper Brisbane River catchment, the SEQ Water Grid maintained water quality supply services to the region, including ramping up an additional supply of desalinated water from the Gold Coast plant. Fire trucks and water tankers used purified water from the Western Corridor scheme to clean up many roads and buildings, which saved valuable drinking water supplies in some areas.

Further Reading WaterSecure: www.watersecure.com.au Queensland Water Commission: www.qwc.qld.gov.au Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant Virtual Tour: www.watersecure. com.au/ site-tour-and-education/ interactive-virtual-tour

Ebb Flow

IF thE challEngE InvolvEs watEr, wE’rE up For It. Whatever your unique

water challenge, Black & Veatch can help you move forward and solve it. We offer you a world of global and Australia-based expertise to source, treat, move, control and conserve water with value for today and foresight for tomorrow. We’re building a world of difference. Together. Brisbane (07) 3010 9445 Melbourne (03) 8673 4200 Perth (08) 9436 8900 Sydney (02) 9019 0600 WeKnowWater@bv.com

Consulting • Engineering • Construction • Operation I www.BV.com

Abigroup: A collaborative approach Western Pipeline Alliance. Bundamba to Caboonbah, Qld

The Western Corridor Recycled Water Project (WCRWP) was a $9 billion water supply network designed to diversify South-East Queensland’s water sources and is the largest urban drought response and recycled water scheme in Australia. A major section of the project was awarded to the Western Pipeline Alliance (WPA) which included Abigroup, McConnell Dowell, GHD and the State of Queensland. The Western Pipeline Alliance was one of the five alliances that delivered the WCRWP. The section of works delivered by the Western Pipeline Alliance transports purified recycled water from advanced water treatment plants to power stations, industry and agriculture, and to supplement drinking supplies from the Wivenhoe Dam system. This project now provides an additional 8.5 billion litres of water a year to the region’s supply. Meticulous attention to all facets of project planning and construction was needed for the Western Pipeline Alliance project. The Alliance designed, constructed and commissioned more than 95km of large diameter pipeline, two major pumping stations, two balance tanks and approximately 50km of town water supply pipelines. The Western Pipeline Alliance was also responsible for delivering the telemetry connections for all major facilities from Caboonbah to Luggage Point, facilitating

Water management Management Review 2011 2010

the reliable transfer of control systems and production data via 12 radio towers along the length of the link. The primary challenge was to deliver over $350 million of asset within a tight timeframe that necessitated parallel land acquisition, approvals, design, pricing and construction. Despite the challenging time pressures the critical project milestones were met with an excellent safety record, something that has helped to benchmark WCRWP among the very best large-scale water infrastructure projects in the world. Following the successful completion of the project, Keith Davies, the Chief Executive Officer of WaterSecure, the Queensland Government authority responsible for producing new, pure sources of water for South-East Queensland, sent Abigroup a congratulatory letter. In the letter he wrote, “I commend Abigroup for their resolve and determination in delivering value for money solutions in a market that was overheated and extremely supply constrained. “I note that the project developed over $30 million of innovations that were incorporated in the final Target Outturn Cost. I commend Abigroup staff and workforce for sharing our ‘can do’ attitude on a project that will provide an environmentally sustainable and safe source of purified recycled water for the benefit of residents of South-East Queensland for generations to come.”

The 80km mainline delivers water from the Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant to the Tarong Power Station intake at Caboonbah. The use of innovative technology, including Australia’s largest trencher and robotic trench boxes, allowed construction to proceed ahead of schedule. Abigroup and McConnell Dowell partnered together to form a joint venture which had an integrated function with civil construction, pipeline construction and tunnel boring works all having a high skilled range of personnel from in-field construction to

senior management, including Alliance Leadership Team (ALT) membership and management responsibility. Planning and flexibility in scheduling were integral to WPA risk management initiatives. The Alliance workshopped project risks which also became a highlight of the project and were undertaken at the ALT level for financial, industrial relations, commercial and construction related risks down through to field risk assessments for each work activity. Involvement of third party stakeholders such as local government departments and other entities, was also a key feature. The project team also developed a number of innovations during the project including: •

t he use of standardised pipe bends to simplify procurement and materials handling;

•

r ock prospecting - sending out drilling crews ahead of the main laying crew to determine geo-technical conditions; and

•

t he development of a robotic trench shield that reduced the need for benching.

Chris Bulloch, Abigroup Water’s General Manager, said the success of the project was due in large measure to the adoption of the Alliance model and the cooperation of the Queensland Government and other project stakeholders. “The Alliance model enabled us to adopt a collaborative approach,” he said. “We assembled a team that cooperated well with the Queensland Government and all project stakeholders to develop an approved design from concept stage, that was then delivered on time and in budget. “Without doubt the Alliance agreement also contributed significantly to the commercial success of the project by promoting trust between all participants, allowing smooth progress and efficient mobilisation of construction activities.”

Our people are building Australia’s water future Our strong commitment to health and safety, and our drive to create unique cost effective solutions, result in positive social and environmental legacies that ensure sustainable water infrastructure solutions for Australia’s water future. Abigroup Water provides the following integrated capabilities: Mechanical, electrical, civil and engineering turnkey solutions; Commissioning and operations management; Water and wastewater treatment infrastructure; Water recycling and purification; Desalination; Irrigation; and Bulk water transmission and network distribution.

• • •• •• •

For more information on our capabilities please visit www.abigroup.com.au/water

Abigroup House Stanley Street Plaza South Bank QLD 4101 p 07 3020 8200 water@abigroup.com.au

Gibson Island alliance water treatment plant delivers water security

The Gibson Island Advanced Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) is a critical component of the Western Corridor Recycled Water (WCRW) Scheme. Construction of the $2.5 billion scheme was managed by Western Corridor Recycled Water Pty Ltd on behalf of the Queensland Government and it is now operated by WaterSecure, the State Government authority responsible for new sources of pure water in the region. The Gibson Island Alliance delivered the AWTP and comprised of top tier partners Baulderstone, MWH Global, Worley Parsons and United Group Infrastructure. The team was responsible for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the Gibson Island AWTP.

Gibson Island AWTP

Located at Murrarie, east Brisbane on the southern side of the Gateway Bridge, the

Gibson Island AWTP provides an alternate water supply for industry, power generation and end users in the SEQ region. The Gibson Island AWTP comprises more than 200 kilometres of large-diameter underground pipeline, reaching from Luggage Point on Brisbane’s east to Caboonbah north-west of Ipswich. It was designed to alleviate pressure on South East Queensland’s existing dams and waterways having capacity to produce 100 megalitres per day (MLD) of purified recycled water.

Australian First

The Gibson Island, Bundamba and Luggage Point AWTPs are unique to Australia due to the application of combined technologies involving microfiltration, reverse osmosis membrane, and UV advanced oxidation. It is the largest AWTP in the Southern Hemisphere.

Environmental Focus The Gibson Island AWTP site is positioned close to a range of important environs including the sensitive aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the nearby Brisbane River and Moreton Bay. The project team carefully monitored the environmental and social aspects of the project to minimise its impact on the surrounding environment. Importantly the advanced water treatment process removes phosphorus before the water is discharged. As a result, the discharge releases much lower nutrient levels into the environment than current discharges from existing wastewater treatment plants.

AWTP TEAM

Baulderstone MWH Global Worley Parsons

Creating what matters for over 80 years At Baulderstone we have been ‘Creating what matters’ in Australian building and infrastructure for our clients and the community for over 80 years. Today, Baulderstone is one of the largest building and engineering companies in Australia. The Baulderstone team has delivered project excellence across a range of sectors from health, retail, water, power, marine, energy and resources, rail, defence, roads, bridges and tunnels. Working as part of the Gibson Island Alliance to deliver the Gibson Island Advanced Water Treatment Plant and Townsville City Council to deliver the Townsville Wastewater Upgrade Program, Baulderstone is proud to help build Queensland’s water security.

baulderstone.com.au Water Management Review 2011

Photos: Gibson Island Advanced Water Treatment Plant and Townsville Wastewater Upgrade Program

Construction of towns water supply Esk to Tarong Power Station

In late 2007 and 2008 Redline Contracting undertook pipeline construction works as part of the Western Pipeline Alliance Project. Redlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scope was to install a 52km water pipeline, which consisted of; approximately 10km of 200mm DICL pipeline between Wivenhoe Dam and the township of Esk, procure and install approximately 17km of 250 mm HDPE from Esk to Toogoolawah and procure and install approximately 25km of varying sizes of pipework from 280 mm to 355mm HDPE from Blackbutt to Tarong Power Station. Much of the pipeline route was through very rugged and steep terrain, particularly in the area between Cooyar Creek and Tarong Power Station, which created a demanding environment for

construction. Similarly large quantities of high strength rock were excavated, requiring the use of up to 80T excavators with hydraulic hammers. Redline elected to use a 55T chain trencher on the majority of the project due to high production requirements for a fast track project. The HDPE fusion was performed by McElroy Tracstar fusion machines because of their ability to operate in steep and aggressive ground conditions whilst delivering maximum pipe fusions per shift. Redline saw the project delivered to the satisfaction of all stakeholders in June 2008 after a total construction phase of 34 weeks. The execution of this project was time critical as it effected the overall commissioning of the scheme.

The Best Solution For Any Pipeline Project Whether your project requirement is for HDPE, Steel, DICL, PVC, GRP or Concrete, Redline Contracting is able to provide the ultimate solutions for pipeline supply and construction. Our experience in constructing water & slurry pipelines, pump station and bulk earthworks will ensure that your project will be delivered on budget and on time with the highest quality standard. Redline Contracting owns and operates a comprehensive late model fleet of earthmoving and pipeline equipment that enables the efficient and safe delivery of its projects. This fleet of equipment is constantly being expanded and upgraded. Redline Contracting employs full-time personnel including project managers, engineers, safety & quality officers, supervisors, plant operators, pipe layers, fusion technicians, labourers, tradesmen and clerical staff. Our staff are experienced and dedicated to the success of each individual project and are actively involved at all levels in daily site work to ensure safe and productive operations in the field. By actively involving staff in reviewing on-site production, critical quality, safety and environmental activities, Redline Contracting aims to achieve superior results to worlds-best practices and standards. We provide: HDPE Fusion of Pipelines Civil Construction Installation of New Pipelines Submarine Projects HDPE Lined New Pipelines Pump Stations Lining of Existing Pipelines Civil Engineering Turn Key Pipeline Projects Machine Hire Water & Slurry Pipelines Trenching

info@redlinecontracting.com.au 9/26-34 Weippin Street, Cleveland, QLD 4163 PO Box 3465, Victoria Point West, QLD 4165 Ph: 07 3488 2242 | Fax: 07 3488 2342

Redline Contracting is focused on delivering cost effective consultation, design, materials procurement and construction operations as well as maintenance services to its clients. Our experience expands across pipeline construction, infrastructure projects and mining projects, which include the provision of civil, electrical, mechanical, and design services, pressured rising mains, pumping stations, gravity sewer systems and slurry pipelines. A variety of pipeline construction materials including high density polyethylene (HDPE) steel (MSCL, DICL) PVC and GRP have been utilised in these constructions. For further information please visit our website www.redlinecontracting.com.au or direct your enquiries to our General Manager, Ken Shaw on 07 3488 2242.

Transfield Services Water Transfield services is one of THe world’s leading providers of waTer infrasTrucTure services working across THe waTer cycle from caTcHmenT managemenT, THrougH To waTer TreaTmenT, bulk disTribuTion neTwork managemenT and connecTion. We have been entrusted with some of Australia’s largest and most innovative water projects: from re-engineering the nation’s food bowl in Northern Victoria, to building the largest recycling project in the southern hemisphere, in Queensland’s South East, and the installation of innovative membrane filter technology within the Gippsland Water Factory.

our clients Transfield Services currently provides water services to the Sydney Water Corporation, the Sydney Catchment Authority, Melbourne Water, Gippsland Water, Goulburn-Murray Water, Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewals Project, Linkwater Queensland, West Australia Water Corporation as well as the Far North District Council in New Zealand under long-term contracts.

our newest client – sa water A Transfield Services joint venture with Degremont and Suez Environnement has secured a new 10 year alliance contract with a new customer, SA Water, worth approximately A$1.1 billion to operate and maintain water and wastewater services for the City of Adelaide and the surrounding metropolitan area.

www.transfieldservices.com

Asset Life Cycle Solutions Helping our clients to

plan, deliver, operate and maintain their infrastructure assets.

Road | Rail | Water | Transmission and Distribution

strategic planning long and short term planning strategies for assets, resources and business needs.

development project management and delivery of major project concepts, feasibility studies and approvals.

program management The lifecycle of defining, developing, prioritising managing and optimising programs of works.

project delivery initiation, planning execution, commissioning and closeout of projects.

operations strategies for operating an asset or system including, optioneering, pre planning, operating and continuous improvement.

maintenance planning, management, execution, optimisation and continuous improvement of maintaining operational assets and systems.

The statistics are staggering. Described by many as the ‘best thing in the region for 100 years’ the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project (WMPP) has replaced 17,500 kilometres of earthen channels with a 9,159 kilometre pressurised pipeline across an area of about two million hectares. Construction started in November 2006 with the final pipe laid in March 2010.

Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project But what’s important is what this project means for the region’s people, economy and environment. It means that 36 towns and 7,000 rural customers, who have just lived through more than a decade of drought and critical water shortage, have a secure and quality supply of water. It means that water savings resulting from the pipeline are being returned to the regions rural and urban customers, and to highly stressed river systems and recreational lakes that have been dry for most of the past decade. It means livestock farmers can return to what they know best after having to

Water Management Review 2011

destock in the last 10 years due to not being able to water their stock. It means the regional community can get their water ski boats out of their dusty sheds, dig out their fishing rods and spend their weekends on and near the water – something that had become a thing of the past over the last decade.

Case in 2003. The Victorian and Australian Governments accepted the business case and committed to the project on the basis of the strong community support for the project and the long-term benefits it would provide to the Wimmera Mallee regions.

The WMPP was conceived and successfully implemented as a partnership between Government and the community.

A remarkable and highly-publicised aspect of the project has been the fast-tracking of the initial 10-year program for construction of the project, with pipeline construction being completed in less than four years and within the $688 million budget set in August 2007.

Extensive consultation with the regional community and government during development of the project proposal led to the formulation of a detailed Business

The drive to complete pipeline works in the shortest possible time was a critical response to prolonged dry seasonal conditions and severe water shortages

BACKGROUND

Pictured [page 54] L-R GWMWater Managing Director Jeff Rigby with Barry Clugston, GWMWater Chairman

‘turn key’ form of delivery, which enabled contractors to gear up and commit resources on a large scale and achieve high rates of progress through multiple construction fronts. •

•

I ntroduction of pipe-laying technology that allowed for installation of sections of small bore pipelines at substantially higher rates than contemplated during project planning stages. utstanding cooperation by O landowners as construction progressed across their properties. The majority of pipeline works are located on private property.

DELIVERING THE BENEFITS

The fast-tracking of the WMPP has enabled the early delivery of the identified long-term benefits of the project including:

Water for the Environment

A 100% allocation of environmental water this year, with environmental releases already taking place into the Wimmera, Glenelg and MacKenzie Rivers and Burnt Creek. Barbers Swamp near Birchip has also been supplied with the first water from the 1,000 ML allocation to regional wetlands of significance.

Water to customers

in the Wimmera Mallee. In May 2008, the water resources of the region had fallen to a record low of 3.3% of capacity. GWMWater was only able to maintain emergency supplies to rural customers through water carting and to regional towns through the most severe level of urban water restrictions. The successful acceleration of the WMPP can be attributed to the: •

vailability of a continuous stream A of government funding at levels that enabled procurement and delivery of works to proceed without delay.

•

rocurement of works through P large packages of works using a

Water was supplied to towns and rural customers throughout the project footprint as soon as pipe work and connections were completed and often prior to Practical Completion being issued for an entire contract for each stage of the project. Rural customers were able to progressively access what was termed ‘emergency supply’ from the pipeline as their farm dam supplies depleted due to continuing drought. Towns throughout the area were able to be supplied from the pipeline, in many cases when less than two months’ supply remained in the town storage. By October 2009 the regions bulk water supply reservoirs had recovered to 15.4% or 114,670 ML. This allowed water restrictions to be eased from Stage 4 to Stage 1 for both rural and urban customers supplied by the pipeline because open channel runs were no longer required to supply customers. All water restrictions were lifted in October 2010, meaning that many of the regions rural and urban

customers were off restrictions for the first time in 10 years. Water quality has also dramatically improved by the pipeline supply meaning that drinking water quality standards were able to be met in many towns for the first time.

Growth Water Of the 20,000 ML of secure and high quality water now available for diversification and new investment, 2,000 ML has already been sold to Wannon Water to secure supply to Hamilton, with a further 800 ML committed for future supply to Nhill.

Recreation Water

The nine recreation lakes and weirs in the region to share the 3,000 ML recreation water entitlement from the water savings from the project have received a 100% allocation this year, with all facilities filled from the pipeline and full going into

summer. This is the first time many of these lakes and weirs have received a water supply in the last decade.

Water for Fire-fighting

The WMPP has delivered an enhanced fire-fighting capability across the region. The hydrants on trunk mains provide a means of rapidly filling tankers and brigade members have already provided positive feedback regarding this aspect. Fire tanks that local councils are progressively installing will give a greater and more reliable coverage than was provided by the fire-fighting supply dams of the past.

Channel Decommissioning With the pipeline system in operation, the task of decommissioning 18,000 kilometres of channels and associated structures has commenced. Property owners are keen to decommission redundant channels and structures as soon as possible and return this land to productive use. A comprehensive planning process has been put in place in consultation with local Government and other statutory organisations responsible for roads, rail and public land management. Using a traffic-light category approach, all channels and structures have been assessed as having green, orange or red light status depending upon how each channel is to be treated. Green status channels can be decommissioned as soon as consent is obtained from GWMWater. Orange status channels require a detailed inspection and assessment before decommissioning can be considered, whilst red status channels cannot be filled in until special values such as flora and fauna and cultural heritage are addressed. Some landowners have indicated a desire to retain sections of channels to manage flooding and local drainage or for providing water to recreational or environmental water bodies. In this instance the ownership, and hence future management responsibility of the channel, will be transferred to the person wishing to retain the channel.

Economic Impact

The Wimmera was suffering a period of prolonged drought when the project gained funding and construction was due to start. The local economy, which relies heavily on the rural sector, was severely

Water Management Review 2011

depressed. The injection of funds from the project into the regional community provided local employment opportunities and greatly assisted in mitigating the adverse impacts of the rural downturn. An economic impact analysis commissioned by the Wimmera Development Association in 2008 and authored by Latrobe University, Bendigo report showed that 220 pipeline-related jobs were created with GWMWater, Mitchell Water and other regional contractors; injecting $114 million into the regional economy each year of the project. The flow-on impact of these jobs was a further $143 million spent in the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accommodation, recreation and retail sectors each year. The estimated total injection into the regional economy for the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three and a half year timeframe allowing for the multiplier effect was around $900 million.

Imagery used throughout this article: GWMWater, courtesy of Artisan Design.

PROJECT DELIVERY Physical Output

Occupational Health and Safety

The physical output of the WMPP is summarised in the following tables:

Storage capacity by supply system Supply System

No. of Tanks

No. of Lined Storages

Total Volume (ml)

No. of Pump Stations

Supply System 1

125.14

Supply System 2

103

Supply System 3

37.5

Supply System 4

115.5

Supply System 5

Supply System 6

121.5

Length (kilometres)

376

1293

3106

1452

147

100

962

110

150

565

200

323

225

250

116

300

111

350

375

235

450

220

575

711

1016

Total length =

9156 kilometres

The requirement for Net Gain offset was less than two habitat hectares which is an outstanding result given that approximately 9,000 hectares were disturbed during the project. GWMWater entered into agreements with the various Aboriginal custodial groups across the project area for monitoring and other provisions which helped ensure a speedy resolution of issues that arose. There were two incidents which involved cultural heritage matters. Rectification of both incursions was achieved to the satisfaction of the local custodial group.

Awards

As a winner of the Victorian Engineering Excellence Award and an Australian Business Council Environmental Award the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project has been recognised for its outstanding achievements.

CONCLUSION

More than 1,000 people attended a community celebration to mark the completion of the design and construction phase of the pipeline in Horsham on 15 April 2010. The event demonstrated the commitment to the project from all levels of the regional community and Government, and celebrated that the successful implementation of the project was already delivering the forecast environmental, social and economic benefits identified during planning phases

Pipe details

Mild steel pipe: ranged from 711mm to 1,016mm in diameter, and came in 12.2m and 12.9m lengths.

Other pipe infrastructure Air valves: 16,886, Hydrants: 355 Scour valves: 1,225

PVC pipe: ranged from 25mm to 575mm in diameter, supplied in 6m lengths.

Tapping connections: 9,000 (estimated final figure)

Polyethylene pipe: ranged from 25mm to 110mm in diameter, supplied in rolls of up to 500m.

Environmental Management

Cultural Heritage

Pipeline diameter and length Pipeline diameter (millimetres)

A target of zero lost-time injuries was set at the start of the project. This ambitious target was almost achieved with only three lost-time injuries recorded for the project across all contracts, giving a rate of 0.77 hours per million hours worked compared with an industry average of 19 hours per million hours worked.

The WMPP has unquestionably positioned and prepared the Wimmera Mallee Region to contend with the risks and impacts of predicted climate change. This project is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when the community, local government, regional agencies, the water corporation, State and Federal Governments and other stakeholders share the same vision and work together to achieve a common goal.

Mitchell’s ‘Swiftpipe’ vibratory plough Swiftpipe delivers for environment

When it’s minimal disturbance in pipeline construction that counts, Swiftpipe delivers results for the environment. The Swiftpipe ‘trenchless’ method utilises vibration of a steel bullet to pulverize a neat hole, slightly larger than the pipe itself, underneath the ground through which the pipe is placed with free passage towing. A ‘weak link’ chain attachment ensures that if any stress is exerted to the pipe, it will be released without causing any pipe damage. The vibrating shank and bullet head also causes fine material to shake down around the pipe, providing a good bedding environment. Swiftpipe offers unique environmental benefits and has proven to be highly successful working in sensitive areas or protected vegetation. The Swiftpipe trenchless construction method is fast and efficient, with no soil erosion or sinkage issues, no danger to stock from open trenches and no need to grade the surface in front of the plough or repair the ploughed surface. The Swiftpipe plough is capable of working from 600 mm minimum cover down to 1.4 metres deep. The current Swiftpipe plough can plough from 63 mm pipe up to 315 mm pipe. Smaller diameters come on rolls, but once the pipe diameter exceeds 125 mm we use butt fusion welding to string lengths together and plough it in just the same as if it was on a roll. The Swiftpipe lays polyethylene pipe: •

To precise grade with GPS.

•

Up to 1.4 metres depth & 315 mm diameter.

•

With minimal damage to the surface vegetation.

•

With minimal damage to the ground structure.

•

As approved by Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and the Victorian Department of Sustainability & Environment with more than 2,000 km installed to date.

Water Management Review 2011

Environmental Consultant, Jim McGuire, assessed Swiftpipe’s environmental credentials. “I was asked to assess the vibrating plough in laying poly pipe and found it was very beneficial as far as the environment is concerned. Some of the key reasons are you are not removing top soil, that means that you’re not effecting the vegetation that grows on the top soil and it’s not being exposed to wind [and water] erosion and etcetera and that’s a key factor.

“One of the other key factors is the environmental values, is that when you pass this machine over grass lands, there is very minimal impact. No sub-soil comes to the surface. It therefore can be rolled down with a rubber wheeled machine along the pipeline with the benefit again being the topsoil is not exposed. You’re not removing the organic layer, shrubs or grasses which are so beneficial to the environment that we try not to impact on them.” “One of the other key factors is the environmental values, when you pass this machine over grass lands, there is very minimal impact.” Jim McGuire, Environmental Consultant. John Scholls of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water is an advocate of Swiftpipe technology.

“I was probably a little bit sceptical of installation and if it would do what they say it does. But it’s like everything, once it’s proven to you, your eyes open up to it,” Scholls said. “My biggest concern was the protection of the pipe itself, once it’s been ripped in. I had no problems with the plough (actually being ripped in with the dozer that’s being used). But there were test areas done to see if the pipe is being protected by the fines, which is the greatest part of the pipe that we have concerns with, and what has been shown is that it wasn’t an issue, as it’s being vibrated, the fines went around the pipe, and the pipeline that has been installed is operating quite well,” Scholls said. The Swiftpipe was a great asset during construction of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, with over 2000 km of pipe laid using the Swiftpipe method; proving its advanced vibratory technology not only increased the speed of construction, but reduced costs and adhered to strict environmental protection requirements. For further information contact Mitchell Water’s Business Development Manager Ross Bennett on +61 418 997 663.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to deliver Having constructed more than 9000 km of pipelines across Australia in the past five years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to deliver even more. Our team of engineers, designers and surveyors, and specialised pipeline plant fleet, means we can deliver any pipeline you need; anywhere you want. water | coal seam Gas | PiPelines | PumP stations | storaGes

mitchellwater.com.au

excellence in pipeline construction

We have Evaporation and Algae controlled AquaArmourTM is an exciting new product for the prevention of evaporation and the reduction of algal growth for major water storages and dams.

AquaArmourTM provides a very real solution for a very real problem to provide greater water security for all users. AquaArmourTM has been designed, engineered and is manufactured in Australia.

This product is specifically designed to be deployed in exposed conditions on major water storages populating a cover to any size. Moreover, this product requires minimal infrastructure and maintenance. It is simple to deploy and is highly cost efficient in capturing and securing the precious resource of water.

For more information on AquaArmourTM contact Aqua Guardian Group T: +61 3 8530 2000 F: +61 3 8530 2020 or email sales@aquaguardiangroup.com Check your evaporation level online www.aquaguardiangroup.com

A proudly Australian product developed by

Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water save for the future GWM Water is constantly investigating ways to save water, be it through improving the efficiency of system operation or by reducing losses incurred through their supply systems. Significant water savings have recently been achieved through the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project, replacing 17,500 km of open earthen channels with a 9,000 km large-scale pressurised pipeline system. Further savings are achievable by using optimisation processes to refine system operating procedures. Water can also be saved by reducing losses from balancing storages. Given the climate of GWM Water’s operational area, there is the potential to achieve water savings by reducing evaporative losses from all storages across the region.

Evaporation in Ouyen, Victoria Ouyen loses up to 2.5 metres of water annually to evaporation – this equates to a loss of 200 million litres of water from the 8 hectare Ouyen water storages annually. The 2 hectare deployment of AquaArmourTM on the Ouyen water storage will save up to 45 million litres annually – enough water to supply three quarters of the entire town’s population of 1,100 people with their annual water requirements (based on Victorian Government’s 155 Water Initiative for Melbourne) year after year.

GWM Water is excited about the TM AquaArmour technology trial being undertaken in collaboration with Aqua Guardian Group. They believe that the product has the potential to deliver the desired water savings with no impact on water quality. For more information on AquaArmour contact Aqua Guardian Group T: +61 3 8530 2000 F: +61 3 8530 2020 or email info@aquaguardiangroup.com www.aquaguardiangroup.com TM

Inside the tunnel

Victorian Desalination Project The $3.5 billion Victorian Desalination Project will deliver the largest desalination plant in Australia, capable of supplying up to 150 billion litres of water a year with capability to expand to 200 billion litres a year in the future.

The project involves the financing, construction and operation of the reverse osmosis desalination process plant, associated marine tunnels and structures, 84km water transfer pipeline and an 87km high-voltage AC underground powerline to supply power to the plant.

Desalination Plant Victoria’s new desalination plant will be located near the town of Wonthaggi, 132 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, on the Bass Coast. The desalination plant will draw seawater from Bass Strait and treat it to potable standards using reverse osmosis technology. Filtered seawater will pass through two stages of reverse osmosis, where it will be pushed through ultra-fine membranes under high pressure. Fresh water will pass through, leaving seawater concentrate behind. A total of 29 buildings will be constructed on site to accommodate the pretreatment, filtration, reverse osmosis and potabilisation processes required to desalinate the water, the largest being the reverse osmosis building. In response to community concerns about the visual impact of the plant on the coastline, the desalination plant has been designed to be barely visible from all public viewing points. More than 1.1 million cubic metres of spoil has been excavated from the site so that facilities can be constructed at a reduced ground level. Spoil has been retained on

site and used to construct a series of dunes that will help blend the plant with the natural landscape and provide visual and acoustic protection to neighbours. The architectural concept is based on a ‘green line’ that runs through the site, changing form and content as it moves from a natural landscape element to a constructed dune formation, a living green roof, a footprint encompassing buildings and ultimately, a restored landscape. The plant itself will have a very small footprint, taking up just 38 hectares of the 263 hectare site. The remaining 225 hectares will become the focus of one of the largest ecological restoration projects in Victoria’s history, complete with wetlands, coastal and swampy woodlands and a new habitat for local fauna. Plants and trees will reinstate indigenous vegetation cleared over the years to make way for mining and grazing and more than 8km of new pedestrian, cycling and horse riding paths will link the plant site to existing community trails. As of March 2010, the reverse osmosis building was around 60 per cent complete, with structural steel and pre-cast panel erection continuing. Roof panel installation was continuing and installation of the plant’s trademark ‘green roof’ had commenced. Installation of 51 reverse osmosis racks was progressing, each one measuring nine metres high by five metres wide and weighing 193 tons. These racks will house 55,000 membranes, driven by

over 6,100 pressure vessels to convert seawater to pure water.

Marine Structures The desalination process starts and finishes with marine structures on the seabed. Two concrete intake structures installed on the seabed will draw seawater slowly into the plant. The structures measure 13 metres in diameter by 7 metres high and weigh around 200 tonnes each. Vertical glass reinforced plastic (GRP) risers, measuring approximately 30 metres long, 2.4 metres in diameter and weighing approximately 90 tonnes each, connect the intake structures to an underground tunnel, which will transport the seawater to the desalination plant. The intake structures will be capable of supporting the plant operating at 200GL capacity and have been designed to minimise impacts on the marine environment. Two outlet structures on the seabed will return seawater concentrate to the ocean at the end of the desalination process. The outlet structures are 9 metres in diameter by 5 metres high and weigh around 180 tonnes each. They are both fitted with nine diffuser nozzles, designed to ensure rapid dilution of seawater concentrate. Again, GRP risers will connect the outlet structures to an underground

tunnel, which will transport the seawater concentrate from the desalination plant.

and co-hosted by construction engineers and desalination process experts.

Marine construction was scheduled between September 2010 and April 2011 to take advantage of favourable weather conditions. A jack-up barge was commissioned from Rotterdam, from which the intake and outlet structures were installed and shafts drilled for risers adjacent to the tunnel alignments.

Tunnels

Marine construction was recently completed two months ahead of schedule, with no environmental incidents and no environmental non-conformance. Potential environmental impacts from the marine work were a significant concern for the local community. Prior to work commencing, Thiess Degrémont executed a comprehensive communications campaign comprising newspaper columns, Fact Sheets and videos explaining the marine design and environmental approval process. An information session was also held, attended by members of the community

Water Management Review 2011

Seawater will be transported to the desalination through an underground and undersea tunnel approximately 1.2km long. Seawater concentrate will be returned to the ocean through a tunnel approximately 1.5km long. Thiess Tunnelling commissioned two Herrenknecht 4.8m slurry tunnel-boring machines (TBM) to excavate the tunnels along a horizontal path some 15-20 metres below the seafloor. The 4-metre diameter tunnels were segmentally lined using approximately 10,700 Australian-made concrete segments. Exacavation of both tunnels was recently completed ahead of schedule, with the tunnelling team now focused on building connections between the tunnels and marine risers. To complete the connection, a section of each tunnel is being lined with a

reinforced steel ‘ribcage’, which will maintain the structural integrity of the tunnel and keep the tunnellers safe when they break through. A mini excavator and mini dump trucks will then be used to excavate a short ‘adit’ tunnel a few metres long to connect with the riser. Finally, a GRP pipe will be installed and encased in concrete, forming the final connection between the tunnel and the riser.

Water Transfer Pipeline Potable drinking water will be distributed from the plant to Melbourne and regional water networks through an 84 km long pipeline. The pipeline is made up of more than 6200 lengths of mild steel cementlined pipe, manufactured by Tyco Water Melbourne. Each pipe measures 1.93 metres in diameter, 13.5 metres long and weighs around 13 tonnes. Seven water delivery points along the pipeline will connect communities to the desalinated water supply, while a booster pump station at Cardinia will

Power compensation stations in Lang Lang and Cardinia will maintain a steady and reliable flow of power and smooth out any surges or drops in voltage. Fibre optic cable is also being installed to provide important monitoring information on the pipe and power networks. Additional capacity on this high-speed communications cable will facilitate improved broadband capability to surrounding communities The plant and transfer pipeline’s operating power requirements will be 100% offset by renewable energy.

Project delivery The project is being delivered as a Public Private Partnership between the State of Victoria and AquaSure. AquaSure has contracted Thiess Degrémont to design and construct the project. Artists impression

help maintain enough pressure to keep the water moving on its journey from the desalination plant to the water network connection point at Berwick. A booster pump station will be built near Cranbourne, which will operate when the desalination plant site is operating at or above a capacity of 100GL per year. The pipeline is being constructed using a combination of open cut and trenchless methodologies. Eleven crews are working in various locations between Wonthaggi and Berwick, including two mainline crews for long, straight runs of pipe, two smaller mainline crews specialising in difficult terrain, three ‘special crossing’ crews for road and river crossings, three pipe jack crews and a valve installation crew. A final team is also working to connect the pipeline with the Melbourne Water network in Berwick. Pipe delivery is complete for the project, with pipe laying approximately 75% complete. 36 of 39 road crossings are complete, plus 10 of 21 water crossings.

Central to this work is smooth operations between the construction team and the wide range of stakeholders impacted by these works – among them three councils, road, rail and environmental authorities, utility providers, 125 directly affected and 400 indirectly affected landholders. A dedicated team has established and maintains relationships with individual landholders and worked with them to complete land surveys and property condition reports, as well as negotiate access to properties to allow construction work to occur.

Underground Power Supply The plant will connect to the existing electricity grid at Cranbourne, some 87km to the northwest, by means of a high voltage alternate current (HVAC) underground cable. The cable is co-located underground in the same easement as the transfer pipeline. Underground power was the preferred outcome for the project as it has the least impact on landowners and people living and working in the area.

Thiess Degrémont is charged with the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the reverse osmosis desalination process plant, associated marine tunnels and structures, 84km water transfer pipeline and an 87km high-voltage AC underground powerline to supply power to the plant. Following construction and commissioning of the plant, the Degrémont-Thiess Services Joint Venture will operate and maintain the plant for the remainder of the 30-year project term. Managing the delivery of a 150 GL/y desalination project requires a wide range of competencies, including large contract management, large plants and related infrastructures construction experience, multidiscipline management and joint venture relationship experience. From a construction perspective the project is complex and challenging: designing and building a desalination facility within a required timeframe and strict environmental controls is one thing, but there are other aspects that set this project apart.

Quantity of equipment required The quantity of materials required on the Project is substantial and includes 72

pressurized filters, 51 RO trains, 15,000 valves, 500 pumps, 200,000 tonnes of concrete and 750 km of electrical cable. To manage such a scale, equipment standardisation and off site fabrication have been favoured to reduce the construction duration and facilitate mechanical and electrical erection. In addition, logistics such as oversize road transportation have to be well managed. Among the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success stories is the transportation of 72 massive Dual Media Pressure Filter vessels, which form part of the pre-treatment process. Each vessel measures 15 by 4.6 metres and weighs more than 50 tonnes. They were transported to site in a series of overnight operations between September and December 2010, with up to four vessels moved at a time as part of convoys more than 500 metres long â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the longest ever approved for transport on Victorian roads.

Scale of structures Specific infrastructure has had to be designed and built to accommodate the prefabricated modules. The common structures are designed for the final plant capacity of 200 GL/y: two 4 m diameter tunnels; a 1,000 ML/d brine diffusion system; a 1,500 ML/d lift pumping station; two 35,000 m3 storage tanks based on soft bladder technology; an 87 km 220 kV AC underground cable; and a 84 km 1.93 m diameter cement lined steel pipeline.

Construction challenges Building such a project requires detailed organisation. One of the main construction challenges directly related to the construction schedule is the huge number of hours needed to complete the works (6 million hours). Undertaking the work - civil, mechanical and electrical erection within the timeframe obviously requires rigorous site organisation and scheduling.

Engineering The design process developed during the engineering phase has used the latest advanced calculation and modelling tools to optimise hydraulics and has relied on local and international expertise.

Water Management Review 2011

Interface with environment and community The design and construct contract for the project contains 221 strict performance requirements. across 38 areas including flora and fauna, waterways and wetlands, cultural and historical heritage, waste management, resource efficiency, visual amenity and social and economic impacts. An Independent Reviewer and Environmental Auditor is overseeing the construction and operation phases, ensuring compliance with the strict environmental requirements. Thiess Degremont is working with members of the local community and business owners to maximise the economic benefit of the facility in the region and to minimise any adverse impact on the community. Talking with local people about how they might be affected by the desalination plant is an important part of ongoing project implementation. Regular presentations and briefings are given to councils, local groups, landowners, water authorities and other interested parties.

Spotlight on wastewater: A conversation with Andrew Hodgkinson

The Vortex Centre built in conjunction with the Gippsland Water Factory provides visitors with an interactive learning experience.

Andrew Hodgkinson is a passionate advocate for the principles of sustainability and resource efficiency. Over his 24-year career, he has devised numerous creative and novel solutions to pollution and resource management problems. As part of the team from Parsons Brinckerhoff working on the Gippsland Water Factory, Andrew has put this experience to good use. The Gippsland Water Factory will deliver a new era in water recycling and sustainability. Below Andrew speaks about how he landed in this career experience and his work on the Gippsland Water Factory.

Q. How did you get into sustainability?

A. I have a science degree (Physical Chemistry) and I’ve nearly completed my Master of Engineering Science in

Water Management Review 2011

Advanced Process Design (a chemical engineering subject). I got into chemistry because I liked finding out how things work, why things explode, stink, stick together, and break.

imagine not involving sustainability in everything that I do.

Q. Describe your current role at Parsons Brinckerhoff.

My home was a small farm in Blackheath, New South Wales, and I learned about sustainability from the inside and lived it. I was taught about it by my Dad, who never heard the word but for him it was just the way to do things. These beginnings, plus a lot of tinkering with chemicals and machinery, were the groundwork that led me to pursue a career in science and, eventually, sustainability.

A. Last September marked 14 years that I’ve been with the company. Currently I am the Technical Executive, Resource Efficiency, based in Melbourne. I help my clients figure out how to unlock the value of sustainability in their products and services. I provide practical, technically sound management and process solutions for industrial and infrastructure problems in manufacturing, environment, and resource efficiency.

There weren’t many environmentally focused subjects at university when I completed my degree in the early 80s. In those days I wasn’t too keen on such subjects. It’s interesting how your career pathway changes, because now I couldn’t

Q. You are working on the Gippsland Water Factory in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, which is a pioneering wastewater treatment plant. Tell us about this project.

A. Parsons Brinckerhoff, as part of an alliance, with Transfield Services, CH2M HILL and Gippsland Water collaborated to design, construct and commission this plant. The Gippsland Water Factory is two treatment plants in one. It uses innovative technology to treat industrial wastewater from Australian Paper, and residential wastewater. Each day the plant treats 15ML of residential wastewater and 20ML of pulp mill wastewater. More than 8ML per day of recycled residential wastewater will be purchased by Australian Paper for its plant operation. The remaining highly-treated industrial wastewater is discharged to the regional outfall sewer, free of odour-causing degradable organics.

Q. What prompted the project? Why was the Gippsland Water Factory needed?

A. For the last half century untreated wastewater has travelled via the regional outfall sewer, part of which is an open channel, to the ocean outfall. The Gippsland Water Factory treats the wastewater before it enters the regional outfall sewer; removing odourous raw sewage and industrial waste to prevent odour emission from the open channel. This was one of the key drivers for the project. Channel capacity, asset life and sustainability, were the other pieces of the puzzle. I helped devise an approach which addresses not only the pollution issues but also associated regional water supply security and infrastructure problems. The project also includes renewable energy generation, solid waste minimisation and energy efficient design.

Q. How is the Gippsland Water Factory saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

A. The plant incorporates renewable energy initiatives, a mini hydro and biogas co-generation, which together produce in excess of 20% of the plant’s daily electricity requirements. An unambiguous target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% off a theoretical benchmark of 52,102 tonnes CO2-e per year was set during initial design. This was to help ensure that the project was well placed for the potential introduction of an emissions trading scheme in Australia.

Q. What does this project mean for the people and businesses of the areas serviced by the Gippsland Water Factory? What are the long term benefits to them?

A. The Gippsland Water Factory is servicing a population base of over 55,000. By recycling 8ML of wastewater a day for use by Australian Paper’s plant, the Gippsland Water Factory will free-up fresh water in the Latrobe/Moondarra system. About three billion litres (1,200 Olympicsize swimming pools) of fresh water will be saved each year for use in Gippsland; these uses may be for town, drinking, or to support future growth in the area, and increase river flows to the environment.

Q. It is important to educate future generations about the importance of water. How does the Gippsland Water Factory achieve this?

A. Introducing a new era for water technology has provided the opportunity for the local community to learn more about water conservation and sustainable water management. A key part of the education program is an interpretive centre, showcasing the technology used in the treatment process. Through interactive displays, visitors will see how recycled water is produced and learn how water is being managed in the Gippsland area. A specific school education program allows students to learn about water conservation and how to manage water resources.

Andrew Hodgkinson is the Technical Executive, Resource Efficiency at Parsons Brinckerhoff who worked extensively on the Gippsland Water Factory.

The Vortex Centre further adds to the Gippsland Water Factory’s ‘green’ credentials. These leading edge design features include being constructed from recycled materials, incorporating active water mass cooling in summer and heating in winter, renewable electricity, passive solar controls and water efficiency. The Gippsland Water Factory and Vortex Centre are a terrific example of sustainability in action.

To find out more about visiting the Vortex Centre, go to: http://main.gippswater.com.au/Education/ VortexCentre/

Biogas cleansing unit at Gippsland Water Factory

Blucher Australia Delivering time and cost savings, one press at a time

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Alkimos water alliance

Providing essential services to enable booming Perth, WA, to sustain its urban spread is a big task for utilities. These include the Water Corporation that recently completed the city’s fourth major wastewater treatment plant in the busy northern coastal corridor.

The plant is at Alkimos, about 40km north of the Perth CBD and in the heart of the next urban area to be developed, expected to house about 150,000 people by 2030.

at the end of 2006 with Joint Venture partners Brookfield Multiplex, Macmahon Contractors and Züblin Australia.

The project presented a range of complexities, from land and marine environmental management to extensive site works and tunnelling, and provisions for high level odour control. It incorporated a 5.2km main sewer extension and a 4.7km ocean outfall, and became operational on time in late 2010.

The alliance achieved effective project and contract management through creation of an ideal environment for enhanced teamwork and innovation. The main sewer, for example, was completed four months ahead of schedule and well below predicted costs. This was aided by the establishment of an international panel of experts who could quickly address issues as they arose.

The Corporation delivered the $366 million project in partnership with the Alkimos Water Alliance that was formed

Siteworks for the treatment plant were a mammoth task, with about two million cubic metres of sand and limestone

Water Management Review 2011

excavated, allowing the plant to be gravity-fed, providing significant energy savings and avoidance of potential future flow disruptions caused by power cuts. Tunnelling and open trenching were required for the two-metre diameter sewer pipe. Züblin Australia developed the tunnelling machine especially for this project, which represented one of the Corporation’s largest tunnelling projects, with a maximum depth of 25 metres. The dual sand and rock mode boring machine was used for the first time in Australia, bringing state of the art technology and a high level of productivity. Its path included a one-

on the project sites, including 110-tonne excavators, D11 bulldozers, and 85-tonne dump trucks as well as a 120-tonne excavator mounted on a ‘jack-up’ marine barge for the outfall trench. The wastewater treatment plant has an initial capacity of 20 million litres per day but could eventually be expanded to achieve 160 million litres per day, sufficient to handle expected demand beyond 2050. The plant incorporates advanced secondary treatment oxidation ditch technology developed by Netherlands based leading international consultancy and engineering firm DHV. The plant has a 600 metre odour buffer zone that has the added advantage of helping to conserve ecological systems in the area for future generations. This is augmented by a high level of emission controls, including covers for odour sources with ventilation of gases to an odour treatment unit and final discharge through a 50-metre high stack.

kilometre section beneath the fringe residential suburb of Butler with minimal disruption. The project team also used a single pass pipe lining system with welding of lining undertaken through a purpose built automated process developed by the alliance to provide high levels of safety and productivity. This also involved the first use by the Water Corporation of a new bonding method for the lining which contains 10 mm long anchor knobs cast into the concrete wall of the sewer pipe for superior bonding strength. The biggest earthmoving equipment seen in WA outside the mining industry worked

Because of the project’s size and complexity, close contact and cooperation was maintained with a wide range of stakeholders, including local communities and schools, government agencies, local government and land developers. Activities included distribution of project newsletters, a community open day, media advertising, presentations and shopping centre displays. Water Corporation Project Manager Daniel Rossi said this activity proved critical to obtaining key approvals and to ensure the community was not adversely affected by the major works. “The project’s success was also made possible by our maintenance of good and effective cooperation between designers,

manufacturers and suppliers both locally and internationally,” Daniel said. The chosen project site was among coastal dune formations of international geo-heritage significance, and a key requirement of design and management was to minimise disturbance to them. Management plans included provision for vegetation, flora and fauna management, and carefully constructed temporary construction roads. The ocean outlet, through a reef system, called for a comprehensive marine habitat survey that involved aerial photography and diving. Under a subsequent management plan, the impact of works was monitored while future surveys were planned annually to monitor any ongoing impacts of the outlet’s presence.

Alkimos Ocean Outfall The design and installation of the Alkimos Ocean Outfall presented enormous challenges for the project team led by the Alkimos Water Alliance. Long period and persistent southern ocean swells combined with highstrength coastal limestone made the design and the construction of the treated effluent outfall pipeline an engineering feat. As part of the Alkimos Water Treatment Scheme, the Alkimos Water Alliance engaged Atteris to assist with the design of the 3.7 km long, 1.2 m diameter carbon steel and concrete weight coated Alkimos Ocean outfall. Atteris used the latest design tools and laboratory testing facilities to assist the project team with the successful completion of the Alkimos Ocean Outfall design. The ocean outfall presented a number of design engineering challenges including pipeline hydrodynamic stability, external impact protection, mitigation against seabed scour and the outfall profile definition. These engineering issues were required to be optimised to enable the pipeline string to be pulled from the beach by a 400 Te linear winch mounted on a anchored barge.

Water Management Review 2011

An industry leading three dimensional pipeline hydrodynamic stability analysis was undertaken to ensure that the ocean outfall would be stable for 100 year return period storm events. The challenge was to ensure that the pipeline was light enough to be pulled into position by the pull barge, but heavy enough to ensure excessive lateral displacement did not occur during the installation period. To ensure the long term stability and the integrity of the outfall pipeline through its design life, a rubble mounded structure was designed and installed over the pipeline. The installation of rock over the pipeline was executed using a side stone dumping vessel. This method was selected over others as it provided superior health and safety, and efficiency in the seastate conditions, compared to other options considered. The profile design of the outfall was critical. The outfall was required to operate by gravity, both in its start up phase of low treated effluent flows, right through to the end of life conditions. With very little onshore elevation, it was essential that the profile of the outfall met strict specifications. However, the high-strength

calcareous limestone, predominant sediment transport and the hostile wave climate also meant that trenching for the pipeline had to be minimised. The trench and seabed also needed to be prepared such that the outfall pipeline could be pulled into position without damaging the pipeline. To ensure that the outfall pipeline could be installed without overstressing or damaging the pipeline, a sophisticated bottom roughness assessment was performed using 3D finite element analysis software. This bottom roughness assessment was performed in real time to ensure quick information turnaround. This allowed the construction team on-site to rectify non-conforming areas in a swift and efficient manner. The design and construction of the Alkimos Ocean Outfall demonstrated that robust and innovative engineering processes and construction practices can assist in the delivery of a key asset in a very challenging environment.

Bottom right: The ASL96 pulls the Alkimos Ocean Outfall from the beach along the seabed

Alkimos water treatment plant Project History

•

Secondary Sedimentation: Flow Splitting Chamber to Module 1 RC Secondary Clarifiers (two 50m diameter x 6m deep circular tanks) complete with suction scrapers and drainage/flushing pump station.

•

Sludge Treatment System: a Duty / Standby 9.2m diameter Dissolved Air Flotation Thickening Tanks complete with temporary sludge pumps, saturator vessels, compressors and a three day aerated 9.2m diameter sludge storage tank.

Alkimos; located approximately 45 km from Western Australia’s capital city of Perth, forms part of the growing North Western corridor of Perth. Understanding the need for new water infrastructure within this developing corridor, in late 2005, the Water Corporation called for tenders for the Alkimos Waste Water Infrastructure Project. The scope of work for this project, awarded under a Contract Alliance to the Brookfield Multiplex, Macmahon and Zublin Joint Venture required the design and construction of: •

5.2km of 2m diameter sewer using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

•

he WWTP footprint, which required T 3,000,000m3 of cut, transported and filled 1km downstream of the plant.

•

.7km of 1.27 diameter Mild Steel 4 Cement Lined (MSCL) pipeline offshore.

In early 2008, the Water Corporation called a competitive tender for Stage Two of the Project – The Alkimos Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). This stage was awarded to the Joint Venture at the end of November 2008 resulting in a complete project value of $366 Million.

•

eturn Activated Sludge (RAS) and R Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) Pumping Stations.

•

dour treatment system: comprising O a photoionisation plant, discharge stack and associated pipework.

Major Challenges 1) Programme

The original programme for the project was a 26 month delivery period. Due to a prolonged tender evaluation period by the client, a more challenging design and construction period of 24 months was needed to meet the client’s ultimate delivery date. This was met by: •

Stage 2 Scope of Works (WWTP) The WWTP scope of works consisted of the design, construction and commissioning of a 20ML/Day plant comprising: •

Preliminary Treatment: o Flow Reception Chamber connected to the incoming sewer. o Screening and grit removal facilities.

•

Primary Sedimentation: oB io-Selector comprising RAS mixing and flow splitting to circuits. oM odule 1 Oxidation comprising three (duty / duty / standby) 10ML reinforced concrete (RC) circuits 6.0m deep x 7.5m wide x 222m long, equipped with two 3.5m diameter mechanically Oxyrators, two propulsers and a foam harvester.

•

ritical design elements undertaken C as early works (i.e. MSCL pipelines under tanks) to expedite the procurement and construction. Strict adherence to the design programme, ensured that construction was not delayed by late design. global procurement system A whereby goods were assessed on a multi-criteria analysis (MCA), was established with a strong focus towards suppliers who could meet or better the projects challenging delivery schedule to minimise potential construction delays. oo A fast tracked construction philosophy was adopted with a number of initiative including: oo Off-site and modular construction utilised where practicable (i.e. prebuilt switchrooms). oo A high degree of interface planning between varying trades on a daily basis. oo A 6 day working week was adopted with night shifts utilised on critical items such as coatings.

oo Alternative building materials were adopted where they provided an advantage to programme without effecting durability (i.e. MSCL replaced with HDPE on smaller lines).

Durability

The brief required all permanent civil assets to have a service life of 100 years with mechanical and electrical assets having a 25 year service life. A challenging requirement due to the highly corrosive nature of wastewater coupled with the plants close proximity to the coast was overcome by: •

Specialised coating systems used to protect concrete highly susceptible to methane and sulphate damage.

•

16L Stainless Steel fixings and 3 cast-in puddle flanges used in high corrosive environments.

•

V Stabilised GRP Products used U for tank covers and all odour control pipework.

Plant Variable Flow Conditions

Being in a growing area of Perth, the plant required the ability to work under flow conditions which could vary between 6 to 20ML/Day. This challenge was achieved by: •

I nstalling benching within the preliminary treatment area to allow the plant to continue operations under low flow conditions.

•

quipment was specified and E procured based on its ability to meet the varying flow conditions (i.e. RAS / WAS Pumps).

•

xyrators were design to have the O ability to be controlled individually rather than in sequence in order to modify flow and retention rates.

•

he plants functional design T specification being designed for flexible operating modes and conditions.

Innovations

Although typically conventional in process, the use of Photoionisation in lieu of a Bioscrubber / Chemical Scrubber type arrangement to treat odour was considered a major innovation to WWTP design due to it being the first of its type within Western Australia. This system differs in process to

conventional systems as it is based on the application of UV light with a catalyst, meaning that only electrical power is required for the system to operate. The benefits of the system are that:

•

no water, chemical or nutrients are required for the process to work, nor is there an effluent by-product resulting in lower operation costs.

•

rganic and inorganic, water O soluble and non-soluble substances are all treated.

•

he modular, pre-assembled nature T of the system results in lower installation costs and the opportunity for expandability.

•

hotoionisation is a switch-ON / P switch-OFF type technology.

The system was installed at Alkimos with great success providing an opportunity for use in future WWTP projects in WA.

Key Achievements

On completion of the Alkimos WWTP there were a number of notable key achievements: •

ractical Completion for the plant P was granted a total of six weeks ahead of programme.

•

total of 806,000 man hours were A required to complete the plant with: oA Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate of 2.48 – ahead of ACAA statistics. oZ ero Worksafe Infringements were issued. oZ ero time lost to industrial actions or other disputes.

•

All concrete tanks were successfully hydrostatically tested with no repairs or crack injection.

•

he project generated substantial T benefit to the local community through the use of local contractors, manufactures and suppliers in accordance with the projects “buy local” policy.

•

he works were completed within the T projects contract value.

In summary, Alkimos WWTP is an excellent example as to how Brookfield Multiplex has the ability to work collaboratively with our clients to deliver projects in an innovative way on time and within budget. This is sets Brookfield Multiplex apart and makes us a Water Industry Market Leader.

Adam Harvey (Senior Project Engineer - Brookfield Multiplex) Water Management Review 2011

Macmahon leading the way in water infrastructure Having completed in excess of $1 billion in water infrastructure projects, Macmahon is at the forefront of meeting the critical demand for water infrastructure. Offering proven expertise in the delivery of water storage, treatment and distribution systems, plus a commitment to achieving excellence and utilising innovative thinking, Macmahon has undertaken some of Australia’s largest and most complex water infrastructure projects. Adding to Macmahon’s growing reputation in this industry was their involvement in the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP) in Western Australia, which was successfully delivered by the company, along with alliance partners Brookfield Multiplex, Zublin and the Water Corporation. The $360m project is one of the most significant sewerage infrastructure projects to be built in Western Australia in recent years. Located approximately 40 kilometres north of Perth, the infrastructure will service a population of around 150,000 people by the year 2030. The AWTP will support the future development of Perth’s burgeoning northern corridor and will take significant pressure off the existing wastewater treatment plants and pumping station. Making Alkimos so unique were the conditions and environmental surrounds that confronted the project team. Issues such as dealing with the changing soil conditions offered by the limestone, the interaction between the live sewers, combined with the need to construct a tunnel under an inhabited suburb, were events that were overcome thanks to the flexibility and cooperative behaviour by all the alliance partners. Additionally, the honeycombed nature of the limestone formations required close pattern underwater blasting to achieve the required trench profile across the three reefs that the outfall crossed. Two calm seasons were required to complete the trenching while the pipe was pulled into the ocean in eight days, creating the longest outfall pipe constructed in this way in Western Australia. The project also included the excavation of two million cubic metres of sand and

Water Management Review 2011

limestone, the construction of a 3.8 kilometre ocean outlet, and 1.2 kilometres of open cut. Earthworks achieved a maximum production of 96,000m3 of fill at the peak of the operation, with the fill works accommodating the neighbouring suburb of Alkimos. A critical component of the overall project was the tunnelling operation, a process that required a 4.8 kilometre bored tunnel be constructed through a built-up suburb. This key component achieved an Australian record for tunnelling, completing 66 metres in a 24 hour period. While work is now finished on the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant, Macmahon is delivering further water infrastructure projects across Australia. Macmahon is currently working on the Wyaralong Dam in Queensland, and has recently completed work on the Nepean River Weirs Upgrade, Blowering Dam and Burrendong Dam, all located in New South Wales. Macmahon has augmented its current water business by joining forces with Spanish water and environment technology company ADASA. This partnership positions Macmahon as a unique and major player in the water infrastructure and management market. ADASA is the water and environment technology arm of COMSA EMTE, a multinational construction and services provider based in Spain. ADASA’s key specialist areas include: remote sensing and satellite imagery, SCADA systems, automation and control, water quality monitoring and control, water treatment and innovation. ADASA is a solutions-focused technology provider in the water and environment infrastructure sector and their capabilities complement the Macmahon business, rather than merely supplementing their existing operations. Together the two companies can provide clients with a complete technology solutions provider with design, construction and maintenance capability. In today’s market with client’s chasing a “whole project” approach, the partnership is able to offer clients an integrated service that can be managed via one point. With an increasing focus on water worldwide, water infrastructure

and management is a prominent and growing market. In Australia alone, $5.3 billion has been allocated to water infrastructure projects such as the modernisation of irrigation water management infrastructure, the establishment of “smart metering”, groundwater resource management and water and waste water treatments. While Macmahon has already built a strong reputation in the water and environment sector through undertaking some of Australia’s largest and most complex water infrastructure projects, there is still opportunity for growth. The partnership with ADASA allows Macmahon to build on their reputation and provide clients with a flexible, focused and performance-driven partnership across all aspects of project delivery to ensure that the end result exceeds expectations. It is this success that has enabled Macmahon to become a leading Australian contract mining and construction company with major projects throughout Australia, in New Zealand, South East Asia and Africa. An ASX/S&P 200 company, Macmahon has played a major role in the delivery of many of Australia’s largest multidisciplinary mining and construction projects throughout its 47 year history for both public and private sector customers. While offering the full range of underground and surface mining services, Macmahon’s comprehensive construction capabilities span roads and bridges and rail, marine, water and resource infrastructure services. Visit www.macmahon.com.au for more information.

CONSTRUCTION

SURFACE MINING

Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant, Western Australia Macmahon is proud to be involved in the successful delivery of the Alkimos Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project has involved and collaborated with a wide range of stakeholders and engineering disciplines to provide world class water infrastructure for the benefit of the greater community.

Our people, your project -

exceptional results Macmahon continues to capture new opportunities and grow. As a leading contract mining and construction company, Macmahon has operations across Australia and an expanding international footprint. Having built strong relationships with some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest resources companies and government sector clients, Macmahon has delivered many of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest multi-disciplinary mining and construction projects throughout its 47 year history. Employing more than 3000 people, Macmahon offers the full range of underground and surface mining services and comprehensive construction capabilities spanning roads and bridges, rail, marine, water and resource infrastructure services.

www.macmahon.com.au

UNDERGROUND MINING

Züblin member of STRABAG group

Perth’s ever-expanding population northwards along the coast brought about the essential need for renewed wastewater infrastructure. In 2006 the Watercorp established the Alkimos Wastewater Alliance to design and construct the Alkimos Wastewater Facility and associated services. The Alkimos Water Alliance comprises the Water Corporation, Brookfield Multiplex, MacMahon Contractors and Züblin. Züblin were enlisted, as an internationally recognised tunnelling specialist, to construct the 4.9km, 2,000mm diameter gravity sewer extension tunnel to link the existing sewer infrastructure north from Quinns Rocks with the new treatment plant in Alkimos. The contract was awarded with the client and the Alliance agreeing to a 36 month construction period from December 2006 to 31 December 2009. Construction was completed in August 2009, four months ahead of schedule! The Water Corporation

preferred Züblin’s tunnelling method as it reduced surface disturbance and interruption to traffic flow. Züblin employed the pipe jacking method for tunnelling. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) was launched by lowering the front section of four into the jacking shaft (up to 20m deep). Once in position, the front section of the TBM, containing the cutting head, was pushed through the ground by hydraulic rams. The second, third and fourth sections were lowered subsequently followed by the 2000mm internal diameter pipes that measure 3 meters in length. The TBM continued to chew through the ground until it reached the next access shaft where it was recovered in the same sequence as it was launched. A number of factors contributed to Züblin’s outstanding construction time, namely “the employment of a Herrenknecht Dual Mode Tunnel Boring Machine and a highly skilled and motivated workforce,” said Josef Kofler, Tunnelling Package Manager for the Alkimos Wastewater Alliance. The Züblin team achieved unprecedented production rates. The highlight was 84m of pipe laid in a 24 hour period. The Dual Mode Tunnel Boring Machine was designed by Herrenknecht and Züblin engineers in Germany. The TBM can bore using earth pressure balance mode or slurry mode thus enabling tunnelling to continue in difficult ground

Water Management Review 2011

conditions. This was exemplified when boring through highly variable ground conditions in India and Singapore. The 15m long TBM also includes a bidirectional cutting head with maximum torque of 800kNm, an integrated stone crusher and built in airlock. The majority of Züblin’s workforce at the Alkimos Project was from Thailand. The team has travelled around the world and are highly skilled in the tunnelling operations utilised by Züblin. “We are very lucky to have a great motivated team that give there all to Züblin,” Kofler said. As a variation to the main contract Züblin were also contracted to construct a 1.5km sewer linking the existing Connolly Drive sewer to the main sewer trunk. This was also completed ahead of schedule. Züblin also produced there pipes for the Alkimos Project. Züblin has a factory in Thailand that produce concrete products for all of their tunnelling projects around the world as well as producing other precast concrete products such a railway sleepers and other nonstandard elements. “This is a real point of difference for us,” said Andrew Hall, Commercial Manager- Australia. Since the Alkimos Project, Züblin was awarded the intake and outlet tunnels at the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant in WA’s south-west. Both tunnels measure over 800m in length and are 2.41m and 2.0m diameter respectively. They are also looking at a number of opportunities in WA’s north-west and interstate.

End-to-end tunnelling solutions from custom design and manufacture through to installation.

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Level 19, St Martins Tower, 44 St Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia 6000 Phone: +61 8 9325 9399. Fax: +61 8 9325 7433 info@zublin.com.au www.zublin.com.au

Water Recycling the Solution for City West Water The design and construction of a reverse osmosis water recycling plant in Melbourne’s outer west is set to provide a handful of customers up to 2.5 billion litres of water each year.

The Altona Recycled Water Project at City West Water’s Altona Wastewater Treatment Plant in Melbourne’s outer west is arguably one of Australia’s most complex recycling projects. The project comprises the planning and construction of an ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis plant to produce two grades of recycled water from the secondary treated wastewater produced at the Altona Treatment Plant. The 2.5 billion litres of recycled water will be used by a large-scale plastics and chemical manufacturer, two nearby golf courses and nearby public recreation areas. Like many projects of this level of complexity, the project faced numerous challenges throughout its development, including cost constraints, a tight deadline and the quality of source water.

Water Management Review 2011

Supply from the Altona Wastewater Treatment Plant

City West Water owns and operates the Altona Wastewater Treatment Plant which services just over 20,000 residential and commercial properties in the local area. With a high concentration of commercial and industrial operations in the area, Altona is home to a number of industrial and business customers, many of whom use large volumes of water for industrial purposes such as cleaning, cooling and irrigation. The Altona Recycled Water Project aims to reduce the drinking water used by some of these customers through use of recycled water. The project, costing $46 million, will supply billions of litres of high quality recycled water each year. The project was devised after detailed investigation revealed significant industrial water consumption from the drinking supply system could be replaced with high quality recycled water. The plant now supplies nearby plastics manufacturer Qenos, the Sanctuary Lakes and Kooringal Golf Clubs, as well as Hobsons Bay City Council’s Altona Green Reserve, distributing recycled water through a purpose built pipeline. Other Hobsons Bay City Council open space sites are also scheduled to access the recycled water supply through a stand pipe that will be built to provide recycled water for streetscape purposes, such as tree watering. “As Melbourne’s water supply came under increased pressure during 13 years of drought, City West Water dedicated substantial resources to developing our alternative water capabilities,” explains City West Water Managing Director, Anne Barker. “Over recent years, these resources resulted in a raft of projects that capture, recycle and reuse water. Many of our customers are now using the alternative water projects such as the Altona Recycled Water Project as a secure source of water for non-drinking purposes.”

Two different grades of recycled water Until the plant was built, up to 14 million litres of secondary treated wastewater from the Altona Wastewater Treatment

Plant was discharged to Port Phillip Bay each day. During peak demand periods, the project is capable of recovering up to 70 per cent of the available wastewater from the plant to produce two grades of recycled water for irrigation and industrial use. Mariano Sola, Project Manager at TEDRA, the Spanish contractor that constructed the recycled water treatment plant, said the production of two grades of recycled water has provided an extra layer of complexity. “The Altona Recycled Water Project is complex because of the two qualities of water required – it is not common practice to have to produce multiple qualities of recycled water out of the one plant,” Sola said. The recycled water treatment plant utilises ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, to remove excess salt from the treated wastewater. Production of recycled water for irrigation (the golf clubs and Council open spaces) requires demineralisation through a single pass reverse osmosis system, while production of industrial grade recycled water (for Qenos) requires treatment through a two pass reverse osmosis system. Development of the project required careful management of customer expectations for water quality and availability, integration with the existing Altona Wastewater Treatment Plant operation and the implementation of modelling, monitoring and dispersion measures to minimise the impact of the discharge on the environment.

Customer management At the project investigation stage, City West Water entered into detailed discussions with potential customers for the recycled water to gauge interest in the concept. Effectively, this removed much of the demand risk for the project by allowing it to proceed on the basis of signed customer supply agreements. These agreements included detailed specifications of the price and the required quantity, quality and reliability of the recycled water to be supplied.

The customers are required to prepare health and environment management plans to ensure the health and environmental risks are understood and appropriately managed. Training programs were conducted to the employees of the customers to ensure safe and proper use of the recycled water.

A Tight Deadline

Due to the severe drought being experienced in south eastern Australia and previous undertakings given to potential customers for recycled water, a deadline was set to supply the first recycled water from the Altona Recycled Water Project to customers as quickly as possible. Such a requirement meant that the various scoping, approval, design, construction and procurement processes had to be executed in parallel.

Varied quality of source water

During the project monitoring period, it was observed that the quality of the sewage into the Altona Recycled Water Project could vary significantly in some parameters over short periods of time. This phenomenon was discovered to be the result of discharges into the sewerage system upstream of the Altona Treatment Plant that pass through the wastewater treatment process and into the plant wastewater. One outcome from these observations was that there would be times during the plant’s operations when the feedwater would be outside normal specification for quality and/or quantity. This essential information was factored into the system and operational design of the plant to ensure recycled water output was of the required quality at all times during the operation of the plant.

Commissioning and plant operation

Heavier than normal spring and summer rainfall has resulted in the two golf club customers not yet requiring recycled water for irrigation. Supply to Qenos, which will take the bulk of the recycled water produced from the plant, has been delayed by a maintenance upgrade of the site. Barker said the Altona Recycled Water Project will provide tangible benefits to its customers.

“The recycled water being produced at Altona presents an exciting opportunity for City West Water to replace precious drinking water in applications such as cooling and irrigation. “With the climatic variability forecast to impact traditional water supplies across the country, alternative water will continue to emerge as a vital component of the provision of water to the community.”

The Future for the Project The Altona area is home to the highest concentration of heavy industry in Melbourne, and City West Water is currently working to expand the scheme to provide recycled water to other industrial customers in the Altona Industrial Precinct. It is estimated that up to 5 billon litres of additional recycled alternative water can be supplied to these industries saving an equivalent amount of drinking water per year. Based on City West Water research, there is the potential to replace more than 7 billion litres of drinking water per year with recycled water in the Altona Industrial Precinct – this is precisely what the Altona Recycled Water Project (stages one and two) aims to deliver. Currently in the functional design phase – a process that gives City West Water relevant data and information to formulate a business case – stage two would involve the construction of another recycled water salt reduction plant and pipeline to the Altona area. This plant will have the capacity to deliver up to an additional 4.7 billion litres of recycled water per year.

Water Management Review 2011

Altona Recycled Water Project Customers Qenos Qenos is a multinational manufacturer of plastics and rubber raw materials. The Altona Chemical Complex began production in the early 1960s and is the largest production centre for petrochemicals and plastics in Australia today. Qenos will receive approximately six million litres of recycled water each day. The recycled water will replace drinking water currently used in boilers and cooling towers. Kooringal Golf Course Korringal Golf Club is an 18-hole par 71 parkland Championship Course with many trees and a varied and challenging layout. Kooringal is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘by the water’. The course adjoins Altona’s western beach and has held a number of events at the course, including a regional qualifying round for the Australia Open. Recycled water will be used for irrigation purposes.

Sanctuary Lakes Golf Course and Resort The Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club is an exclusive member’s only club, featuring a championship standard Greg Norman designed 18-hole course. With world class fairways and greens, Sanctuary Lakes is the home of the Men’s Victorian PGA Championship. The course is located within the Sanctuary Lakes Residential Resort. Recycled water will be used for irrigation of the golf course, as well as irrigation of the Resort’s street trees and open spaces. Hobsons Bay Council Hobsons Bay Council will use recycled water in their ovals located in Victoria Street, Altona Meadows. It consists of two sports ovals that are used for turf cricket and football and accessed by a local primary school. Both ovals will be irrigated with recycled water. The Council also proposes to construct a stand pipe at HD Graham Reserve to enable water carting for street landscaping.

TEDRA Australia completes design and construction of 9 MLD recycled water treatment plant

In August 2009, Tedra Australia was awarded City West Water’s contract to design and construct a 9 MLD Recycled Water Treatment Plant (RWTP) at City West Water’s Altona Treatment Plant in the western suburbs of Melbourne. Tedra also won the contract to operate and maintain the plant for a period of five years following completion of the plant’s construction. Tedra Australia is a joint venture between Tedagua S.A. and Drace Medioambiente, which in turn are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the ACS Group, one of the largest and most successful infrastructure development conglomerates in the world. Expansion into Australia has become a major strategic priority for the ACS Group and, with this in mind, the Group has developed important links with the Leighton Group of companies.

Tedagua and Drace have more than 250 water plant reference sites throughout the world involving all types of water treatment from large-scale seawater and brackish water desalination to wastewater treatment and recycling. Construction and commissioning of the Altona RWTP is now complete and the plant is performing with a high level of efficiency. The plant is designed to produce two flows of water quality: 6 MLD for local industrial customers of City West Water, and 3 MLD for the irrigation requirements of local parks, gardens and golf courses. Tedra Australia designed the Altona RWTP to be robust and reliable with a high degree of operability. Its design utilises the extensive experience of Tedra’s Spanish parent companies with

ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis systems in ways that make the Altona RWTP a leading edge water treatment facility. Each of the plant’s main equipment components (including UF and RO) has at least one unit in reserve. This ensures high-level plant operability even when, for example, a UF train is out of service for cleaning or scheduled maintenance. In addition, an intermediate tank between UF and RO processes has been included, which guarantees feedwater to RO processes – feedwater to RO membranes is not dependent on instantaneous flow from the UF membranes. The Altona RWTP is a first-class water treatment installation, with a standard of finish that sets a new benchmark in Australia for excellence in the field.

Tedra Australia Pty Ltd combines the strengths of Tedagua S.A and Drace Medioambiente, two of Spain’s strongest water treatment companies, to offer Australian clients comprehensive and innovative solutions to their water needs. Tedra Australia can provide a competitive solution for any significant Australian water project, including: • • •

Seawater desalination Brackish water desalination Water or wastewater treatment or re-use

Tedra Australia has at its disposal over 200 engineers specialised in water treatment design and construction. And we have over 250 desalination and water treatment reference sites throughout the world. Tedra Australia provides clients with full project integration and supervision - from design and EPC through to operation and maintenance. Standing behind Tedra Australia is the balance sheet strength of the ACS Group – one of the world’s largest infrastructure development conglomerates. •

We have the financial strength to bid competitively for water projects of any scale and complexity, and under any contract regime.

For more information, please contact: Alan Atchison (aatchison@tedraaustralia.com) or visit our websites: www.grupoacs.com | www.drace.com | www.tedagua.com

Altona Recycled Water Treatment Plant The project was completed two weeks ahead of schedule and within budget meeting all client quality requirements. Contexx Engineering is a forward-thinking engineering firm that is underpinned by strong leadership and project teams, as well as strategic partnerships throughout the industry. Contexx Engineering worked alongside Tedra Australia, on the Altona Recycled Water Treatment Plant project to provide design and construct services for all structural and fit out elements. Given Contexx Engineering’s local knowledge of the Victorian building and civil industry, our key role was to provide local site and project management services, design services as well as managing site industrial relations and various statutory authorities throughout the duration of the project.

We are part of the Contexx Group and through a strategic alliance in December 2010, is now 50% owned by Probuild Constructions, which is majority owned by Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon Ltd - a listed civil and building contractor in South Africa. Dynamic people and a balanced, progressive work environment lie at the heart of our culture. It is also one that is committed to attracting and retaining the very best talent, as well as providing industry-leading safety practices and a sound platform for professional development.

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Water Management Review 2011

Our systems are third party accredited by David Langdon Certification ServicesOH&S Management System to AS 4801; Environmental Management System to ISO14001; Quality Management System to AS ISO9001. Along with the water infrastructure sector, Contexx Engineering continue to specialise in the delivery of innovative solutions on projects that comprise wharves and associated commercial facilities, dry-dock marine infrastructure, civil infrastructure and the power and energy sector. Our past and present projects include South Wharf ($19-million), South Wharf Promenade ($4.2-million), Dukes Dock/ Polly Woodside ($8.8-million), Costco Docklands ($3.1-million), New Quay West Docklands ($7.4-million), Sheds 2 & 4 South Wharf ($5-million).

Integrated sewerage trial to help future planning

Yarra Valley Water has commenced a trial to deliver an innovative, integrated sewerage service to around 93 homes in Kinglake West, Victoria, which will serve as a demonstration trial of national and international significance.

The ambitious project is part of the utility’s approach to developing decentralised infrastructure where it can deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment. Kinglake West was chosen for the trial because its location makes it costprohibitive to connect to the metropolitan sewerage system; existing septic tanks could not contain effluent on properties; and the area is adjacent to the environmentally sensitive Kinglake National Park. “While the project was put on hold after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires, it is great to see so many households rebuilding with the opportunity to participate in the trial to be part of a more sustainable sewerage solution,” says Yarra Valley Water Managing Director, Tony Kelly. “It is a trial that will also provide great learnings for the water industry as a whole, as we seek to discover the best ways to create water sensitive communities for the future, no matter their location.” Under the trial, each participating property is being upgraded to a quality new septic tank that is connected to reticulated sewer (a Septic Tank Effluent Pumped system). This ultimately leads to a new local treatment plant which will produce Class B water for recycling. In addition, some properties have an onsite greywater system that collects water from the household’s laundry, shower, bath and basins, to treat it for reuse for non-potable purposes such as watering the garden, flushing the toilet or cold water clothes washing. Urine separating toilets have also been installed. While urine separating toilets are common in European countries such

as Sweden, it is believed that Kinglake West represents the first time in Victoria that these toilets are being used within an established residential community. Yarra Valley Water will soon begin another stage of the trial which will see the treated urine, or “yellow water”, applied to farmland as fertiliser as an environmentally sustainable alternative to artificial fertilisers. The agronomic trial is being discussed with Kinglake West turf farm, Green Acres Instant Lawn. “We view sewage as a resource, not a waste, and are committed to creating a more environmentally sustainable future. We are seeking sewerage solutions that allow us to “close the loop”, so that nutrients can be reused beneficially instead of being a mere waste product,” says Kelly. “Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are important resources when it comes to farming, and are often applied to crops in the form of fertilisers. These same nutrients are also found in human urine or “yellow water”.” Kelly says the urine separating toilets will also provide more than agricultural benefits. “As well as allowing yellow water to be collected, treated and reused as a fertiliser, the urine separating toilets will also reduce the nutrient load on the sewage plant downstream. In addition, the toilets help the environment by using very low volumes of water for flushing – approximately 1.3 litres for a small flush,” says Kelly. “The objective of the project is to deliver the best environmental and community outcomes, and to demonstrate the local environmental and health improvements of such innovative sewerage solutions – and how they may be applied to other areas.” Research conducted by the CSIRO and RMIT indicate the project will deliver environmental and public health improvements to the local community. The project is also supported by the Victorian Water Trust, the Victorian Government’s research and innovation fund, and the Shire of Murrindindi.

A new septic tank installed at a home in Kinglake West.

It’s an essential part of every mine site… So how do you ensure optimal operation?

Wastewater and sewage treatment systems are a fact of life on a mine site and making sure they operate at optimal levels is essential. Stornoway understands this and has smart communications systems that allow the remote monitoring and maintenance of these treatment systems in isolated and remote sites right across Australia and SE Asia. There are also some tips that Stornoway can provide that will help ensure ongoing smooth plant operations. Stornoway has been designing, manufacturing and installing water and wastewater treatment plants for the resources industry for more than six years. There are more than 30 plants across Australia in key resource areas including Queensland’s Surat Basin and Bowen Basin and also Western Australia. Stornoway is also providing expert ongoing operations, management and maintenance for a number of installed plants. “We understand the critical nature of these plants to a mine site. Our years of experience have helped us to develop systems and operational support that reflect the needs of the industry,” explains Stornoway Managing Director, Tim Gardner. “In addition, our smart monitoring technology is helping to optimise plant operation and make monitoring and maintenance easier, more efficient and more effective.

operations and maintenance of plants. These include: •

Engineers being able to see the operational status of plants instantly, removing the need to travel to the site to see the plant’s situation;

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Providing greater control of plant operations; and

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Reducing the risk normally associated with large scale, user operated plants in regional and remote locations.

Tim said that the online technology allowed his team to provide regular monitoring and make adjustments remotely to avoid critical plant failure. “These units operate in tough conditions with high temperatures, wind, dust and changing input sources,” Tim said. “By being proactive and detecting issues before they happen, we can save the customer costly repairs and downtime. We can also avoid having to travel several days to reach a mine site. Several days of a non-operating plant can cause significant issues for our customers.” Stornoway’s treatment plants will normally accept wastewater of a quality that complies with authority recycled water requirements. Some pre-treatment may be required for high strength wastewaters such as those that are high in fats, oil and grease. “Our experience shows that most plant issues arise due to variations in the sewage and influents (what goes into the system),” Tim said.

“We know that these systems require constant supervision due to variations in the influent as well as the plant’s complexity. This is particularly relevant for our biological wastewater treatment plants which have living organisms used in the treatment process.

“The biggest tip we can give our customers is to be careful about what gets tipped into sinks or down drains on the mine site (such as fats, oils, grease or cleaning products) and to manage the wastes that will eventually enter the system.”

“Our tip is that this supervision is best done by a qualified or trained person so that the plant remains viable long-term and any downtime is minimised.”

Tim said Stornoway’s expert team of specialist engineers and technicians can provide operations and maintenance support as well as provide regular plant maintenance on-site.

Stornoway successfully uses its remote monitoring technology to bring a number of benefits to customers in the smooth

Water Management Review 2011

“This is another tip we can provide – regular maintenance provides for a far

longer plant life and means less potential complications, as we can measure and review input and output flows,” Tim said. “Our technicians have many years of experience in plant operation and maintenance and this expertise means we can maximise plant operation and performance, minimise risk for our customers, ensure a longer plant life and make things much easier for our customers.” Tim added that Stornoway used the learnings from field operations to provide feedback into designs and procedures so that plant operation and performance continually improved.

Top tips for optimal operations 1. Be careful about what goes into the systems (especially down drains or into sinks). 2. Keep up a regular plant maintenance schedule. 3. Ensure only trained or qualified personnel supervise the plant.

We think it’s all about the attitude.

At Stornoway Water, we’ve never been content with just delivering a product. For us, it’s about smart technology, continual innovation, making things easy for our clients and above all, service every step of the way. That’s why we’re now one the leading suppliers of water and wastewater treatment systems in Australia.

Our systems are designed by Stornoway’s expert engineers and custom built to meet the specific needs of our customers. We add in all our learnings from the field (years of experience in remote mining camps) to keep improving what we do. And we can take all the risk and effort out of operating and maintaining the plant by using our own trained and expert technicians.

Like to know more? Visit stornoway.com.au/awmr 10742-STO

New self-cleaning intake screen drive option Dama Manufacturing has added a new option to most of its KleenScreen range of self-cleaning intake screens. The new electric drive feature increases the cleaning efficiency by dramatically reducing the energy used to rotate the screen during its cleaning phase. The system utilises a miniature variable speed drive in combination with a submersible gear-motor to also increase the power of the drive, thereby increasing the reliability of the screen’s self-cleaning operation. All of the KleenScreen range are designed to clean while they are in normal operation, this is achieved by rotating the screen drum in front of a line of wash jets that clean the screen from the inside. The standard range has this rotation action performed by a water jet hitting against a series of blades. Although this is effective, there are many cases where

the screens are rotating continuously and so this drive jet can use a considerable amount of energy (up to 1-2kW), the electric drive achieves the same result and uses just 10-20W. Pressurised water is still required to run the wash jets.

Both drive options complement the robust construction of stainless steel and heavyduty plastics, resulting in a light-weight, but durable range of intake screens for all surface water applications from wastewater and effluent to rivers and channels.

The suitability of the new drive to an application largely depends on the amount of cleaning that the screen is required to perform. The frequency of cleaning is determined by the quality of the water passing through the intake. Intakes in water with large or unpredictable debris loads typically clean constantly while the intake is in use, this ensures that the screen is kept clear of build-up and the electric drive an attractive option in these situations. In other cases the water is much cleaner with a low debris load and the cleaning function can be pulsed on and off to conserve energy use – this is more suited to the standard drive system.

For further information please contact Dama Manufacturing Ltd, Whangarei, New Zealand. Ph +64 27 493 3183, info@kleenscreen.com, www.kleenscreen.com.

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Water Management Review 2011

    

Charlatte bladder vessels are a simple solution to surge problems

Pressure surges in pipelines can result in leaking seals, burst pipes as well as component damage. Another less known effect of surge is pathogen intrusion. During negative pressure contaminants on the outside of the pipe can get past the seals and enter the system. This presents a sanitary issue in the case of drinking water. Environmental agencies in Europe and US are alert to potential risks due to pathogen intrusion during transients. EPA Paper is available on OLAER website. Pressure Surge is often called Water Hammer. Water Hammer can be defined as a rapid change in pressure. Rapid changes in pressure are caused by rapid changes in flow rate. The worst case scenario for Water Hammer is “pump trip” due to power failure at maximum flow. Pressure surge can cause overpressure and negative pressure. There are many commercial software packages which are available to analyse the effects of surge (e.g. HYTRAN, Hammer, AFT Impulse,

Flowmaster, KY Pipe, etc.). Please contact OLAER to discuss this in detail.

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The advantages of Charlatte Bladder Vessels:

Some recent projects where Charlatte bladder vessels are used include:

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Charlatte have been manufacturing bladder surge tanks for over 40 years with sizes ranging from 100 to 125,000 litres. Charlatte is the preferred supplier for large surge tanks around the world.

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ictorian Desalination Plant V – 11 x 125,000L

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Victorian Desalination – 6 x 10,000L

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endigo to Ballarat (Superpipe) B – 2 x 38,000L + 2 x 23,000L

ladder vessels are a self regulating B system which means that there is no need for electricity, compressors, air receivers, complicated controls, sensors and valves. This equates to savings in electricity, maintenance and equipment costs.

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Perth Desalination I – 2 x 10,000L

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Perth Desalination II – 2 x 15,000L

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Prominent Hill – 1 x 40,000L

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Prestons Pump Station – 1 x 45,000L

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luid is contained inside the Butyl F bladder which means there is no corrosion and in turn ensures long life of the vessel. Bladders are manufactured from heavy duty butyl rubber which is suitable for drinking water.

I nstallation and commissioning is very simple.

OLAER Australia exclusively represents Charlatte in Australia. OLAER provides commissioning, training, sales and Engineering support for Charlatte bladder vessels. If you have any questions or enquiries about the Charlatte product range, please contact OLAER Australia.

Charlie@olaer.com.au • Ph: (02) 9981 6888 • www.olaer.com.au

Virotec Virotec has extensive experience in treating a wide range of contaminated water types, including groundwater, stormwater and wastewater. The technologies of Virotec Global Solutions have been employed in many industrial, municipal, and mining applications throughout Australia and Asia. The outcomes and methods of these applications have been thoroughly documented in a book titled “Virotec: A Ten-Year Story of Success in Environmental Remediation,” available at our web site. A good example of groundwater treatment conducted by Virotec was the work it did for the Queensland Department of Main Roads in 2009-2010. Main Roads is completing the Dinmore to Goodna motorway upgrade near Ipswich where there is a large quantity of historic, underground mine shafts. The shafts are filled with contaminated groundwater which requires extraction and stabilization prior to the commencement of road works. The Origin Alliance, which consists of the Department of Main Roads, Abi-group, Fulton Hogan, Seymour Whyte, Parsons Brinckerhoff and SMEC, represents the largest Road Alliance ever undertaken in Queensland. Construction started in mid2009 and is due for completion in 2012. The groundwater emanating from the shafts was characterised by low pH, high heavy metal concentrations, and high dissolved salt loads. Due to the high salt content, and the requirement to re-use the water for on-site concrete batching, reverse osmosis (RO) was required for final treatment of the groundwater. The key for Origin Alliance was to find a suitable pre-treatment for the RO system to remove adjust pH and significantly reduce the high heavy metal contaminations. The Alliance had considered several types of pre-treatments, including caustic soda and flocculants to adjust acidity and to remove heavy metals from the pumped groundwater. Trials had shown the Alliance that conventional alkaline additives and flocculants were not adequate in removing heavy metals and solids to limits acceptable for use as a feed into the RO system. Virotec was therefore contracted by the Alliance to install a reverse osmosis pre-treatment system. The Virotec

Water Management Review 2011

An aerial view of the Dinmore to Goodna Motorway upgrade

groundwater solution involved installing a ViroFlow™ Technology treatment system which uses the proprietary ElectroBind™ reagent. Virotec had successfully demonstrated in trials that ViroFlow™ Technology was superior to other caustic agents and

flocculants for metal removal, suspended solids removal and for pH optimisation; the Technology was subsequently chosen as the preferred pre-treatment method for the full-scale implementation of groundwater treatment.

ElectroBind™ particles had settled, the supernatant water was fed to an ultrafiltration system and then to the RO plant. The treated water was subsequently used in the nearby concrete batching plant, thus completing the water recycling and sustainability loop for the entire motorway construction project. The Dinmore to Goodna Motorway upgrade groundwater treatment plant

ElectroBind™ was supplied to the Alliance in powdered form and mixed into a slurry via an automated mixing system. The slurried product was then directly dosed into the contaminated groundwater to adjust pH and remove heavy metals in the primary clarification unit. Once

After treatment with ViroFlow™ Technology, heavy metal and suspended solids concentrations were dramatically reduced (see table below), with a >99.9% reduction for aluminium, >99.9% reduction for iron, 63% reduction for manganese, and a >99.9% reduction for suspended solids. Acidity was raised from 3.5 to neutral pH, and all parameters were below RO feedwater requirements

Parameter

Before Treatment with ViroFlow Technology (mg/L, except pH)

After Treatment with ViroFlow Technology (mg/L, except pH)

RO feedwater requirements (mg/L, except pH)

3.5-4.0

7.0

6.5-7.5

Aluminium

55.4

0.005

< 1.0

Iron

80.7

0.005

<1.0

Manganese

2.29

0.87

< 1.0

Suspended Solids

0.08

< 1.0

From this one example, it can be seen that ViroFlow™ Technology treatment was successful in lowering metal concentrations to well below customer RO requirements and in improving general water quality in the treated groundwater. ViroFlow™ Technology again proved to be a highly cost-effective treatment for contaminated groundwater, and because

it can be easily installed for similar RO pre-treatment projects, it is the “go- to” technology of choice by consultants and environmental managers. For more information on this and other Virotec applications to treat contaminated groundwater, stormwater and wastewater, please call us or visit www.virotec.com

WWW.VIROTEC.COM +61

5573

3353

Clean water through Ultraviolet irradiation

Regulations drive the water purification market

Pollution of water has caused concerns for decades. Regulations are increasing, aiming to limit the existence of microorganisms in water. These regulations have a major impact on the water purification market and the technologies being used. The European water purification market is for example being driven by the European Bathing Water Directive, the Water Framework Directive and Integrated Pollution Prevention Control. In the United States, the Stage 2 Microbials/Disinfection Byproducts cluster of rules will have impact on the water purification market and the technologies used. As a consequence of this concern for polluted water and upcoming regulations, the development of technologies and solutions to improve the quality of water is getting more and more attention. Included in these technologies is disinfection using ultraviolet (UV) C radiation (UVC).

UV is an effective technology for water disinfection

Ultraviolet (UV) is that part of electromagnetic light bounded by the lower wavelength extreme of the visible spectrum and the X-ray radiation band. Using the CIE classification the UV spectrum is subdivided into three bands: UVA (long-wave) from 315 to 400 nm, UVB (medium-wave) from 280 to 315 nm and UVC (short-wave) from 100 to 280 nm.

Water Management Review 2011

A strong germicidal effect is provided by radiation in the short-wave UVC band, with 265 nm being the optimum wavelength. UV-C is known to deactivate (break the DNA of) germs. Once the DNA of a microbe is broken it loses its ability to reproduce. Bacteria and viruses that cannot reproduce are rendered harmless. The germicidal activity of ultraviolet radiation can be achieved with UV-C

lamps. UV-C lamps are installed in a chamber of a UV disinfection unit. Water or air passes through the chamber and is subjected to the UV-C light. The effective resistance of micro-organisms to UV radiation varies considerable. Therefore the right dose (intensity multiplied by exposure time) is important to deactivate bacteria, spores, moulds and viruses.

Advertorial

Pure peace of mind Philips DynaPower UV lamp and driver – Your simple switch, guaranteed to last Every municipality wants to make its water as safe and clean as possible to create a healthier environment for everyone. But with harsh fines for failing to comply with legislation, there’s even more reason to choose a system that keeps your treatment plant operational during the complete season. Now, thanks to DynaPower from Philips, that’s guaranteed. Performance, reliability and spare parts If worries about system failures have stopped you considering alternatives for your amalgam open channel installations, it’s time to think again. The Philips DynaPower system consists of a best-in-class UV lamp and driver that are optimised for performance and reliability. And to underline our confidence in its performance, it comes with a fail-safe guarantee.

Service and support The Philips’ service is impressive too. Because you only have to deal with one supplier for the UV lamp and driver you can forget compatibility failures or going over budget to source spares. So your disinfection system stays up and running and you stay clear of fines. And naturally you can rely on our local presence and large network of partners to provide you with the highest levels of service. Put DynaPower to the test Right now there’s even more reason to consider switching to Philips DynaPower. To demonstrate just how reliable the system is, Philips is offering customers a test installation for a specially reduced price. For your own peace of mind go to www.philips.com/uvpurification and register for your own test installation today.

The driver is covered with a 3-year performance guarantee, testimony to its extreme reliability and maximum failure rate of just 0.1% at 1,000 hours. The lamps are also guaranteed for 12,000 hours.*

For more details on the Philips DynaPower guarantee, please contact us at purification@philips.com.

The Christies Beach wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is one of four major WWTPs in metropolitan Adelaide. Originally, it employed the conventional activated sludge (CAS) process and discharged treated wastewater to the Gulf St Vincent via a near shore outfall. Primary and secondary sludge from the treatment processes were anaerobically digested and pumped to drying lagoons at Noarlunga Downs adjacent to the Onkaparinga River. The resultant dried biosolids were transported to Bolivar WWTP for further treatment and distribution as a lowgrade soil conditioner for dry land farming.

As the population has grown in the drainage area the Christies Beach WWTP has undergone capacity upgrades on two occasions since it was first commissioned and recently had a process upgrade to integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS). The plant was due again for a major capacity upgrade as part of the Christies Beach Upgrade Project (CBUP). In conjunction with the Water Proofing the South initiative, the project objective included the provision for an increased level of treatment to provide greater reclaimed water use together with improved water quality for marine discharge. Accordingly the CBUP project objectives have encompassed much more than simply a capacity upgrade. Additionally, because of the encroachment of residential development

Water Management Review 2011

Christies Beach upgrade project: Project overview on land adjacent to the Onkaparinga River, and the odour associated with the sludge drying lagoons, the on-going operation of the lagoons had become a community issue (figure 1). As a result, the South Australian Government announced the closure of the sludge lagoons by 31 December 2009, as the first stage of works to be undertaken for the Christies Beach Upgrade Project. The CBUP will increase the treatment capacity of the plant from 30 ML/d to 45 ML/d, and provide improved effluent quality, primarily through the construction of a new upgraded inlet works and a new membrane bioreactor (MBR) secondary process train. It also encompasses augmentation works for power supply and on-site power generation; effluent disinfection and outfall capacity; additional

sludge digestion capacity with on-site sludge dewatering and biosolids loading facilities for off site reuse of the biosolids. A Joint Project Team (JPT) from the South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water), United Water International Pty Ltd (United Water) and Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd (KBR) is delivering the project by providing engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the complete $272 million project. The EPCM approach enabled the construction of the first $23.9 million Biosolids Dewatering and Reuse stage of the project to commence while the design of the rest of the project was still in progress. The Biosolids Dewatering and Reuse facilities were commissioned before the 31 December 2009 deadline (figure 2).

Figure 3: Christies Beach WWTP, December 2006

Figure 1: Noarlunga Downs Digester Sludge Drying lagoons (Dec. 2006)

Figure 2: Christies Beach Dewatering Building

In later CBUP works, the decommissioned sludge lagoons at Noarlunga Downs will be converted to stormwater wetlands using surplus spoil from the balance of the CBUP works.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT The full scope of works of the CBUP is being delivered over three major construction phases and includes the following (figures 3 and 4). Phase 1 Construction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Biosolids Dewatering and Reuse Upgrading of the existing 1 MVA LV power supply to a 6.0 MVA HV supply with power being reticulated at HV to separate load centres within the plant.

a major new mechanical dewatering facility constructed within the Christies Beach WWTP a three-stage chemical odour scrubber followed by activated carbon polishing tanks all-enclosed solids handling system loading four 20 m3 self contained SPIRAC Spirotainers, and an elevated 60 m3 storage silo with daily removal of the biosolids cake to the Jeffries Group co-composting facility at Buckland Park.

in the future to increase MBR rated capacity to 27 ML/d. New open channel ultraviolet disinfection facility for C Plant flow. A&B” IFAS plants de-rated to 22.5 ML/d. MLE 2 stage process configuration retained. Bioreactor inlets and RAS

distribution modified to pass peak wet weather flows. IFAS media and IFAS screens removed. New ethanol carbon dosing facility. Author: Kevin Yerrell Design Manager, Join Project Team December 2010

Figure 4: 3D model of completed Christies Beach Upgrade

Phase 1 Construction – New Outfall New 750m length, 1200mm diameter steel outfall with 200m diffuser pipe Augmentation of the existing outfall with a rosette diffuser. Phase 2 Construction – Inlet Works and Sludge Handling and Power Generation A new covered inlet works incorporating 3mm inlet drum screens and vortex grit removal prior to flow splitting between the secondary trains. Additional 1mm fine drum screens for the MBR train. Biological odour scrubber followed by activated carbon polishing tanks for all new inlet works areas and existing primary tanks. Screening of primary sludge using rotary strain press Thickening of primary sludge using existing rotary screw thickeners. Dissolved air flotation thickening (DAFT) of waste activated sludge. Sludge pre-conditioning using mechanical hydrolysis. Additional anaerobic digestion tank incorporating jet mixing with upgrade to jet mixing for two existing digesters.

Figure 5: Christies Beach WWTP, Construction Progress November 2010

New auxiliary equipment to anaerobic digesters plus 625 kW digester gas generator with associated gas treatment and flaring facilities. Installation of three backup diesel generators housed on site in acoustic enclosures. Installation of waste heat recovery and gas boilers for use in sludge treatment. Phase 3 Construction – C Plant Secondary Process Train and UV Disinfection and A/B Plant Modifications New 22.5 ML/d C plant MBR – 4 stage N removal bioreactor with 6 train, 42 cassette membrane plant. Space provision is made to install an additional 6 cassettes

Water Management Review 2011

Project Awards Australian Institute of Project Management 2010 National Awards: Winner Sustainable Projects 2010 State Awards: Winner South Australian Project of the Year 2010 State Awards: Winner South Australian Sustainable Projects

Engineers Australia 2010 State Awards: Commendation South Australian Engineering Excellence Australian Water Association 2010 SA Branch Water Awards: Winner Infrastructure Project Innovation Award

KCES Coupling Australian with European experience Kessler Couplings and Engineering Supplies P/L (KCES) is based in Montrose, Victoria and is specialised in Pipe Couplings and Clamps. We are the exclusive Australian and New Zealand importer for STRAUB products. In our warehouse we stock Pipe Couplings and Clamps in all standard MS and DI pipe dimensions from DN 20 up to DN 1200, as well as tube dimensions and some special dimensions such as for rubber-lined pipes. Our total product and customer focus enables us to respond quickly and efficiently to our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most stringent requirements. Pipe Couplings and clamps are our only business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we are specialists and we are passionate about what we do.

The pipe joint you can trust. For building construction or civil engineering, mining, water and waste water installations, power plants or industrial plants, shipbuilding/offshore or as a machinery component.

There is no substitute for more than 14 years of experience with Pipe Couplings and their applications. Product advice, training and documentation are part of our quality service, wherever the product is used. You can rely on it: our solutions are your added value. NEW!!! Now with a new product range for steam temperatures of up to 240 deg C. For further information on pipe couplings and clamps, contact KCES on the details below: Phone: +61 3 9728 3973 E-mail: info@kces.com.au Website: www.kces.com.au

STRAUB-GRIP is the ultimate pull-out resistant pipe joint for all metal pipes, plastic pipes or plastic to metal pipes.

STRAUB-FLEX and STRAUB-OPEN FLEX are for all pipe materials and absorb noise, vibration, expansion and contraction.

STRAUB-CLAMP is the ideal clamp for safe and reliable repair of damaged pipes of any material.

Supplied by:

Call KCES for further information: Phone: +61 3 9728 3973 Fax: +61 3 9728 2973 Website: www.kces.com.au Email: info@kces.com.au

AVK Australia VALVE & COUPLING SOLUTIONS FOR PE PIPING SYSTEMS

If PE is your pipe of choice, then you will be pleased to know that AVK has designed a range of valves and couplers especially for use in polyethylene (HDPE) piping systems, lowering installation costs and providing leak proof joints.

Two options are available:

1. POLYTAIL - Fully welded (either by butt or fusion weld method) isolation gate and ball valves. The polytailed gate valves are factory mounted with sections of standard PE pipe pressed directly onto the grooved valve end. The grooving is combined with a compression ring which presses the PE pipe securely into the grooves. The polytailed ball valves are an integral part of the complete valve assembly. Polytail Gate Valve (full bore) for isolation duties on water or gas. Clockwise or anti-clockwise stem closing, stem cap or handwheel operated. Size range available; PE50 to PE315

2. POLYGRIP - Mechanical tensile resistant isolation gate and butterfly valves as well as straight couplings, flange adaptors, end caps and support bushes. When stress is applied to PE it ‘creeps away’ (cold flow) from the applied force as a stress relieving method which typically works against standard unrestrained coupling designs. A mechanically restrained coupling system that compresses equally around the circumference of PE pipes with a combined rubber gasket and metal tensile grip ring are preferred. Another issue is ‘toe-in’ where the PE end may neck down after cutting and no longer remains round. AVK always recommends the use of their 316 stainless steel support bushes (Fig.1) which assist prevent creep, toe-in and ovality (Fig.2).

olygrip Butterfly Valve for isolation P and control duties on water. Lever or gearbox operated. Valve disc will clear the PE internal diameter bore without the need for additional spacer pieces. Size range available; PE90 to PE315

Series 813 + 623

olygrip Straight Coupling to join P lengths of poly pipe and End Caps to blank off the pipe end. Size range available; PE90 to PE315

Fig.1

Fig.2

Mechanically restrained tensile valve and coupling connections are ideal for installing or repairing PE pipe in wet areas or where electrical power is unavailable, access is restricted, volatile or otherwise impossible.

Series 36

Polytail Ball Valve for isolation duties on gas or water. Quarter turn clockwise close, square stem cap for operation by extended T key arrangement. Size range available; PE32 to PE180

Series 85

Water Management Review 2011

Series 621

Series 624

olygrip Flange Adaptor (Table D/E) to P join poly pipe to a flange connection. Size range available; PE90/DN80 to PE315/DN300

Polygrip Gate Valve (full bore) for isolation duties on water. Clockwise or anti-clockwise stem closing options. Stem cap or handwheel operated. Size range available; PE90 to PE315 Series 623

All products are manufactured from either cast ductile iron material, fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) coated providing both internal and external corrosion protection or HDPE and as standard are suitable for PE pipe to PE100 SDR11. They are an ideal option and alternative to the traditional PE joining methods of flanges (stub type with backing rings) or shouldered type couplings. Series 01

AV K A u s t r a l i a P t y L t d

More than meets the eye

Valves • Hydrants • Couplings Water • Sewage • Fire Protection • Gas Australian Made to Regional Standards for Local Conditions

559A Grand Junction Road Wingfield, Adelaide 5013 South Australia

Phone: +61 08 8368 0900 Fax: +61 08 8368 0970 E-mail: info@avkvalves.com.au

www.avkvalves.com.au

Upgrades gain favour as amalgamations and disasters impact budget priorities

Until recently local authorities in Queensland and Tasmania owned and operated their wastewater treatment facilities. Many of these plants are old, undersized and provide substandard levels of treatment.

A variety of upgrade options can provide practical cost effective solutions:

In Tasmania three regional water authorities have taken over control of the state’s water and wastewater treatment facilities whilst in Queensland local authority amalgamations were undertaken state wide which rearranged wastewater facility ownership.

• S creening of sewage plant intakes benefits downstream processes.

Spending priorities resulting from these amalgamations have been severely disrupted by recent extreme weather events. Water and wastewater quality can’t be put on hold so the serious question arises “what to do with these legacy facilities to ensure water quality standards and equipment reliability?”

• Screening water born weeds and debris in major reservoir water intakes is a serious consideration particularly in times of flood.

• S ludge settling can be improved by refurbishing existing clarifier mechanisms or adding additional units. • N utrient reduction can be achieved by the installation of a correctly sized RBC unit as the biological stage. If nutrient removal is not required refurbishing of trickling filters is worthy of consideration. • A purpose designed solar powered mixing device can provide odour capping, aeration and prevention of blue green algae in facultative ponds.

Alternatively they can become settling/ polishing ponds if lead by a biological stage such as an RBC. • U ndersized packaged plants can be improved by adding additional settling tanks and upgrading aeration systems. • O xidation ditches with horizontal aerators may need augmentation of their aeration capacity with a floating high speed aerator. • ‘ A’ class effluent (less than 10 cfu) can be achieved with a sound biological treatment regime followed by a disc filter. • ‘ A+’ class waters (less than 1 cfu) can be produced from the addition of a ultra filtration (UF) MBR or package plant followed by UF filter. For professional advice on your wastewater treatment requirements contact Grant Cobbin (07) 3279 3276, www.epco.com.au

epco australia

ISO 9001 FS 520536

Water Management Review 2011

Treating wastwater since 1961

103

Grass clippings and harmful residue removed by natural Watermaze wash water treatment systems

Biological Water Treatment

WaterStax wash water treatment system from Enware Australia, an advanced biological system that uses all-natural remediation to purify wash water used for cleaning down machinery used to maintain golf clubs, parks and gardens, turf farms, council and private sports facilities, agricultural businesses, commercial and residential estates and resorts. It economically removes hydrocarbons, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides typically encountered by washing equipment – so that the water can be re-used for washing or irrigation, or discharged into the sewer. The system has been proven in 250 applications worldwide, including the Hyatt Regency Coolum Golf Resort and

Spa, the venue of the Australian PGA golf championship and a centre of a major residential development.

secondary treated sewerage water. Unless sterilised, this bacteria could be inhaled by workers when high pressure washing.

WaterStax is a natural process with no chemicals or filters used. A special blend of microbes literally eats contaminants, converting them to water and carbon dioxide.

In addition, the process treats endotoxins – allergens that can be released during the breakdown of microbe cell walls, a process which may cause major allergic sensitivity to workers if inhaled.

The WaterStax Enware disinfection process reduces the spread of fungal disease carried by mowers and wash water by flocculating the spores and sterilising the treated wash water before reuse.

For more information, please contact Mr Scott Whittaker, Enware Australia Pty Ltd, P.O. Box 2545 Taren Point, NSW 2229 Australia

It also kills infectious bacteria (e.g. gastrointestinal or E-coli) that can find their way into wash water through dead animals, bird droppings, animal fertilisers or using

Ph: 1800 671 864 Fax: 1800 633 673 www.enware.com.au scottw@enware.com.au

Advanced modular wash water treatment system WaterStax all natural bioremediation economically removes oils, grease, hydrocarbons, herbicides, pesticides, insecticides and grass clippings generated by washing equipment. Benefits of the WaterStax System: • All-natural water treatment • Modular design provides specific solutions to suit your needs and budget • Recycle or discharge • Tested for compliance with EPA and Local Regulations • Proven system with over 250 effectively operating worldwide • Low maintenance system – no filters

The WaterStax systems can be used in many turf related applications, including: • • • •

Golf courses Turf farms Agricultural farming Parks and municipalities

CALL 1300 369 273 or visit WWW.WATER-TREATMENT.COM.AU

Black water treatment plants reduce waste

Decentralised sewage – or black water – recycling schemes were relatively uncommon prior to the late-1990s and those that were operating at that time produced water which was, in most cases, of varying quality and observed less stringent standards than required by regulations today.

Water Management Review 2011

However, as the need to conserve the nation’s dwindling water supplies became increasingly important, decentralised black water recycling plants have become more prevalent with technological advances leading to the development of more efficient and reliable schemes with larger production capacity. Along the way, regulations governing the quality of recycled water schemes have been tightened with the release of national water recycling guidelines. In the formative stages of the development of decentralised black water treatment systems, most small plants were processing up to 10,000 litres a day, but with the rapid advances the industry has made in recent years, it’s now not uncommon for plants to deliver anywhere from 250,000 litres to more than two million litres of recycled water a day.

“The rapid development seen in the industry has been driven by innovation borne out of the necessity to supply a range of decentralised plants for a variety of applications that contribute significantly to conserving the nation’s water reserves,” said Glen Millot, engineering manager of Melbourne-based WJP Solutions, a leading supplier of black water and grey water recycling systems. The applications for black water treatment plants are virtually limitless and they can be commissioned in office buildings, health care facilities, retail developments, correctional institutions, multi-residential complexes, sporting facilities, small precincts and tourism and eco-village developments to provide recycled water for toilet flushing, irrigation, clothes washing and cooling tower top-up among other purposes.

105

through lower water and sewerage discharge bills, and reduces the payback period significantly.” Remote plants can be installed in sheds, plant rooms or shipping containers and can be a viable option for construction or mining sites with no sewer connection available. A more recent innovation, sewer mining, which involves tapping into sewerage mains with the approval of the relevant authority, provides a reliable source of treated water for irrigating sporting facilities and other approved purposes. Today’s state-of-the-art black water recycling systems follow a number of processes in order produce water of a uniformly high standard. After the raw sewage is captured it is screened to remove large solids which are flushed into the sewer. From there the waste is processed through a biological reactor containing small micro-organisms in high concentration which break down nutrients and organic matter. The water is then drawn through tiny porous fibres known as membranes that filter out microscopic contaminants and pathogens.

Typical water savings available from treating sewage captured from toilets, showers, hand basins and sinks in a multistory office development with a workforce of approx 6000 would be in the vicinity of 36 million litres per annum; the equivalent of 18 Olympic swimming pools. With space at a premium in office buildings, more compact black water treatment plants have been developed. This includes installing plants in tighter locations to perform the primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes required to produce even better quality water for high-risk purposes such as cooling towers and spray irrigation. “The increased capacity of today’s smaller hi-tech plants not only contributes to conserving a valuable resource but also produces considerable cost savings

At this stage the recycled water is suitable for toilet flushing and irrigation but water destined for topping up cooling towers – which operate by drawing outside air through a series of pads in a similar fashion to domestic evaporative coolers – flows through a desalination plant and undergoes a final UV disinfectant process to kill off micro-organisms. Some of today’s schemes treat water to a standard that is comparable with the requirements laid down for drinking water by the World Health Organisation. “I can understand why people have reservations about drinking recycled sewage, which can be a cultural issue, however, no one should be concerned about the quality of water used for high risk water uses such as cooling towers and spray irrigation. The stringent processes built into these treatment schemes coupled with regulatory controls ensure high standards are maintained, Millott added.

WJP Solutions helps conserve our most valuable resource

Melbourne-based WJP Solutions specialises in the design, construction, delivery, commissioning and maintenance of decentralised plants for treating grey-water, storm-water and black-water to facilitate the efficient re-use of water for purposes such as toilet flushing, cooling towers and irrigation supply. Treatment plants are designed to suit a wide range of applications including office buildings, health care facilities, retail developments, multi-residential complexes, sporting facilities and tourism and ecovillage developments. The company also supplies municipal treatment plants suitable for both metropolitan and regional areas, sewer mining systems and containerised remote area plants which offer significant advantages for mining and construction applications where there is no infrastructure.

WJP Solutions chief executive officer Derek Gnauck said, “One of our more recent innovations, sewer mining, provided a cost-effective solution for the Curlewis Golf Club outside Geelong.” The fairways and greens had deteriorated due to water restrictions and membership numbers started to decrease so the club sought assistance from consulting engineers Permeate Partners to solve the problem. At that time WJP Solutions was developing a sewer mining and Membrane Biological Reactor (MBR) plant specifically for providing a source of water for golf courses. The club was fortunate to have a sewer main near the course and was able to negotiate an agreement with Barwon Water to tap into the main, enabling raw sewage to be treated by a WJP Solutions 250KL/day plant and provide a reliable supply of water for irrigating the course. All plants, which can be housed within existing facilities, in purpose-built

structures provided by the client or WJP Solutions, or containerised for transport to regional or remote areas, are purposebuilt to meet clients’ requirements and are available with capacities from 15KL/ day to 3ML/day. Treated water is tested to the most stringent standards and a comprehensive ongoing water quality testing and monitoring service is available. Fully self-contained with in-house design capacity including process and electrical engineering capabilities, 3D computer modelling and integrated system programming, WJP Solutions has construction and commissioning teams together with a maintenance and service division. “Our other services include flexible delivery options and authority approval application management on behalf of clients and we have the capacity to work in all states utilising our in-house capabilities supported by a network of suppliers and contractors,” Derek Gnauck added.

We can do brilliant things with your waste water... WJP Solutions designs, constructs, commissions and maintains state-of-the-art decentralised plants for treating grey-water, storm water and black-water to facilitate the efficient re-use of water for purposes such as toilet flushing, cooling towers and irrigation. We operate nationally and offer treatment plants to suit a wide range of applications including office buildings, health care facilities, retail developments, multi-residential complexes, sporting facilities and tourism and eco-village developments. Treated water produced is tested to the most stringent standards and a water quality testing and monitoring service is available. We also offer ongoing service and maintenance for our clients' plants to ensure they operate at peak efficiency and maintain water quality.

Next to nature no one else does it better... Water Management Review 2011

11 / 828 High Street, Kew East Victoria 3102 t: +61 3 9854 0900 f: +61 3 9819 7979

www.wjpsolutions.com.au

107

H2O Pure Plus right as rain!

Unique Non-chemical Waste Water Treatment

H2O Pure Plus® Non-chemical Waste Water Treatment

The availability and quality of water is perhaps the biggest single issue facing the world today. The provision of highly adaptable all-purpose wastewater treatment systems that don’t cost the earth has been achieved by H2O Pure Plus®. There are no miracles in the way the natural treatment systems work. In fact, their simplicity, their cost, and their adaptability to almost any given situation are key advantages over complicated chemical and engineered offerings. Most significant is the quality of the end product. The H2O Pure Plus® revolutionary wastewater treatment applications are all based on an internationally patented natural anaerobic filtration and treatment process that uses a specific blend of

sands and gravels to provide a medium for the extraordinarily effective purification of contaminated water. The systems use no chemicals, requires no mechanical assistance, minimum energy usage, enables extraordinary water savings and is virtually maintenance free. The system is adaptable to both domestic and commercial applications, for example: Urban Solutions, Home & Gardens, Sustainable Schools, Recreation & Sporting Facilities, Resorts & Caravan Parks, Commercial Buildings and Cooling Towers.

Advanced Secondary Quality Effluent with Nutrient Reduction

The Queensland Government officially approved H2O Pure Plus® systems to “Advanced Secondary Quality Effluent with Nutrient Reduction”. H2O Pure Plus® has also achieved full quality assurance accreditation from international standards company SAI Global.

H20 Pure Plus holds the highest water quality classification with a revolutionary natural treatment system for advanced wastewater reuse.

The SAPS-AWT system (Black/ Greywater treated together) has achieved the full Nutrient Reduction benchmark and has the highest maximum hydraulic loading of 10,000 litres per day. The SAPS-GWT system (Greywater) has approval to connect into internal plumbing systems e.g. toilets and external hose tap. The water quality achieved also allows for the washing down of paths and external dwellings and car washing, both models have been approved for irrigation purposes.

Solutions for all Commercial Air Conditioning Systems

Cooling towers use massive amounts of mains water and generate lethal bacteria such as Legionella. H2O Pure Plus® Health/ Bio-clean systems greatly improve water quality, lessen the need for expensive chemical treatment, enable extraordinary water savings and minimize contamination dangers to public health. H2O Pure Plus Pty Ltd Unit 3, 24 Leda Drive Burleigh Heads Qld 4220 Phone: (07) 5520 0164 Fax: (07) 5520 1542 Email: info@h2opureplus.com

Leader in Wastewater Treatment & Recycling Systems. H2O Pureplus® Right as Rain! www.h2opureplus.com

Making Water While the sun shines

Desalination of seawater or brackish groundwater or river water for a public potable water supply is increasingly being considered or adopted around the world in areas where demand has been increasing beyond sustainable supply, where water sources are fragile or overdrawn and climate change is making previously reliable sources unreliable.

Rapidly increasing populations are also placing pressure on existing water sources, forcing governments to turn to inter alia desalination to provide additional water supplies when existing sources are fully extended. There is also potential for desalination to process already treated wastewater, normally returned to the environment, to a higher quality level for use in industry or mining processing, thus taking industrial demand away from public water supplies. An additional benefit of this would be reducing the volume of treated wastewater disposed to the environment. This option can produce water at a lower cost of treating sea water in many cases. Desalination for major public supply is already employed fairly extensively in areas such as the Middle East and North Africa, the Caribbean, Southern Europe and now in China, Singapore, the USA and Australia.

What is desalination? A desalination plant essentially separates saline water into two streams: one with a low concentration of dissolved salts (the fresh water stream) and the other containing the remaining dissolved salts (the concentrate or brine stream). The plant requires energy to operate and can use a number of different technologies for the separation of the saline water. The amount of the feed water discharged to waste in the brine stream varies from 20 to 70 per cent of the feed flow, depending on the technology employed and the salt content of the feed water. Desalination is becoming more economically viable as the technology improves. Desalination plants can be provided in a wide range of outputs to cater for small isolated communities or to contribute substantially to water supplies for large cities and even for irrigation (Spain, United Arab Emirates). One of the processes for desalination is reverse osmosis (RO). It is a membrane separation process in which the water from a pressurised saline solution is separated from the dissolved material by flowing through a membrane. No heating is necessary for this separation. The

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major energy required for desalination is for pressurising the feed water, typically up to 62 atmospheres for seawater. In principle, the saline feed water is pumped into a closed vessel where it is pressurised to overcome the osmotic pressure of the solution before diffusing through the membrane. As a portion of the water passes through the membrane, the remaining feed water increases in salt content. This portion of this feed water is then discharged without passing through the membrane. A distinct advantage of desalination of seawater is that it is climate proof and can continue to produce at full capacity even if declining rainfall means dam storages and rivers are dwindling and groundwater aquifers shrinking. However, seawater desalination demands stringent marine environment management. Catchment protection measures need to be in place to maintain the quality of seawater being processed.

Environmental impacts of desalination All Australian desalination plants have carbon-sensitive proposals, which are managed via a range of renewable energy projects, or through the purchase of renewable energy certificates (see stateby-state breakdown below).

Discharge of the concentrated saline solution Monitoring and managing the discharge into the ocean of saline concentrate resulting from the process is required. Satisfactory dilution of the concentrate should be achieved to avoid increasing local levels of ocean salinity and stratification to unacceptable levels, especially in sheltered waters.

Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions A plant similar to Perth’s, even with energy recovery capability, might consume about 24 megawatts of electricity to produce about 45 gigalitres of water per year*. This represents about 185,000 megawatt hours of energy per year. The Australian Government is investing $20 million over five years in the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination. The centre aims to: provide leadership in accelerating ground-breaking research on energy-efficient desalination technology;

provide facilities to researchers and industry to support the development and piloting of new technologies; and commercialise the resultant technologies for the benefit of the nation.

Desalination by state Kurnell Desalination Plant (NSW) When: Completed January 2010 Fresh water output: Introduced at a low volume and potential for up to a maximum capacity of 250 million litres a day (up to 15% of Sydney’s water supply needs). Sydney Water says it has designed the plant so it can be quickly upgraded to twice its size, or 30% of our water supply needs if necessary.

Who: Tecnicas Reunidas and Valoriza Agua with local companies A J Lucas and Worley Parsons. Power source: Renewable (TBA) Port Stanvac Desalination Plant (SA) When: The project is expected to deliver first water in late July 2011. The SA government is currently reviewing the overall project timeline. What: Expected to deliver up to 100 billion litres of water each year (100GL) - about half of Adelaide’s annual water supply. Who: AdelaideAqua (consortium of four companies) have been contracted to design, build, operate and maintain the plant for 20 years.

Who: The Blue Water Joint Venture, comprising John Holland and Veolia Water Australia.

Power Source: 100% offset of electricity by renewable energy.

Power Source: 100% offset by wind energy.

The Gold Coast Desalination plant (QLD)

Wonthaggi Desalination Plant (VIC) When: End of 2011 Fresh water output: Expected 150 billion litres of water a year to Melbourne, Geelong and some regional communities (approximately one third of Melbourne’s household and industrial needs). Who: The AquaSure consortium has been selected to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the project. Power source: 100% offset of electricity by renewable energy. Perth Seawater Desalination Plant (WA) When: Completed November 2006 Fresh water output: 45 gigalitres per year (17% of IWSS water supply) Who: Construction was undertaken by an Alliance between the Water Corporation and Degremont, a French-based world operator in water treatment and desalination. The Alliance also included Multiplex, a large Australian construction company. The plant is owned by the Corporation which operates it jointly with Degremont.

When: Completed August 2010 Water supply: Up to 133 megalitres a day of drinking water for South East Queensland communities. Who: John Holland was principal contractor in the construction process, Veolia Water Australia will take primary responsibility for the operation of the plant. Power Supply: The carbon emissions from the desalination plant have been offset with the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).

Background information provided by Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and is correct at the time of publication. Information available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/ publications/emerging/desal/index.html State project information is correct at the time of publication. Information available at: http://www.waterforlife.nsw.gov.au/about/ plan

Power source: 100% offset of electricity by renewable energy (wind).

http://www.water.vic.gov.au/programs/ desalination

Southern Seawater Desalination Plant (WA)

http://www.watercorporation.com.au/D/ desalination.cfm

When: December 2011

http://www.sawater.com.au/SAWater/ WhatsNew/MajorProjects/ADP.htm

Fresh water output: 50 megalitres per day (20% of WA’s water supply), potential output 100 megalitres per day

http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects/water/ gold-coast-desalination-project.html

Increasing efficiencies and lowering energy costs for water utilities

The challenges facing water utilities to optimise costs and minimise energy consumption have increased significantly over the past 12 months. As energy costs continue to increase, organisations have a commercial incentive to save energy through efficient installation, optimising devices, automation, monitoring and rigorous maintenance which can deliver significant energy reductions. Energy management represents five per cent of investment in water infrastructure, but makes up 30 per cent or more of the operating cost for most water utilities. In addition, water networks and treatment plants have a long life cycle and over a plant’s life, 70 per cent of the carbon footprint will result from the energy consumed during operations. While water utilities grapple with these issues, every industry is facing an energy challenge. The world’s total energy demand will double by 2050 and electrical energy demand will double by 2030. CO² emissions must be reduced by half yet renewable energy sources will take time to reach commercial viability. Therefore, energy management is going to play an increasing role as pressure increases to reduce environmental impacts.

What challenges do water utilities face?

Water utilities face several conflicting challenges in order to expand networks, cater for increasing population growth and ensure continuity and quality of water supplies, while at the same time, reducing carbon emissions. From the smallest remote pumping station to the largest and most complex desalination plant, operators are faced with several challenges. They need to: 1. Optimise investment and operation costs; 2. Ensure compliance with binding regulations; and 3. Give priority to optimising energy efficiency. To enable energy efficient operations, information is critical. Real-time energy and operations data equips water utilities with information for better decision making

Water Management Review 2011

regarding operations. For example, the data can help make decisions about more energy efficient ways to operate pumps at lower flow rates during non-peak times to minimise friction losses; or when the system-wide monitoring of pumping networks should be used to identify leaks or other energy wasting events. To help water utilities address these challenges, Schneider Electric has developed five new solutions for water applications: 1. Comprehensive energy management solutions that increase efficiency and decreases energy expenses by up to 30 per cent. Energy costs can range from 30 to 50 per cent of total operating costs of a water plant. It is important that careful installation design and a strict energy management regime is adopted on a day to day basis to minimise expenditure. When designing water facilities, energy efficiency must be factored to the design phase. This can help in reduction of power losses, equipment cost and energy cost. Energy management can be improved by implementation of measurement and monitoring equipment, resulting in peak shaving and a better continuity of power supply. For the aeration phase of a wastewater treatment plant, Schneider Electric combines the electrical installation and motor control system audit with predictive control (or advanced process control technology). For drinking water networks, Schneider Electric proposes web services comprising instrumentation and remote on-line analysis, which deliver real time information on the performance of the network. 2. Proven water treatment architectures to reduce design time, energy usage and overall operational expenses. Schneider Electric has developed a number of system architectures, consisting of hardware and software, to make it easier to engineer pumping systems and treatment plants. From small pumping stations with remote operations, through to complex water treatment plants for over one million inhabitants, tested, validated and documented

system architectures reduce design and commissioning time and total project costs by streamlining processes. The system architectures encompass the electrical systems, process control and SCADA applications, and make extensive use of libraries, standard configurations and open network architectures and standards. 3. A highly available desalination solution that reduces design time, energy usage, and overall operational expenses. In a complex process like desalination, integrated solutions for optimising power and control are required to reach optimal performance levels. Given the size and complexity of running a desalination plant, an open and reliable way of communicating large amounts of information is vital. In these instances, Schneider Electric provides dedicated water solution architectures and tools covering the complete project lifecycle - from design to operation and modernisation. 4. Innovative power boosting station architecture that ensures high levels of power availability and security your facility requires. In drinking water networks, constant distribution pressure is required to reach all floors in urban zones and to overcome physical barriers in rural zones. Boosting stations are placed along the network, and both constant availability and real time adaptation to the users’ water demands are required. Different technologies are available, from fixed to variable speed pump motor drives, from switchboards to stand alone devices, from medium voltage to low voltage. In all cases, perfect integration into the electrical and automation networks is necessary. 5. Pumping network management solution to centrally manage remote and unmanned sites in real-time. Most of the time water sources are far from water consumption points. In addition, wastewater collection is essential and coordination between pumping stations is required to manage water flow.

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Energy management is the key to operating assets at reduced costs, while use of tested, validated and documented architectures provide capital cost savings for new pumping and treatment plants and desalination plants. Ongoing monitoring of pumping networks and treatment plants through advanced telemetry and SCADA systems not only provides data for realtime process control, but also provides a rich layer of diagnostic, operational and energy management data that is available to facilitate better decision-making and planning based on factual data.

This results in extensive pipe networks and creates specific water needs, including remote locations, intermittently available communication networks and long distances to travel for diagnostics and maintenance. For example, a telemetry system, which allows remote measurement and reporting of information, can monitor remote sites and feed information back to the operator on request or upon the occurrence of an event. More recently, telemetry systems are being extended to improve the security of the site through access control, video security and accelerated response times. How can Schneider Electric help with the energy challenge? Schneider Electric, the energy management specialist, has the core competencies to help water utilities address the multiple and complex issues surrounding the ‘energy challenge’. We place a large emphasis on energy efficiency as a key business issue and help organisations make the most of their energy. Our past initial CAPEX cost history has shown that with energy savings of 30 per cent available, many projects can payback in under three years. There is a clear

commercial benefit to improve energy efficiency with escalating energy costs only shortening the payback period. A key priority for Schneider Electric is to provide its customers with integrated automation systems to help them manage their energy efficiently. At the core of your information system, is our EcoStruxure™ approach, which connects five areas of world class expertise: power, datacentres, process and machines, building control and physical security - within an open and flexible technology architecture that delivers significant savings in energy efficiency. EcoStruxure can help make your systems: •

Green: By making the connection of renewable energy sources easy, reliable and cost effective.

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Efficient and productive to help you: ––

Measure and control energy; automate; and provide relevant diagnosis; and

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Manage processes.

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Reliable: To prevent from power outage and quality variance.

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Safe: To transform and distribute power safely.

Schneider Electric Turn-Key Solutions for the Water & Waste Water Industry

Introducing five new solutions that are bringing increased efficiency, safety and availability to the water Industry >

Comprehensive energy management that increases efficiency and decreases energy expenses by up to 30%

Proven water treatment architectures to reduce design time with integrated management for improved efficiency

A highly-available desalination solution that reduces design time, energy usage, and overall operational expenses

Innovative boosting station architecture that ensures the high levels of availability and security your facility requires

Pumping network management solution to centrally manage remote and unmanned sites in real-time.

For more information go to www.schneider-electric.com.au/water or call 1300 369 233

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Groundwater Desalination: Designed by Mother Nature

Desaln8’s In-Situ Desalination (ISD) system is an Australian designed, ecofriendly technology that can turn saline groundwater into competitively priced fresh water.

while leaving the naturally occurring salts behind. However this does not increase the aquifer’s salinity as water levels are constantly recharged by the natural flow of groundwater as well as local rainfall.

The ISD unit offers significant advantages over traditional bore systems, and it’s all thanks to Mother Nature.

And just like the roots of a tree, the ISD unit is a closed system that stops oxygen and other surface contaminants from entering the aquifer, ensuring the ongoing health of the water supply for future generations.

In a world-first, the ISD unit is totally submersed within the borehole, so the entire filtration process occurs underground which delivers a significant energy saving to the user. The ISD process is chemical free. It doesn’t create a brine waste stream so no additional capture or disposal system is required. When first creating the ISD system, Desaln8 started from the position that nature knows best. ISD mimics the natural filtering process used by trees to draw fresh water up from the aquifer

Trevor Ahale, CEO of Desaln8, said “Our invention has exciting world-wide application; highly saline groundwater is sitting unused underneath millions of kilometres of the planet. ISD has the potential to turn a large portion of this untapped resource into fresh new water.” “We like to call it ‘new water’ because traditionally groundwater went ignored and uncounted because it was simply

unusable; but with ISD, millions of mega litres can now be added to the total pool of fresh water available to us all,” said Ahale. ISD units have been proven across different hydrogeological environments across Australia, and Desaln8’s clients have realised water prices comparable to most town water supplies. So if you are a racecourse, winery, golf club, farm or remote township and you have been struggling to secure a reliable, long-term water supply, ISD could be the technology you are looking for.

For more information please contact Mr Trevor Ahale of Desaln8 on (03) 8545 4262 or visit www.desaln8.com for more information.

Severn Trent Services hypochlorite generation vs. chlorine gas and commercial hypochlorite include:

Advanced wastewater treatment requires a multiple barrier, disinfection and filtration, approach to meet stringent effluent discharge limits. Chlorination, one of the most commonly used disinfection methods, plays a vital role in advanced wastewater treatment applications. There are a number of methods to achieve chlorination, including chlorine gas, commercial sodium hypochlorite and on-site generated sodium hypochlorite. The safety of chlorine gas has come under increased scrutiny worldwide in recent years. As a result, authorities have more stringently regulated the transportation, storage and use of pressurised chlorine gas. Therefore, utilities have increasingly begun to evaluate alternative disinfection methods to mitigate the perceived risk associated with using chlorine gas and to reduce the costs associated with implementing it into their facility treatment processes. The use of on-site sodium hypochlorite generation has gained acceptance worldwide. The disinfection process allows for a utility to develop a flexible alternative disinfection strategy throughout its plant, enabling the facility to further ensure operator and community safety, while reducing hazardous training and meeting regulatory guidelines. Since 1988, the ClorTec system from Severn Trent Services has been a proven, cost-effective, reliable and safe alternative disinfection treatment to chlorine gas and commercial sodium hypochlorite. The ClorTec on-site hypochlorite generation system uses three common consumables in the sodium hypochlorite generating process: salt, water and electricity. Advantages of on-site sodium ®

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eliminating bulk storage of chemicals

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reducing safety risk to plant personnel and reduction of installation and operating costs because onsite generated hypochlorite is not a hazardous chemical, while chlorine gas and commercial hypochlorite are

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eliminating chemical transportation liabilities

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eliminating the threat of a chlorine gas release

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reducing disinfection byproduct formation

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eliminating concentration decay common with commercial hypochlorite

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reducing overall disinfection costs; typical ClorTec users realise savings of 75 to 400 per cent in operating costs compared to commercial sodium hypochlorite

The key to the success of an advanced wastewater treatment program is tertiary filtration capable of consistently producing a high quality effluent while enhancing the disinfection process -- both chlorination and UV -- and improving water quality. Good tertiary filters offer the benefit of lowering total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, biological oxygen demand and nutrient removal to meet the required discharge permits. From the standpoint of cost and technical efficiency, biological treatment has proven to be an excellent tertiary treatment technology for municipal wastewater applications. Deep bed denitrification has been a popular tertiary treatment choice since the technology was patented in 1979. The TETRA® biofiltration systems, designed by Severn Trent Services, have been installed throughout the world for organic oxidation, nitrification and denitrification in secondary, tertiary and advanced wastewater treatment applications for more than 20 years. The TETRA DeepBed™ Denite® system is a fixed-film biological denitrification process that also serves as a deep bed filtration system capable of removing

suspended solids. With simultaneous removal of total suspended solids and achieving 1 ppm nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and 3 ppm total nitrogen (TN) or less, the TETRA system integrates with other treatment processes to provide effective TN and phosphorous removal. While new and improved wastewater treatment technologies are continuously being developed, fixed-film biological deep bed denitrification filters continue to set the standard for meeting the lower, more stringent, total nitrogen limits required for advanced wastewater treatment. The technology of combining denitrification and solids removal in a deep bed filter process has helped to dramatically improve wastewater quality at treatment plants across the world.

WE UNDERSTAND WATER & WASTEWATER TECHNOLOGIES

At Severn Trent Services we offer innovative solutions for a variety of water and wastewater applications, including solutions for water desalination and reuse treatment. - ClorTec® on-site sodium hypochlorite generation systems offer efficient and effective disinfection. The innovative systems reduce disinfection by-products, minimize transportation of hazardous chemicals and reduce operating costs by as much as 20%. - TETRA® DeepBed™ tertiary filters are an economical solution for the removal of TSS <2 NTU or <5 mg/l TSS and < 0.2 mg/L phosphorus.

At Severn Trent Services, we understand water. That’s why our Block™ lateral underdrains are idealare for used pretreatment filtration - TETRA® LPtreatment products and services the world over at todesalination plants. help protect and preserve the world’s most precious resource. - UAT™ desalination systems are suitable for treating a wide range of salinity applications up to 10+ MGD (1,500+ m³/hr). UAT EDI systems are offered to polish RO permeate. - MicroDynamics® microwave UV disinfection systems offer efficient and effective disinfection of secondary and tertiary wastewater effluent. The revolutionary systems power traditional UV lamps with microwave energy, offering performance unseen in the industry to date. For more information on desalination and water reuse solutions e-mail info@severntrentservices.com or visit www.severntrentservices.com

Irrigation Australia Ltd putting people in irrigation

Irrigation Australia Limited represents over 2000 organisations and individuals from all sectors of the Australian irrigation industry including water users and irrigators, consultants and designers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, contractors and installers, education and training institutions, research institutes and all levels of government. It is the only national body to cover the entire value chain of the irrigation industry, both rural and urban.

Over the last decade the association has been developing a number of industry wide initiatives to build the professionalism and capacity of the industry so that it is better positioned to be part of the solution to water resource management and environmental challenges in the future.

Irrigation training pays off How we manage our water resources, including for irrigation, continues to be a hot issue throughout Australia. Many of us would have seen in the media references to how much water is used to produce a variety of food items from hamburgers to a glass of milk. Some of these figures appear shocking to city people and the result is more pressure being put on irrigators to ensure that water is used efficiently. Now it is not enough simply to be efficient, rather there is increasing pressure to prove that the resource is being managed by people with the appropriate skills. Qualifications in irrigation provide an easy, provable way of identifying that the water is being used efficiently and in an environmentally sustainable way by a skilled person. Starting at entry level and progressing through to diploma level for a manager

Water Management Review 2011

or owner, these qualifications span the range of sectors in the irrigation industry. Catering for different sectors provides skills in irrigation that are appropriate to individuals in that sector. The training is offered by registered training organisations (RTOs) and TAFEs throughout Australia and may, depending on the circumstances, be linked to traineeships and government funding. A big advantage of these qualifications is that they are recognised nationally making them very portable and allowing people to take their skills to other areas of the country without having to retrain. Irrigation Australia Limited has been active in developing vocational training and recognising the professional skills of people in the industry because it knows that these are crucial elements that help to provide sustainability and environmental best practice and puts people into irrigation.

Certification recognises skills and promotes professionalism

An important element of recognising the professional skills of those involved in the irrigation industry is through certification. Over the years Irrigation Australia has developed a comprehensive certification program for both urban and agricultural sectors.

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Irrigation Australia has a vision that in future all significant irrigation systems, be they urban or rural, will be designed by certified irrigation designers, installed by a certified irrigation installers or certified irrigation contractors, run by certified irrigation operators and certified irrigation managers with advice from certified irrigation retailers and certified irrigation agronomists. Certification is a voluntary program of industry recognition. To become certified a person will first need to demonstrate industry experience, irrigation skills and knowledge and commitment to ongoing professional development. Certification benefits individuals, the irrigation industry and the general community by:

Encouraging vocational training and recognising the professional skills of people in the industry at people have the skills required is an important element in helping to put people into irrigation. Photo: Jeremy Cape

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setting and developing the skills requirements for each occupation in the industry

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lifting the skills and knowledge of everyone in the industry through continued professional development

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driving industry involvement in training and qualifications

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providing job satisfaction, personal recognition and support a career pathway

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rewarding and recognising those operating at best practice

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assisting the industry to control its own future

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ensuring sustainability for the industry by ensuring that irrigation practice is strongly linked to water supply, soils and the environment.

Certification can help natural resource managers to recognise those who can implement best practice in water use and irrigation and minimise the potential environmental impacts of irrigation. The program is already used by local and state governments and statutory authorities when procuring services or offering grants and incentives. Resource managers can also use the program to identify and improve irrigation and environmental performance and therefore meet their resource targets.

CASE STUDY

Streamlining evaluation of irrigation system performance Merv Jessen, Industry Development Officer, Queensland Irrigation Australia has supported and promoted the importance of evaluating irrigation systems to determine performance and identify where improvements can be made. Irrigation system evaluations have been carried out for almost a decade in Queensland resulting in an impressive bank of very useful data. A key aim of these evaluations has been to characterise irrigation system performance, compare the results with existing system and industry benchmark indicators and, where appropriate, provide recommendations to growers on ways to improve system performance. To do the evaluations, procedures were developed for collecting field data and analysing system performance using computer spreadsheets that were developed by the various industry sectors. While this was useful in providing grower feedback on an individual basis, there was no process by which the data collected in these evaluations could be collated, either to provide broader scale interpretation for each industry or region, or to identify any trends in performance parameters. The development of the Irrigation Performance Audit and Reporting Tool (IPART) has changed all this so that now the data has become a powerful management tool. IPART was commissioned by the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water as part of the South East Queensland Irrigation Futures (SEQ-IF) program. It was developed by the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture and is designed to help consultants and agency staff evaluate and collate data on infield irrigation system performance.

What does IPART do? IPART provides a range of functions, including the standardisation of infield data collection, calculation and presentation of in-field irrigation

performance data, and the generation of grower recommendations and grower reports. The program covers all the major irrigation system types used in agriculture, and has the added feature of being able to be used to collate industry and regional data for higher-level analysis and reporting.

Benefits Dan Corfe, an Industry development officer with the Queensland Turf Producers Association (QTPA), has been using IPART since it was first released in 2007. He says that since the IPART software was introduced it has streamlined his data collection and recording when evaluating a grower’s irrigation system. “Generally, after the field has been set up with catch cans under the irrigator, and pressure gauges installed on the device, all relevant readings can simply be entered into IPART, where the feedback information is used to determine the level of performance of the device being evaluated,” he explained. After the evaluation is finished, recommendations can be added for the grower to follow. These relate to improvements which can be made before a second or final evaluation is conducted. Dan also pointed out that IPART’s online facility can also print out a report, which is used as the basis for grower discussions. The report includes graphs or charts representing a trend line of the distribution pattern as the irrigator passes over the catch can area. In a recent evaluation completed by Dan on a centre pivot device on a turf farm in South-East Queensland, the first results showed some unevenness of application at the boom backs at the first tower. The analysis showed that the boom back nozzles were applying more water than was needed and that the distribution pattern was poor. As well, the operating pressure was well above the recommended level, and the pressure at the machine centre could be reduced to decrease pumping costs. After these recommendations were implemented and a follow up evaluation conducted, the Coefficient of Uniformity (CU mod HH) for the device improved from 92% to approx 94%.

Water Management Review 2011

CASE STUDY 2

Standards underpin efficiency Jeremy Cape, CapeAbility Pty Ltd One of the areas recognised by IAL as crucial to improving water use efficiency is irrigation standards – for equipment, systems and operation. Jeremy Cape, Australian representative on the International Standards Organisation subcommittee responsible for irrigation standards and chair of IAL’s Professional Development Committee, explains the role of standards. One of the results of the implementation of the National Plan for Water has been the development of standards for non urban water meters. Policy makers and water managers have decided that measuring irrigation water supplies accurately requires high quality meters. This means that meters must comply with standards to ensure their accuracy and fitness for purpose. Standards already exist for a number of classes of irrigation equipment, and an international standards subcommittee, which includes representation from Australia, is developing more. So far thirty-three standards covering equipment as diverse as travelling irrigators, sprinklers and sprayers and emitting pipe have been developed by the subcommittee.

Why do standards matter? Standards are not just written for technical people to review the performance of different pieces of equipment. They are written to provide a verifiable way of judging the quality of different brands of irrigation equipment. In every standard there is a measurement that indicates how a particular piece of equipment works, e.g. head loss is measured in valves. The wrong data can lead to incorrect designs being prepared and, in some cases, to much higher energy costs. A greater awareness of standards by irrigators could lead them to be more discriminating buyers of equipment. With many areas facing severe water shortages a greater premium than ever before has been placed on irrigation efficiency. While irrigation efficiency is affected by many things, mainly

management, irrigators are in a position to buy only equipment that complies with international standards. One simple example of this relates to micro irrigation emitters such as drippers and sprayers. A good irrigation design specifies a system that delivers precise quantities of water to specific parts of the irrigated area. The designer’s ability to do this depends on the equipment they select for the system operating as specified. Buying equipment without any referring to the appropriate standard could result in too much or too little water being applied. As a practical example, if a dripper delivers 2.5 L an hour rather than a specified 2 L an hour the irrigator may actually be applying 25% more water than they planned to. Over a season a citrus grower might apply 5 ML/ha rather than a target of 4 ML. What is more, the grower could easily believe that they were applying the correct amount. All that potential water wasted could be avoided by the irrigator specifying equipment that complies with the standard at the time the system was first designed.

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Dan Corf, from QTPA, checks a centre pivot during an irrigation system performance evaluation. Catch cans are used to check the application uniformity of the system. Two rows of cans are used, and the results are analysed by the IPART program. Photo: Merv Jessen.

The content of standards All irrigation equipment standards are written to a common framework. The draft standard for sprayers (ISO 8026) includes the following sections: 1. the scope and coverage of the standard 2. normative references (other documents which are referred to in the standard such as other standards) 3. definitions (covering issues such as diameter of throw) 4. classification 5. general requirements covering materials, manufacture and assembly and connections 6. test methods, in this case diameter of coverage, spray coverage pattern, water distribution curve, uniformity of flow rate, flow rate as a function of inlet pressure, trajectory height, durability tests, and mechanical tests 7. identification and marking

There are similar descriptions of performance for sprinklers and sprayer. The area wetted by the sprinkler is just as important as the volume of water delivered through the sprinkler or sprayer. In under tree sprinkler irrigation designers take care to ensure that the area watered by sprinklers is best for plant health and that no water is wasted by being sprayed outside the target area.

Standards specify tests for the diameter and radius of coverage to help designers with this issue. A greater awareness by irrigators of the existence and meaning of standards would ensure that irrigation systems comprise good quality equipment, at least initially.

8. data to be supplied by manufacturer. These clauses are typical of other standards and vary only in the detail of the tests to be completed.

A part of every buying or specifying decision should be a reference to standards to ensure that the equipment applies the specified volume of water in the right area. Photo: Anne Currey.

Think Water goes from strength to strength 20% Growth Sees 50 Members in Australia and New Zealand

THINK WATER is a network of independently owned irrigation and general water service businesses that is growing rapidly across Australia, and has recently expanded into New Zealand. With ten new members joining the group in the past 12 months, Think Water has grown its network by a remarkable 20% in tough economic times. Think Water offers independent irrigation businesses the opportunity to retain ownership and control of their business while adding the international backing of a group. “It’s the best of both worlds,” says Bryan Ward, the general manager of Think Water. “Our members retain complete ownership and control of their business but enjoy international backing and better buying power by being part of the Think Water group – and that allows them to provide a better service to their customers,” he said. All Think Water stores are owned and run by local water experts who have joined the group to gain access to worldclass supply arrangements and industry leading training and marketing support.

“The benefits Think Water offer in the areas of group buying power, marketing and promotional activities, training, knowledge sharing, HR and benchmarking have found widespread appeal with independent business owners because it allows them to concentrate their efforts on what they are experts in – designing, installing and servicing irrigation systems,” Ward said.

Founded less than four years ago with 33 foundation members, Think Water now has 50 member businesses across Australia and New Zealand offering innovative water efficient irrigation and general water solutions to all market sectors; from agriculture and industrial sectors to domestic and local government. “Many enquiries from independent operators have come to us through referral from suppliers and existing members - which is really positive,” says Ward. Think Water was formed to capitilise on new opportunities in the water market. “We recognised early that water management is a massive growth space, and undergoing considerable change, and we’ve been able to establish systems to capitalise on those changes,” says Ward.

About Think Water

Water Management Review 2011

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Think Water has 50 members across Australia and New Zealand

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Group turnover exceeds $130 million

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Formerly the Independent Water Group (IWG), Think Water was formed in 2007.

We know water. Drop on in.

www.thinkwater.com.au

â&#x20AC;˘ Specialists in design, installation and maintenance of irrigation and general water projects. â&#x20AC;˘ Stockists of all leading pump, irrigation and plumbing supplies. â&#x20AC;˘ Servicing sectors including domestic, agricultural and government.

50 stores open throughout Australia & New Zealand

Water – you can’t manage what you don’t measure Campbell Scientific – Measuring Australia’s Water Resources

Accurate and reliable monitoring of Australia’s water resources has never been more critical. In recent years, a significant amount of effort and resources have been committed by both government and private entities to the management of Australia’s natural resources, predominantly water.

The CR800, CR850 and CR1000 data loggers have been widely used in hydrological and hydrographic applications throughout Australia and many other countries throughout the world. Their flexibility and their ability to perform complex tasks with ease provide peace of mind for both system designers and field operators.

Within the last 12 months, extensive flooding along the east coast of Australia has resulted in demands for increased government commitment. Loss of property and equipment has reached record levels but luckily loss of life has been minimal. It is a little known fact that Campbell Scientific data acquisition systems are used extensively for flood warning and prediction in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This equipment has played a pivotal role in minimising loss of life and property in these areas.

The ability for these data loggers to be customised and reconfigured allows the same hardware to be used at all sites in a network with a minimal amount of fuss. The same logger can be configured with a radio, a cell phone, a satellite phone, cable connections or combinations of these to suit the application. Looking for a SCADA interface? The Campbell Scientific data loggers support a number of open protocols to provide easy interfacing to PLC’s or SCADA monitoring systems.

Discussions of desalination plants and buy-back of irrigation licenses continue to be hot political topics and the respective federal governments have committed large sums of money to better understand the national water budget and manage its use. Monitoring the natural resources of the country has many hurdles to overcome, one of which is the logistical issues involved in having to monitor sites that are in remote and challenging locations. Ensuring the accuracy of the data that is recorded at these sites is another significant challenge and is one that often can’t easily be corrected if the measurements aren’t done well initially. Site conditions such as temperature extremes, power limitations and telemetry availability all contribute to making the delivery of quality data more difficult. Campbell Scientific manufactures a range of rugged data loggers that are designed with these conditions in mind. Their low power design ensures that a site with limited or no access to power is not a reason to exclude the site from the monitoring scheme. Similarly, the data loggers are designed to operate accurately over a wide temperature range to cope with the most demanding environmental conditions.

Water Management Review 2011

The CRBasic programming language provides the tools required to build custom applications or to support special protocols. The Campbell Scientific data loggers support all commonly used sensor types and telemetry options, which can often prove to be a very cost-effective solution when compared to another device

such as a PLC with all the various analog measurement cards. Coupled with these extremely versatile, robust data loggers, Campbell Scientific now also manufacture, sell and support an extensive range of hydrological sensors. These include sensors for water depth, rainfall, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, pH, Redox potential, and electrical conductivity. Campbell Scientific Australia provides sales and technical support on these products throughout Australia and South East Asia. Our team of highly trained engineers can assist in selecting the components that best suits the needs of the application and can offer suggestions and support in designing all aspects of a monitoring scheme. From data collection platforms, telemetry options, sensor selection and recommendations, program creation, training and code standardisation to design of a user friendly field-operator interface or merely for advice on power supply selection, Campbell Scientific Australia provides industry unrivalled assistance and support.

SunWater positioned to expand its water infrastructure management services Well known for its strategic water supply network in Queensland, SunWater has built an exceptional track record of achievement in both water management and infrastructure development. With a focus on providing total water solutions, SunWater owns and manages a regional network of bulk water infrastructure to support some 5,000 customers across Queensland’s agricultural, resources and urban sectors. At present, this regional network is made up of a $7 billion asset base that includes the management and ownership of 19 dams, 63 weirs and barrages, 80 major pumping stations and over 2,500km of pipelines and channels. In addition, SunWater is responsible for the management of 23 water supply schemes across regional Queensland and supplies around 40% of all commercially used water in the state. This proven experience is now positioning SunWater to be able to leverage its expertise and expand into a national water solutions provider. Only six months ago, SunWater scored a major win in Western Australia with the announcement that it had been appointed as the preferred water service provider for the $220 million Ord Irrigation Expansion Project (OIEP). SunWater CEO, Peter Boettcher, said that the appointment reinforced that SunWater had the expertise to compete in the national market and was fast becoming the organisation that industry turned to for strategic water infrastructure management solutions.

Boettcher said the $220 million OIEP was one part of the Western Australian Government’s $415 million investment into the Ord-East Kimberly Expansion Project. When announced, Western Australian Water Minister, Graham Jacobs, acknowledged SunWater was one of Australia’s leading infrastructure managers for major irrigation schemes and also noted the organisation had clearly demonstrated its commitment to and experience in enhancing indigenous engagement and local employment.

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BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, QLD

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Department of Infrastructure and Planning, QLD

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Department of Environment and Resource Management, QLD

In addition to this announcement, in late 2010 SunWater was also awarded a fiveyear rolling facilities management contract with the National Capital Authority for the Scrivener Dam.

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National Capital Authority, ACT

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Border Rivers Commission, QLD/NSW

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Seqwater, QLD

This contract, alongside SunWater’s own infrastructure asset management, provides specialist services that cover strategic asset planning, flood operations, maintenance scheduling, dam surveillance and whole of life asset planning.

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Department of Water, WA

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Townsville City Council, QLD

In the 2009-10 year alone, SunWater invested $21.51million in a refurbishment and enhancement program to ensure its existing assets remained in good and safe working condition. This program consisted of the completion of the Irrigation Modernisation Planning Project, replacement of the Bowen River Weir fishway and the development of Network Service Plans that will detail the future refurbishment and enhancement program for 21 water supply schemes. For more information on SunWater and its infrastructure management services, visit www.sunwater.com.au Over 80 years experience gives SunWater the leading edge in both building and managing bulk water infrastructure.

“It was a major win for SunWater and a clear recognition of our extensive expertise in providing effective and efficient water infrastructure management,” Boettcher said. “SunWater already successfully manages its own water infrastructure assets across the State as well as a further $2 billion of water infrastructure assets owned by other organisations in Queensland and other states. “For more than 80 years SunWater has been regional Queensland’s primary water infrastructure manager and we are now further expanding our role in water infrastructure management to other parts of Australia.

Water Management Review 2011

SunWater’s growing infrastructure management portfolio includes customers such as;

SunWater’s water supply network supplies around 40% of all water used commercially in Queensland.

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Sub-Surface Drip Irrigation Lucerne Case Study: Brett Dixon Low water allocations and the high cost of buying in feed has led some progressive farmers in the dairy industry to maximise the production from each megalitre of water available. Brett Dixon, dairy farmer from Merrigum in the Goulburn Valley of Northern Victoria, assessed the situation facing farmers, and decided to install sub-surface drip irrigation on 20 Ha of his farm to grow lucerne. Sub-surface drip irrigation in the Goulburn Valley has traditionally been used to grow tomatoes, so dairy farmers in the area have been familiar with the concept. Drip Irrigation tube, with in-built drippers, are installed under the ground, at a depth of approximately 25cm. Controlled by an automatic controller, they drip feed the roots of the plant, maintaining close to the ideal moisture level in the soil. Because there is no water being pushed below the

root zone or lost via evaporation, as is the case with flood and sprinkler irrigation, water use efficiency is maximized. “The best thing about the system is the ease of operation. I just program the automatic controller at the start of the week and leave it. It turns itself on and off. There is some maintenance required – flushing and cleaning, but in terms of time and labor cost required it is very small compared with my flood irrigated blocks,” said Dixon.

Dixon’s water use is slightly lower per hectare than flood irrigators growing similar crops. The key is tonnage produced per megalitre, as water has been the limiting factor.

In the season of 2009-2010 Dixon achieved a yield of 23 tonnes of dry matter lucerne per hectare. The common yield achieved with flood irrigation is 15 tonnes per hectare with flood irrigation. The theory is that lucerne does not grow well when too wet or too dry – extremes that occur during the flood irrigation cycle. Drip irrigation keeps the soil moisture at more of a constant.

“Netafim iRRiGatiON aND feRtiGatiON - a Real WiNNeR” Stephen Stenhouse - Bundaberg, QLD 100 Ha of lemons & mandarins “Applying liquid fertiliser via Netafim’s dripperlines and the NetaJet NutrigationTM controller allows me to deliver the right water, with the right food at the right time, everytime! Thanks to Netafim’s technology I use less water, less fertiliser and less labour; whilst improving fruit quality and substantially increasing yields. It doesn’t get any better!”

Hydrosmart Taking a new direction, Hydrosmart management has pursued the need for greater scientific research into its NON CHEMICAL WATER TREATMENT. In recognition that policy makers, councils, large scale agricultural corporations and commercial users are responsibly seeking new ways of solving their ever changing water issues if possible and doing so without using older more energy, chemical and consumable driven approaches such as reverse osmosis to get usable water. As such Hydrosmart management commissioned two new scientific trials which were run in the later part of 2010 and into 2011. One of these was a biological study on salinity and high mineral levels (Suntec Labs NZ) the other a lab trial on calcium carbonate (Flinders University SA) Suntec Laboratories NZ used highly saline mineral rich water mimicking bad Australian bore water to grow two lettuce varieties in a controlled Hydroponic environment, this was to eliminate all soil and weather variables and provide clear biological comparisons of the technologies ability to produce plant growth benefits or impacts using salty Australian bore water. They commenced the spring crop in water at well over ideal salinity for lettuce, being at levels of 3,000 ppm TDS at trial completion the total dissolved solids TDS was at 4,760ppm.

Water Management Review 2011

The water analysis is as follows Hill labs, Australian bore water (replica) analysis pH 8.5 EC 582 mS/m Total dissolved salts 3,900 g/m3 Langelier Saturation index 2 Sodium absorption ratio 19 Calcium 66 g/m3 Copper 0.020 g/m3 Iron 2.0 Magnesium 128 Potassium 32 Sodium 1,150 Zinc 0.017 Total Alkalinity 1,380 g/m3 as CaCO3 Carbonate 22 Bicarbonate 1,640 Chloride 960 Sulphate 1,170 Nitrate 0.90 Boron 1.22 Phosphorus 0.17 Lettuce like sodium levels at approximately 40 ppm with Total Dissolved Solids ( TDS ) of no more than 900 ppm. During the trial it became swiftly apparent that the two varieties growing in the Hydrosmart treated water were able to handle very high levels and in most cases grow right up until harvest time, producing living plants without capillary root blockages whereas the untreated lettuce had all died within a few weeks of trial commencement leaving no samples for comparison or analysis. At its commencement the trials Sodium level was 1,150 ppm and at its completion after several weeks it was 1,449 ppm. These figures are quite astounding for lettuce and show strong reasons to take

the approach seriously when using saline water for plant growth. Photos in this article show the different outcomes from using Hydrosmart’s frequency treatment upon this water of well above 4,000 ppm with the same nutrient solution. The scientists also ran a control crop of rain water in channels using Hydrosmart and no Hydrosmart as a comparison from which to provide consistent baseline data. Observations were that the Hydrosmart treated rainwater also grew healthier lettuce than the untreated rainwater, showing better nutrient uptake and transmission of the resonated nutrient mix.

Calcium Carbonate Trial – Flinders University 2010

Doctor Bob Moore at Flinders University assessed the reduction of calcium carbonate in water treated using Hydrosmart resonance frequencies. The report confirmed particles in the treated tanks where scale forming bicarbonates were added were found to be increased and smaller in number which is in accordance with the technologies consistent commercial descaling history in both hot or cold flows and in levels as high as up to 100,000 ppm. Doctor Bob Moore’s comments upon completion of the trial were: The technology “Hydrosmart” has been here shown to have physical effects on the kinetics of mineral precipitation from an aqueous solution. Under the influence of ULF and VLF electromagnetic field modulation, calcium carbonate nuclei were greater in number (showing as a turbidity increase), and lesser in size, than in untreated control systems.

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Agua Pty Ltd Agua Pty Ltd has developed systems for the remote collection of data and the presentation of that data onto a web page and other formats. The strength of the Agua system is that it uses high quality, very reliable components such as Campbell Scientific Dataloggers. Remote telemetry stations are installed in the field powered either by a solar panel, long life battery or mains power with dataloggers collecting and storing information. On a regular basis that information is collected using the mobile phone data network and uploaded into a data base running on the Agua Server. As all of the data is stored in a database the information can be presented in a variety of ways. The data is available via a web page on a PC, mobile smart phone or an internet capable reader. Data can also be delivered via SMS or emails. The main method of viewing the data is via graphical format that has the advantage of mouse over value display. Tables are also used for some data. All data is available for download in a csv format. The system also has the capability of sending an SMS to the remote site and a return SMS is delivered with the current sensor readings. Another feature of the Agua Display is the Graphical Information System (GIS) page. This page displays the true location of the sensor being used and can display the real time value of the sensor. When the Environment Management Page is loaded the colour of the displayed sensor reflects the state of the measurement, Green is Normal, Yellow is Marginal and Red is Alarm. By selecting the sensor from the GIS page the graphical display can be loaded to observe the data trends. Examples of systems currently in use are Electronic Weather Stations, Pump Stations measuring pressure, flow, amps, voltage, power factor and conductivity, water meter logging, waste pipe level monitoring and soil measuring stations. The Agua System has alarm capability that operates if pre-set values are exceeded a SMS or email alarm is sent, this is particularly useful if a pump fails to start or a tank overflows.

Super absorbent Polymer crystals for water saving solutions

Water shortage is a major environmental issue and will undoubtedly become an even larger problem in the future. The environmental changes will result in rainfall becoming more unpredictable and Australians will have no choice but to adopt better water preservation and conservation practices. We cannot control the amount of water we receive, the solution lies in learning to take full advantage of the decreasing supply.

loss by ensuring the reliability of earth dams and water storage areas. W$ Plug, in a powder form, is applied directly to the water in the dam. Once in contact with the water, the polymer is drawn into the soil where it starts to expand and fills any voids that are causing water leakage. This action creates a Plug that continues to expand filling holes, cracks and porous soils. W$ Plug is easy to use and is applied by hand,sprinkled out over the water in your dam. The product is safe to use in dams where fish and stock are present, is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

Forestry and farm plantations use Water$ave PT to reduce the effects of transplant shock and enhance the establishment of newly planted seedlings. As little as 3 grams of Water$ave PT will absorb as much as 500ml of water which is hydrated into the crystals prior to planting. This gel mixture is added to the planting hole ready for the tube stock to be placed directly into the mixture and backfilled.

The cycle of absorption and release is repeated as water, nutrients and fertilizer are consumed by the plant after which the water crystals are “topped up” during the SAP HPF, HD & HPF-P4 absorb next irrigation or rain incidence. A distinct large quantities of water present in reduction in the effects from drought mining,construction, roadways or water conditions results in less plant stress, Water$ave Plug (W$PL) is a product affected areas. Muddy water that is too better yield and a crop that can take Seal Yourof Leaking Dams withseason. Ease using specifically designed for sealing leaking thick to pump and too watery to shovel advantage a full growing Water$ave Plug dams effectively at a considerable cost up, can be thickened quickly by adding For more information please visit our saving, without the need to drain water 3 NoYour need to drain, Dams with Ease using the SAP range, allowing for fast and easy Seal website at: Leaking or re-introduce heavy equipment. It removal. 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Water Management Review 2011

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Irrigineers who needs them?

If you go with the flow you’ll miss the point. You have to start at the end – the plant-soil-water relationships – then force your way upstream, break all the rules if you need, but make sure the owner can pull the water through when and how it’s needed. The point? The point is that irrigineers get the point. They understand how important it is to get the right amount of water to plants, and how to make it happen. They have a unique mix of agronomic and engineering skills and they live in a strange world of soil and ET sensors, pumps and pipes, sprinklers and drippers, irrigation management plans and water efficiency audits. If there’s no mud on their boots, it’ll be on their high-vis vest. Have a look. Behind every successful ‘growing enterprise’ is an irrigineer – an independent professional irrigation designer. HydroPlan invented irrigineering and for 25 years has been quietly saving water and sequestering carbon in plants whilst others talk about it. We work with your people, when and how you want. Our people often have a degree in something and are ‘certified’ as irrigation designers (CID), irrigation agronomists (CIAg) or irrigation auditors (CIA). They know which contractors work and which products don’t. They were saving water before the drought and will still be doing it after the floods. They know how to optimise life cycle costs to save water, capital, time and energy. Our irrigineers are behind Willunga Basin Water’s reuse scheme to grapegrowers around McLaren Vale, Murrumbidgee Irrigation’s channel to pipe conversions, and SA Water’s managed aquifer recharge using treated wastewater. They’re designing pivot schemes larger than the Ord scheme, and landscape systems smaller than your backyard. Whether they’re innovating for Darley in rural environments, King’s Park and Botanic

Gardens in urban environments, or Greg Norman in foreign environments, they take all the water matters from concept to commissioning. And beyond, with innovations like Nix. Nix is a web-based data management tool designed for the water industry by Prohost and available exclusively through HydroPlan so that options for customisation and monitoring can be offered. It collects, decodes, monitors and displays data from a variety of sensors and sites. It allows fine-grained access controls to delegate administrative functions and provide data to only those who need it. Independent like HydroPlan, Nix has an open access philosophy which means that modules can be developed to interface with existing telemetry solutions. By combining multiple solutions Nix becomes a single access point for all of your data without locking you to particular hardware. HydroPlan is one of only a handful of services that have been awarded a Smart Approved Water Mark. With irrigineers and more, make a point of including us in your plans… http://hydroplan.com.au

Wesley rides a new wave Since 1999 the campus has undertaken a range of complementary strategies, including water efficiency measures, investigating and developing alternative water supplies, and using these actions within its educational programmes. That same year a bore was sunk to sure up a water supply for the future but proved to be too salty (7000ppm) and was not acceptable. The head of the campus convened a special committee to oversee and coordinate all environmental action. This committee initiated and supported many small scale water saving initiatives: •

Environment Improvement Plan implemented to improve stormwater quality. Internal water meter allows us to separate irrigation and domestic water use;

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Installed water tanks;

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Grounds compound area is self sufficient. Water from a 10,000L rainwater tank provides water for the wash down machinery facility, toilet and water for boom spraying wetting agents on grounds and 600L water cart for garden watering;

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Design and construct fully automated, irrigation system for five hectares of grounds;

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Conversion from spray irrigation to drip irrigation in garden beds;

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Installation of Greymate subterranean system in Junior School lawn;

Water Management Review 2011

Wesley College Glen Waverley Campus is a unique environment where students attend from kindergarten to Year 12 on the same nine hectare site. The college is divided into four mini-schools housing a total of 207 staff and 1300 students.

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WaterMap, Water Management Plan and trade waste agreement with Yarra Valley Water;

water is costing us 70c/1000L to produce compared to $1.05/1000L to purchase from Yarra Valley water.

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Warm-season grass conversion; and

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Desalination project.

The desalination project has allowed Wesley to process water from an alternative source, with a direct savings of 6ML of potable water that would have been used around the campus. We would anticipate in the project’s second and future years output would be ramped up to about 10ML/year. The tanks are filled by this project and are not reliant on rainfall as our sole alternative source to town water.

Brought back to life With water restrictions tightening, the grounds deteriorated in turf quality and surface hardness. With technological advances over the years and desalination units becoming compact and better value for money, it was time to reinvestigate making the bore viable again. Having contact with a hydraulic engineer who managed the project, a decision to purchase a desalination unit together with water storage facilities for 1ML was approved. The college embarked on its biggest capital investment for the grounds to ensure their viability into the future. Some 1100m3 of clay was excavated from the banks and laser graded with crushed rock for the foundations of 4 x 250,000L tanks. The desalination unit was constructed off site and delivered on its skid as the tanks were being built. The tanks took four days to erect and once finished the unit was hooked up to the bore and filtration tanks filled with sand. Having worked through the teething problems and every case scenario of the desalination process, it took eight weeks from switching the unit on to filling the tanks. Currently, desalinated

The system is running really well and is doing exactly what it should. As the tanks are full with desalinated bore water, planning for the next stage is well under way. Stage 3 will consist of harvesting rain water from the extensive roof system and drainage network to recharge the tanks. This will mean the bore will be used on an as needed basis and will truly be an alternative water source. A warmseason grass transition programme was also implemented this summer now the water supply is assured, so quality of grounds will be more consistent. The students have a state-of-the-art, working model chemistry laboratory on site that produces drinking water from 7000ppm salty, rust coloured bore water. The benefits of having the unit have exceeded initial expectation. The college is excited with the project and it fits in perfectly with its Environment Improvement Plan strategies.

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It has been 10 years in the making but finally the bore is viable and a quality alternative water source is flowing onto the grounds, gardens, toilets and pool. It has been a team effort and now we can look forward to the future with another great tool at our disposal to show our turf trade skills. The Wesley and wider community are now enjoying five hectares of pure couch sporting surfaces that would not have been initiated during water restrictions unless we had this alternative supply of water. - Rob Savedra

Right: After some 10 years in the making Wesley College Glen Waverley Campus has a viable and a quality alternative water source and students and the wider community are now enjoying five hectares of premier pure couch sporting surfaces.

Class acts

Two of Melbourne’s leading colleges have taken significant measures in recent years to ensure their future irrigation requirements. Scotch College’s grounds manager Michael Smith and Wesley College’s grounds supervisor Rob Savedra look at their respective projects and the considerable improvements in efficiencies made.

In 2005 Melbourne-based Scotch College conducted a water audit with assistance from sustainability consultants. Since undertaking that detailed assessment, the college has actively taken a strategic approach to reducing its demand for potable water and consequently given water conservation and reuse a very high priority to point where now in 2010 a saving of more than 50 per cent has been realised across the whole facility. As well as setting a number of objectives, such as reducing mains water usage, developing water saving initiatives for the long-term, reducing environmental impact and maintaining the high standard of the college’s turf facilities, the audit also highlighted where water was being used throughout the site. Irrigation of the college’s sports fields accounted for 55 per cent (30.8 megalitres) of the total amount of water used (56ML) with the remaining 45 per cent made up of irrigating garden beds and water used in school buildings. A number of water saving initiatives have been implemented since the audit that have helped reduce mains water consumption including:

Water Management Review 2011

•

Introduction of Australian natives and drought tolerant plants to garden beds;

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Sub surface drip irrigation to garden beds, eliminating drift and evaporation;

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Ozone technology to onsite laundry

133

and swimming pool back wash operation; •

Water efficient shower heads, tapware and toilet fittings;

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Junior School oval synthetic grass conversion (water savings up to 6M/L p/a);

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Automatic irrigation upgrade to sports fields; and

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Drought tolerant grass conversion to sports fields (about 50 per cent less water requirements than coolseason grasses).

The consultants also investigated and reported on any potential alternative water sources that the college could used. These included: Rain water collection: A number of rain water collection tanks have been strategically placed around the school with a storage capacity of approximately 100,000 litres. This water is used for watering garden beds, trees and washing down plant and machinery. Treatment and reuse of laundry water: The Boarders’ laundry discharges approximately 1ML of grey water annually into the sewage system. An ozone laundry system has been installed to treat the water by minimising energy, water and chemical inputs to the washing process. Further investigation is being explored to reuse, store and treat the discharged water for irrigation purposes to the lawns and garden beds within the Boarding and Junior school precincts. Bore water: Investigation has been undertaken to explore the likely availability of bore water from an underground aquifer. Conclusions were this water source would not provide sufficient flow to justify investment and potential future regulation of ground water retrieval also made this an uncertain option. Gardiner’s Creek: The school has an extraction right to 6ML from Gardiner’s Creek which has been in use since 2005. The creek is located behind the school’s southern boundary and runs into the Yarra River. The school has invested in an ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation system to improve water quality and to ensure safe water.

Storm water harvesting: It was identified that storm water collection and reuse for irrigation was the best solution as an alternative water source given the school’s large internal catchment area and extensive underground storm water drainage network. Consideration was given to the type and size of the tanks required due to the large volume of water required to maintain the seven hectares of sports fields.

Irrigation self sufficiency After four years of planning and construction, the school now has a water storage capacity of 5.4 million litres. The storm water harvesting and irrigation reticulation master plan now allows Scotch to irrigate, maintain and present its sports fields at a high standard with safe conditions all year round. The project involved capturing storm water runoff from the school’s large internal catchment (about 8ha) and diverting this storm water through new and existing drainage networks to fill a 2.4ML water tank that was positioned underneath the school’s McKendrick soccer pitch and a further 3ML litre water tank positioned underneath the school’s Melville oval. The storm water is treated through gross pollutant traps preventing coarse sediments, grease, oil and organic material from entering the tanks. The water is then transferred from the tanks through an irrigation pump that pressurises the water through irrigation transfer lines that interconnect with new and existing irrigation systems within the sports fields. The tank structure was made from rectangular shaped recycled polypropylene modules, an Australian made product. The modules are 600mm long x 400mm wide x 1.35mm high and are tightly stacked next to each other and encased by a water proof heavy duty reinforced liner that is sandwiched between two layers of geotextile fabric. All joins within the liner are heat welded and pressure tested on site to ensure there are no leaks. The tank then sits neatly on a compacted 200mm crushed rock base. The perimeter of the tank excavation is filled with stabilised sand to lock the

structure together and to ensure there is no movement. A 300mm layer of crushed rock is spread and compacted over the top of the tank, approximately 500mm of clay and 300mm of existing topsoil was spread back over the tank to match finished surface levels. New automatic irrigation systems were installed and Santa ana couchgrass was laid to complete the project. When both are full the tanks will supply about one month’s summer irrigation requirements to the school’s sports fields (7ha). Early calculations have shown that about 10mm of rain over the site will harvest around 600,000l of water therefore 90mm of rain will fill the tanks – a total of 5.4ML. Recent climate data over the past five years has shown that Melbourne receives approximately 285 mm of rain from October through to April with an average monthly rainfall of 47.5mm. This information indicates that the tanks could fill up about three times over the 24-week irrigation window. As previously mentioned, in addition to storm water collection Scotch College has annual extraction rights from Gardiner’s Creek, which is located along the southern boundary of the school. Water can be pumped from the creek, filtered through an ultraviolet sterilisation system to improve water quality and then transferred into both tanks if required. However, in order to protect the waterway environment, flow trigger points have been set. Bans or restrictions on the taking of water come into effect when flow levels are low therefore this water source is not guaranteed.

Oval conversion Another key project was the conversion of the school’s sports ovals to drought tolerant turf species. The aim was to convert the school’s sports fields from the traditional cool-season grasses (ryegrass/Poa annua) to the more durable, drought resistant couchgrass thus reducing irrigation demands by up to 50 per cent. Problems synonymous with sports fields built 20 years ago included poor summer moisture retention, poor drainage and Poa annua infestation. These

characteristics were all evident within the school’s sports fields. The soil on site was very fine textured, had a low drainage rate and was susceptible to compaction. As a result the grounds became hard and unsafe with little if any grass cover for protection during summer and the potential to become waterlogged during a wet winter. Despite this the grounds presented a reasonable playing surface under below average rain fall. Surface fall of the ground was adequate, however, there were localised high and low areas that required significant regrading. Four sports fields required new irrigation systems and one sports field’s existing irrigation system needed upgrading to improve water uniformity and efficiency due unevenly spaced sprinkler heads. The programme of works required included: •

Total spray out of existing coolseason grasses and removal of 20mm of surface with top field maker machine;

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Double power harrow oval base;

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Soil amendments added and then double rotary hoe;

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Shape and laser level rough out;

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Irrigation installation;

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Final laser level;

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Fertilise with turf starter;

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Reset sprinkler heads to finished surface level;

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Lay Santa ana couch grass sod;

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Topdress turf after establishment period.

The oval conversions were staged over two years and began immediately after the last scheduled Associated Public Schools cricket match in November 2008 and 2009 giving about an eight week window during the school holiday period to complete the works and be ready for play at the beginning of the school year in February 2009 and 2010. The turf of choice was Santa ana. Given the timing of the project (during summer) the soil temperature was

Water Management Review 2011

consistently over 20°C allowing the turf root system to establish at a rapid rate. It was noticed that the turf root depth was 50mm after only seven days and a further 200mm after 28 days allowing mowing of the turf to take place after three weeks. Appropriate signage was also displayed to promote the project as a drought recovery initiative. Approaching the cooler months the couch is oversown with ryegrass to give it protection from leaf burn due to wear, as well as enhance winter colour. These cool-season grasses are then transitioned out with Monument herbicide at the beginning of spring to remove competition and give the couchgrass additional sunlight and air to encourage new growth and the break of dormancy.

Fine future All the above projects have been covered comprehensively in the school’s ‘Environs’ newsletter which aims to keep the Scotch College community informed about how the school is responding to the considerable environmental challenges that it confronts each day. Through the implementation of the school’s water strategy considerable savings have been achieved. In 2004 records indicated the school’s total water use was around 70ML per annum and 60 per cent (42ML) of this was used for irrigation purposes. In 2009 total water use was just 36ML, a saving of about 50 per cent and future forecasting predicts even more savings now that the school is totally independent of mains water for sports field irrigation.

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Pioneering Floating Treatment Islands in NSW It has long been recognised that the best known solution for high nutrient management in stored water is to mimic nature and create a natural filter system with constructed wetlands. However, often it is not possible to put aside the land or is it practical to retrofit existing structures for the large area needed. But as Harris Environmental Consulting has proved by placing these wetlands onto floating islands, these issues can be overcome. Kate and Sean Harris of Harris Environmental Consulting have developed and installed numerous islands in Australia over the last five years. Their interest in the islands started when Sean was working in the UK with a private consulting firm who were instrumental in the design of a floating treatment wetland to treat glycol runoff from Heathrow Airport. Sean explains how, “After coming home to

Australia, I saw numerous situations as an Environmental Consultant where islands could provide an effective solution to treating water. I think it was the concept of using a living system that really captured our imagination and led us on a path of extensive research and development.” After investigating a wide range of designs, Kate and Sean launched their first island in 2004 into a recycled effluent storage reservoir with severe blue green algae. This island was the first of many successful designs and installations, in sizes ranging from 4 m2 to 80 m2. The diverse applications range from sewage treatment ponds to lining a bank of the Parramatta River with floating streambank edges to prevent wave action.

to be physically robust and biologically resilient. Kate explains how important it is that the islands provide a maintenance free solution. “We aim for a self sustaining system which ultimately produces its own peat layer, similar to natural systems. This has the added advantage of providing more water treatment as the installation ages. Our first islands are all independent floating islands now with their own ecology and biomass, with virtually no maintenance requirements at all.”

Despite the wide range of applications, all have the common element of being built

FLOATING TREATMENT ISLANDS Harris Environmental Consulting designs, supplies and installs Floating Treatment Wetlands, Floating Streambank Edges and Instant Mature Islands. DIY kits available. Our islands provide: • nutrient and other pollutant removal • control of nuisance algal • treatment regardless of fluctuating water levels • restoration of biological balance • habitat enhancement- including fish

Launching Floating Streambank Edges into stormwater pond at Macquarie University.

• streambank protection • visual amenity • minimum riverbed disturbance

02 4236 0954

5 year old floating island in a pond holding treated effluent for irrigation onto Tuross Heads Golf Course

www.harrisenvironmental.com.au

Lindsay Introduces FieldNET™ mobile, Pivot Control For Smartphones

Lindsay Corporation, maker of Zimmatic® irrigation systems, announces FieldNET Mobile—pivot control for smartphones. FieldNET Mobile allows growers to fully control and monitor their irrigation pivots anywhere through the convenience of smartphones. “FieldNET Mobile provides a laborsaving innovation with the convenience of web-enabled phones,” says Reece Andrews, GrowSmart™ product manager at Lindsay. “With full control and monitoring from anywhere, growers are more efficient with their time and always know the status of their irrigation systems.” Rick Stimatze with Mull Farms and Feeding, Pawnee Rock, Kansas, USA, recently began using FieldNET Mobile to monitor and control 12 Zimmatic center pivot irrigation systems that are used to

Water Management Review 2011

irrigate approximately 1,600 acres (647 hectares) of corn, soybean and alfalfa. “FieldNET Mobile is a real time saver and mile saver. It keeps me from going out to the pivots to turn them on and off. It works great if we are in a repair or maintenance mode. If you are at the end of the pivot, you can start or stop the pivot with your smartphone without having to go to the pivot point. That’s a definite labor savings feature for us,” Stimatze says. FieldNET Mobile’s graphical interface is compatible with iPhone®, BlackBerry® and Android technology, according to Andrews. FieldNET is an award-winning web-based irrigation management system. With the addition of FieldNET Mobile, growers can view the current status of all their pivots in one list, receive system alerts, arrange pivots by predefined groups, view water usage reports and receive a history of pivot runtimes.

FieldNET Mobile is available as an upgrade in all areas serviced by FieldNET. For more information, visit www.zimmatic.com or talk to your local Zimmatic dealer.

Lindsay

Lindsay Corporation is a leading provider of automated mechanical move irrigation equipment and of traffic safety products. The Company manufactures and markets center-pivot, lateral-move and hose reel irrigation systems which are sold through its worldwide network of dealers. The Company’s Zimmatic, GrowSmart and Greenfield brands are highly recognised for their quality and technological leadership. The Company also manufactures and markets infrastructure road safety and congestion mitigation products through its wholly owned subsidiaries Barrier Systems Inc. (BSI) and Snoline S.P.A. In addition, the Company produces large diameter steel tubing and railroad signaling lights and structures.

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Australian Pump Industry Alive and Well Australia has long been recognised as the “driest continent”, so it is not surprising that pumps have played a major role in the development of the country. Since the late 19th century, pumps were being manufactured in Australia by companies seeking to provide equipment for the rural industry springing up in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Southern Cross and Thompsons Castlemaine are well known names from this era. As Australia became more industrialised, many other pump companies sprung up in our capital cities, including Kelly & Lewis, Ajax Pump, Mono Australia and Industrial Engineering Ltd. In 1963, under the umbrella of the Federal Government initiative headed by Dr. Bruce Sharp, local pump companies were invited to form an sssociation to represent them and provide a basis for consolidation of the Industry. As a result, the Australian Pump Manufacturers Association (APMA) was formed. This organisation represented the interests of the companies with the capacity to build pumps from raw materials upwards and provide equipment for the needs of a growing nation for everexpanding and improved public utilities, as well as the continuing Industrialisation

of country. With Government preferences and import duty as protection, the industry thrived until the mid 1980s, when changes in the industry began to occur. It should be recognised that, in global terms, Australia represented a small potential market and the cost of ongoing Research and Development for new technologies and improved products was disproportionately high, such that manufacturing of pumps has declined. Many of those leading Australian companies are now foreign owned, but this has also meant that Australian consumers have access to the latest world pump technology. There is still a significant investment in Australia to support local manufacture, although it is clear from ABS import statistics that there is an increased level of pump importation over time. The trend has been for multi-national investors, who set up businesses in Australia, particularly in the resources sector, to demand the very latest technology for their operations. This has meant that Australian pump suppliers have been obliged to stay ahead of the game in meeting these needs. We have seen the emergence of a number of specialist suppliers of pumping equipment

Batescrew Pumps, located at Tocumwal, are specialist manufacturers of high flow, low head tubular casing pumps. They were asked to supply automatically controlled variable speed equipment in the Robinvale area for pumping from the Murray River up to the Almond farms 4km away. The discharge needed to be variable to allow users to match the farm needs and available water in the river at different times of the year. The pumps had to be able to operated first time, every time, unmanned and at water supply levels that were sometimes less than desirable for good submergence during summer low river levels. The larger 36HC pumps have a peak duty of 1078 l/s each @ 42m TDH drawing 520kw from the Toshiba 8 pole, electric motors. The smaller pumps are 14MC mixed flow with top duty of 285 l/s @ 33m TDH drawing 116kw from CMG electric motors.

Despite the obvious flooding that has occurred recently, Toowoomba has traditionally suffered from inadequate water supply. This has led to the manufacture of a test bore pump by Tyco Pumping Systems for new bores drilled in the area. The unit supplied consisted of a 180mm diameter 30 stage “Everflow” vertical multistage pump direct coupled to a 230kW, submersible electric motor.

to provide effective solutions to pumping problems. As a result, pump business continues to grow and the sophistication of the industry has improved to match this growth. Many PIA members have developed skills and capabilities to match customer demands and perform to world benchmarks in quality and reliability. To reflect this change in the structure of the industry, the name of the Association was changed in 1997 to Pump Industry Australia (PIA) and PIA continues to promote the interests of its members with Government Authorities to ensure that the industry remains viable. It is important that the consumer can have confidence that the pumping equipment installed in major infrastructure projects can be effectively serviced throughout its operational life and this can only be assured if the equipment is expertly maintained and genuine spare parts are always available. This requires a strong representation of equipment manufacturers at all levels within the industry. The PIA website pumps.asn.au is a very effective means of keeping the business community in touch with the Association and learning about our members, their products and their services.

Many of the World’s leading pump companies are represented in the PIA, with head offices based in Europe, USA and Japan. As a result, Australian infrastructure developments can have access to the very latest technology, with full local support in terms of customisation, installation and commissioning and routine maintenance by firms familiar with all the Australian requirements for Government regulations, Building Codes and OH&S. PIA actively encourages developers and project managers to work with our members to obtain the best long term solution for their pumping needs. PIA has run a seminar in Melbourne recently to outline how our industry is coping with the need to conserve both water and energy, which was extremely well received. A further seminar is planned for July 2011 in Sydney to continue the interaction with major pump users and to promote the concept of “life cycle costs”, where companies look at the combined cost of the capital equipment, the power consumed over the installation life time and the cost of parts and maintenance until the equipment needs to be replaced. In a world where the effects of global warming can be

catastrophic, any initiative to reduce power consumption is helpful. It is estimated that 10-15 per cent of power is consumed in driving electric motors coupled to pumping equipment, so an efficient, reliable pump can be a major contributor to energy efficiency targets. So, what has the Australian Pump Industry achieved in recent years? We take this opportunity to give you a snapshot of the projects undertaken by our members. Pumps are not very often talked about; they are no status symbol, like the latest Mercedes! However, without them, our daily lives would be a lot less comfortable. No more early morning showers, no flushing toilets, no air conditioning and fire protection in highrise buildings. These are just a few of the services that we take for granted which depend on pumping equipment in unseen plant rooms across Australia. Australian consumers can take comfort in the fact that Australian pump suppliers continue to operate successfully. However, it is important to recognise that there are relatively high costs of doing business in Australia and some equipment is being procured by international contractors based on preferred trading arrangements with companies who do

BKB Envirotech, part of the BKB Group, successfully undertook a number of turnkey pump and water storage projects in Australia. Purpose built packages were provided by BKB Envirotech to Mitchell Water for 29 pumping stations for the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project for stages 1,2,3,4, and 6. The packages were manufactured in-house and tested in a NATA accredited facility located in Hallam prior to installation and commissioning on site. The old, open channel system was unsustainable - more than 80 per cent of water was wasted through seepage and evaporation. Of up to 120 billion litres of water released from storages in the Grampians each year, only 17 billion litres of water reached customers on farms and in towns.

KSB Australia Pty Ltd supplied four large water pumps to a new pumping station at Ravenswood inn West Australia. The pumps will be used to feed a storage reservoir with up to 265 million litres of drinking water a day via a pipeline from a desalination plant under construction. These axially split casing pumps are driven by 2400 kW electric motors and have very high operating efficiency and minimise power consumption on this important project. Water Corporation is one of Australia’s largest water supply companies. It caters for the approximately 2.5 million inhabitants of Western Australia.

Water Management Review 2011

not have representation in this country. The Governments Enhanced Project By-law Scheme (EPBS) is intended to give Australian suppliers a full and fair opportunity to engage with investment projects undertaken in Australia. However, there is considerable anecdotal evidence to suggest that this is not as effective as many Australian suppliers had hoped. While PIA continues to liaise with the Department of Innovation and Industry and the Industry Capability Network to promote the capability of PIA members, we need to emphasise the need for project business to be secured by Australian companies who have adequate infrastructure to maintain plant operation into the future. It requires tangible support from Federal and State Governments as well as international investors to ensure that a strong local Pump Industry survives against lower cost competition for suppliers who may not have the capability to support these products in the field. Caveat Emptor - Let the buyer beware!

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Stevco Seals and pumps

Stevco Seals and Pumps Victoria was established in 2004 with a clear mission to provide first class products, support and aftermarket service in pumps and mechanical seals. We have selected products and aligned ourselves with leading manufacturers of high quality equipment to ensure we are able to offer our clients “best fit” solutions for all of their pumping and sealing needs. We offer a comprehensive range of pumps and mechanical seals to suit almost every industrial pumping application. Understanding our client’s process and commercial needs and building relationships through our dealings ensures we can deliver service and value above and beyond the products we provide. Our workshop is well equipped to build new pump sets, overhaul your

Stevco Seals & Pumps Victoria Pty. Ltd.

existing pumping equipment or perform improvements including mechanical seal upgrades and application of high efficiency abrasion resistant surface coatings.

•

Food Processing

•

Beverage production and packaging

•

Ink manufacturing and printing

We can also provide on-site servicing including pump installation, removal, routine servicing and repair with our suitably equipped vehicles and trained field personnel.

•

Pharmaceutical

•

General process

•

Specialist equipment manufacturers and pump OEMs (mechanical and Inpro seals)

Supply of gland packing, gasketing, pump spare parts and mechanical seal servicing are also part of our all-inclusive range. We are also distributors of the world famous Inpro-Seal compound labyrinth bearing isolators and “Air Mizer” dry running, air purged product seals. Industries we currently service include: •

Water and waste water facilities

•

Pulp and paper manufacturing

With support from our supply partners we provide ongoing product and technical training for all of our field and workshop staff and are active members of “Pump Industry Australia”. Visit our website at www.Stevcovic.com.au for further information or contact us to discuss your pumping and sealing requirements.

water problems?...

Comprehensive range of: • Centrifugal Pumps • Multistage Pumps • Submersible Pumps • Rotary Lobe Pumps • Circumferential Piston Pumps • Helical Rotor Pumps • Mechanical Seals • Inpro Labyrinth Seals • Gland Packings

SSPV

pump and seal it with Stevco Melbourne (03) 9408 3875 | vicsales@stevco.com.au www.stevcovic.com.au

NOV Mono® provides a compact solution for tower bridge

A high performance Compact C Range progressing cavity (PC) pump from NOV Mono® has been installed at the historic British landmark, Tower Bridge, to handle rainwater and the ingress of ground water from the River Thames. Tower Bridge, which uses a progressing cavity pump in each of its bridge legs for dewatering purposes, requested a like for like replacement from Mono after the previous Mono PC pump which was installed had run smoothly for over ten years. Tower Bridge has been successfully using Mono pumps for over 30 years. David Duffy, Technical Officer at Tower Bridge (City of London Corporation), commented: “The Mono pumps transfer ground water to the surface 100 feet above before it is transferred to the main drainage system. Without the Mono pumps, the two towers would fill up with water and flood up to the level of the river. “We specified Mono because as well as being the original equipment supplier, we know the Mono brand to be reliable and trust the pump to do the job well. The Mono Compact C Range pump is extremely dependable, reducing maintenance and making our process much more efficient, which is extremely important due to the Tower Bridge being such an historical landmark building. We are very happy with the service that Mono

Water Management Review 2011

provided and the pump is continuing to run efficiently.” Mono’s Compact C progressing cavity pump range has been designed to fit into compact spaces while reliably performing to the maximum duty requirement of the application. The pump uses positive displacement for process control, variable speed for accurate dosing and features a suction lift capability of over eight metres. This high pressure pump also eliminates the need for a series of pumps when pumping over long distances and the gentle pumping action minimises shear or crush damage for delicate applications. Low running speeds and an option of a square inlet and conveyor to assist viscous slurries into the pumping element make it ideal for abrasive applications.

Features & Benefits •

Available in cast iron or stainless steel, with a choice of rotor and stator materials.

•

A high pressure pump eliminating the need for a series of pumps when pumping over long distances or with high head requirements.

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Available in standard geometry or extended pitch.

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Gentle pumping action minimises shear and crush damage.

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Inspection cover available for applications where rag content is a problem.

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The pump can be supplied with a square inlet and conveyor to assist viscous slurries into the pumping element.

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Low running speeds - ideal for abrasive applications.

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Pumps can be supplied to comply with the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC.

The NOV Mono® Group is a worldwide leader in pumps, parts, grinders, screens and packaged systems. With revenues in excess of $170 million, the NOV Mono® Group has700 authorised distributors across the globe and employs over 700 people. For further information contact NOV Mono® on: Tel: 1800 333 138 Email: ozsales@nov.com Website: www.monopumps.com.au

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NOV Mono® Compact C Pump installed at London’s Tower Bridge...

“A competitive priced progressing cavity pump, with a compact construction and maximum performance.”

ADV246 ADV246 - Aust. Water Mgt Review - Feb 2011v2.indd 1

16/02/2011 2:55:58 PM

Wioa Conferences around australia NSW n 30 & 31 March n NeWcaStle QlD n 1 & 2 JuNe n tooWooMba VIc n 7 & 8 SepteMber n beNDIgo

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Our primary focus is to share information between people working in operational roles in the water & wastewater industry. Invitation to all Water & wastewater industry employees Plumbers Trade waste officers Council staff Consultants Scientists Environment officers Food & beverage industry Mining industry Exhibitions Largest annual regional water industry expos Free â&#x20AC;&#x201C; visitors welcome to network Technical Presentations Platform and poster papers Site tours Awards n

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For full conference Water Management Review 2011 program,

Learn About Actuators Aeration Automation Blowers CCTV Coatings Compressors Dosing equipment Electronics Jetters Lab instrumentation Motors Odour control Pipes Pneumatics PPE Pumps Safety equipment Valves ... plus much more. n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

trade site availability or to receive your free trade pass visit: www.wioa.org.au or email: info@wioa.org.au â&#x20AC;˘ tel 03 5821 6744

Practical Guides to Water Treatment 143

the Practical Guide to tion isa tim Operation and Op rs lte Fi ia of Med

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Bruce Mur ray and Pe ter Mosse

A nA nn en tett et e DDa a v i s o n v i s o n , , DDaann D e e r e D e e r e aa nn dd P e t e r P e t e r MMoosss se e CRC for Water Quality and CRC forTreatment Water Quality and Treatment

Introduction In support of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines Framework for the Management of Drinking Water Quality, the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia has coordinated the production and distribution of a series of “practical guides” to the operation of key steps (control points) in the delivery of water from the catchment to the consumers tap.

the Operation to e id u G l a c ti c ra P of Chlorine and Optimisation Disinfection and Chloramine

Only

The practical guides are being produced by Australian water industry specialists all with significant practical operational experience in Australian conditions. The series of five practical guides aimed at water system operators and managers covers media filters; catchment management issues; chemical addition and primary solids removal; water distribution system operation and disinfection management. The project is being assisted by financial contributions from the Australian Water Association (AWA), the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the Co-operative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment (CRC WQT), the NSW Water Directorate, Pipes Wagga, the Qld Water Industry Training Association (WITA) and the International Centre for Excellence in Water Resource Management (ICE WaRM).

Testimonials I have just finished reading a copy of your “Filters” publication and after 40 years in the urban and rural water and wastewater industry in Queensland, I'm not easily impressed, but the Guide is excellent. I've already obtained an individual copy for each of my Operators, and I'll be making sure that they know that I think they need to take good note of the Guide. I see that this Guide will be one of a small series of Practical Guides. The quality of this one is so high that I will be purchasing copies of those as they become available. Thank you and your team for all the good work. Patrick (Pat) McCourt - Manager Treatment Processes, Pine Rivers Shire Council, Qld I’ve sat back and had a quiet and objective flick through the Chem Dosing, Coag, Flocc and Clarification Practical Guide. It’s a masterpiece!! Seriously, it’s right up with the best in terms of a single, practical guide to these very important unit processes in water treatment and at the price, it is unbelievable value!! Congratulations again to WIOA and to the authors Peter Mosse and Bruce Murray for pulling it off. It should prove to be a ver y valuable reference.

Hourigan n a n d To n y erek Brade D , e s s o M Pe t e r

108 full colour n. atio pages of inform ery A resource ev t water treatmen ve! ha operator should

Peter Gebbie – Principal Engineer (Process Design), Water Group, SMEC Aust.

More information at www.wioa.org.au

+GST

How is trenchless technology improving water and wastewater networks in Australia? Best Practice Guidelines for Watering Open Spaces Trenchless Technology is an important component in the installation and maintenance of Australia’s water and wastewater infrastructure. This innovative construction method provides a number of costsaving and sustainable choices. The ‘no-dig’ approach allows for water saving through rehabilitation and repair of broken and ageing pipelines, as well as through installing new infrastructure with an environmentally friendly approach.

Each year the trenchless industry is expanding. Forward thinking councils and utilities are now requesting the trenchless option to protect the amenity of neighbourhoods and to reduce impact on traffic and business. These techniques allow for installation and rehabilitation that reduces infiltration and exfiltration, allowing Australians to have clean and safe drinking water straight from their taps. Australians are gravely concerned about the nation’s water supply in light of forecast population targets, and though they are committed to reducing household water usage, there is widespread preference for more infrastructure to ensure adequate water supply in the future, according to research commissioned by MWH Australia. Here we will look at case studies where trenchless techniques are being used to help ensure this water security. The first, a major microtunnelling project, is helping link the Queensland water supply by installation of a connecting pipeline. The second, an Australasian award winning project that used horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to help maintain overflows in Sydney.

Linking Queensland’s water supply Microtunnelling was recently used to complete the Northern Pipeline Interconnector – Stage 2 Project. Connecting the Queensland water supply via a 48 km underground, reverse-flow water pipeline, the project completed the longest pipe jack in the southern hemisphere. The Northern Pipeline Interconnector (NPI) – Stage 2 involves the construction of the 48 km water pipeline from the Noosa Water Treatment Plant to the NPI – Stage 1 at Eudlo, located in South East Queensland.

Water Management Review 2011

145

The pipe used for the project is 1,200 mm in diameter, mild steel cement lined and includes cathodic protection anodes, air valves, drain down valves and pigging pits along its length. The Stage 2 construction is extremely important for providing a stable water supply to the residents of South East Queensland during a time of unprecedented population growth. Northern Network Alliance Manager, John Palmer, said, “The completed NPI (Stage 1 and Stage 2) will supply a target volume of 65 mega litres per day of potable fresh water to existing storage facilities at Elimbah and Morayfield. Successful completion of Stage 2 includes a number of integration works with Stage 1 in order to operate the project as a whole.”

Going the distance “One of the most difficult components of the project has been the planning and

construction of the Pringle Hill tunnel ¬– the longest single pipe-jacked microtunnel of its kind in the southern hemisphere,” Palmer said.

The launch shaft

The Pringle Hill tunnel is 1,032 m long, and travels under the established suburban areas of Nambour.

A single microtunnel of this length generates a great deal of thrust force on the back of the launch shaft as the TBM progresses. Thrust force is absorbed by thick concrete walls at the back of the launch shaft. This concrete is reinforced by soil which has usually not been disturbed before and as a result is very compacted and solid.

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) used for the tunnel was the Herrenknecht AVN2000 slurry machine, rented for the duration of construction. “Usually a TBM of comparable length would be divided into sections with one or more intermediate shafts. However, the steep slope and topography of the area made this option impossible, so the Pringle Hill tunnel had to be one long, continuous tunnel. “This created a number of challenges for the alliance, including long walks for the crew when the cutter heads needed to be changed,” Palmer said.

In addition to the length of the microtunnel, the launch shaft itself provided its own challenges.

This, however, was not the case at Pringle Hill. Up until approximately ten years ago, the launch site had been used as a dumping ground for cars, building supplies and general waste. As a result, the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Resource Management declared the site contaminated.

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The entire property had to be excavated up to a depth of 7 m, the soil tested and then backfilled before the alliance could commence construction works. “This meant the soil was significantly less compacted than anticipated and as such could not absorb as much of the thrust force as intended, causing the need for a late redesign for the launch shaft,” said Palmer.

Degrees of difficulty A significant challenge for the Pringle Hill tunnel was the vertical difference between the launch and reception shafts of approximately 60 m. This presents not only the logistical difficulties of creating an upward curving tunnel, but also impacts the operation of the pipeline once complete. Works at the launch site were required to operate on a 24 hour, seven-day basis to minimise the possibility of elements of the TBM binding with the rock in the hill. The TBM completed the tunnel on 1 November 2010, after three months of drilling. The project is being constructed by the Northern Network Alliance which is made

Water Management Review 2011

up of Abigroup, McConnell Dowell, KBR and LinkWater Projects as proponent. Construction on the NPI – Stage 2 began on 15 February 2010 and is due for completion in mid-2011. Commissioning is expected to be completed by December 2011. Once commissioned, ownership of the completed pipeline will ultimately be transferred to LinkWater, the Queensland Government’s Bulk Water Transport Authority. Delivering cleaner waterways for Sydney UEA completed a 1,403 m horizontal directional drill of 500 mm HDPE from Brightmore Reserve in Cremorne for the SewerFix Wet Weather Alliance as part of the Eaton Street Wet Weather Storage Facility in Neutral Bay, on the north shore of Sydney Harbour. The Sewerfix Wet Weather Alliance (SWWA) was established to deliver Sydney Water’s Wet Weather Overflow Abatement Program. The alliance brings together five organisations: Sydney Water, Manidis Roberts, MWH, PB and United Group Infrastructure. Primarily targeted at swimming sites, the program will provide benefits to the environment and human

health, and is part of Sydney Water’s long-term SewerFix program of sewerage system improvements. All sewerage systems around the world are designed with overflow points. They prevent wastewater from backing up into people’s homes when the sewer is full. During wet weather, rainwater enters sewers through cracks or faults in pipes and through illegal sewer connections. Once the sewer pipes are full, diluted sewage spills through designed overflow points into waterways. Prior to this project (diluted) sewage was discharged to Sydney Harbour via two overflows on the Mosman Submain approximately 185 times in ten years. The Eaton St WWSF reduces this frequency to the catchment target frequency of 20 spills in ten years. The basic function of the facility is to pump excess flows from the Mosman Submain to another area of the catchment with spare capacity. To achieve this, the facility pumps flow along a rising main beneath Montpelier Street to the top of Forsyth Park. A short section of gravity sewer takes the flows to the top of the bore, and from there it flows via gravity to Brightmore Reserve where an energy dissipation chamber slows the flow down before being discharged to the receiving sewer.

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Preliminary work prior to award No gravity options were considered to be feasible for this project; hence a pumping station was the only viable means of transferring the flows. From concept stage the design of the pumping station and the rising main were relatively straightforward. The difficulty was in how to get the flow from the top of the rising main to the receiving sewer. Connections to several sewers/tunnels were considered, including The Northside Storage Tunnel (NST), the Alfred Street Submain, the Mosman Slopes Submain and Northern Suburbs Ocean Outfall Sewer (NSOOS), all of which flow to North Head Sewage Treatment Works via the NSOOS. All of the above are deep (in some cases very deep) tunnels for most, if not all, of their lengths – the one exception being the Mosman Slopes Submain, which has a short section

of pipe running through Brightmore Reserve in Cremorne. However, three of the other options were shorter and had slightly more favourable grade tolerances; therefore the Brightmore Reserve option was initially discounted. Connecting to the NSOOS at the Alfred Street Submain was the shortest of the options but it posed the most difficult problems from a construction and safety perspective both during construction – including setting up drilling equipment on top of heritage-listed World War 2 diesel storage tanks – and for maintenance. The Alfred Street Submain is a 120 year old, brick-lined, 4 ft by 3 ft, ovoid sewer, over 90 m deep in places. The bore would have crossed within a few metres of the Alfred Street Submain, approximately 50 m from the connection point to the NSOOS. If it was damaged during this exercise there

is no way, at present, of repairing it. The connection point, MH21, is over 65 m deep. The NSOOS runs at the base of MH21 and is over 3 m wide and almost 3 m high. Nearly 90 years old, it has constant waist height sewage flowing around 40 km per hour in an atmosphere that would require breathing equipment to operate in. Given this, the problems with making the connection, the potential structural issues with the MH and the NSOOS, the associated problems with high pressure drilling fluid acting not only on the NSOOS walls but on the Alfred Street Submain, this option was discounted – although not until every possible way to make it feasible had been explored. Several other options were investigated but due to local community, odour control, access, health and safety as well as many of the issues mentioned above they were discounted.

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Kembla Continues Impressive Climb Upwards by Sarah McTaggart 2010 proved a busy and successful year for Kembla Watertech. The launch of several new products and services has continued Kembla’s climb upwards as Australia’s pipeline renewal specialist for both pressure and non-pressure applications. Kembla Watertech has been active in the pipeline rehabilitation industry since 1993 and has a team of over 150 experienced and trained personnel, who operate an enviable suite of products and services from around the world customised to meet unique Australian conditions. Kembla has invested heavily in acquiring state-of-the-art technology in order to offer the most cost effective solutions to critical environmental problems, and its history of innovation and introduction of new technology in Australia is second to none. In 2010, Kembla launched its Access Chamber Rehabilitation Systems – 3D Manhole Inspection Camera & M-Coating – along with SWP DiaFit and SWP SL.

3D Manhole Scanner

There is a high occupational health and safety risk factor associated with working environments such as access chambers and wet wells. With Kembla’s 3D Scanner that risk is mitigated because there is no requirement for personnel to enter underground chambers.

The set up uses a sophisticated camera head on a pulley which scans the entire interior of the access chamber or wet well in a few seconds in one single vertical run. The image data is transmitted digitally to the operator and can be used as a live picture survey for on-the-spot analysis, or saved for assessment in the office by either Kembla’s specialists or client personnel.

M-Coating

Kembla’s M-Coating system is used to clean and resurface access chambers. As with the 3D Scanner, the M-Coating system uses specialised equipment that has been designed such that confined space entry is not required. Cleaning and coating is controlled automatically from above the ground. The access chamber cleaning is undertaken using a specially designed cleaning nozzle coupled to a high pressure water pump delivering 385 bar working pressure. The specialised mortar spray head is then lowered into the access chamber by way of a swinging boom. This spinning head applies a uniform coating thickness to the walls as it is automatically raised and lowered until the required final coating thickness is achieved. A specified coating thickness of 10mm is achieved in less than half an hour. The result is a fully functional, cleaned and rehabilitated access chamber within a couple of hours.

KEMBLA WATERTECH History of Innovation

June 2nd 1993 The first length of Ex method lining in Australia is installed into a 150mm sewer in Corrimal NSW

1999 Kembla develops a structural liner for house service lines and is awarded first contract by Sydney Water for over 1000 installations

1996 Unique grouting technology is developed by Kembla for sealing house service lines

2004 Work is completed on the largest single sewer reticulation rehabilitation contract ever let in Australia

2001 Kembla designs, builds and patents a structural sealing repair system for pipe connections under the trade mark of Tiger T

June 2nd 2008 Kembla celebrates 15 years as a trenchless technology specialist. The original Ex lining at Corrimal is surveyed by CCTV and verified to be still in excellent condition

2007 Licence agreement signed with Singapore company for the use of Kembla technologies on contracts worth over $30M

2010 Kembla launches 3 new systems at Trenchless Live: M-Coating for access chambers, 3D Inspection Camera & Kembla SWP (spiral wound pipe) linings. Full scale testing of special types of CIPP linings for oviforms

Kembla Watertech has now rehabilitated thousands of kilometres of pipes of all shapes and sizes

Water Management Review 2011

Spiral Wound Pipe

Spiral Wound Pipe (SWP) comprises a method whereby a pipe or liner is formed in-situ by helically winding a PVC profile strip into a host pipe, normally from an existing access chamber. Kembla launched two SWP systems in 2010; SWP DiaFit and SWP SL. SWP DiaFit is for use in pipes ranging from 225mm to 60mm diameter, and the SWP SL is available for use in pipes ranging from 750mm to 2000mm. Both SWP systems are suitable for all circular non-pressure pipes, and both systems are designed as structural liners with a service life in excess of 50 years.

Image: DiaFit strip profile

Since their launch at Trenchless Live in 2010 in Coffs Harbour, the team at Kembla has been busy demonstrating these new technologies to various water authorities around Australia. When asked about his vision for the future of his company, Managing Director Chris Meredith said “I have always taken great pride in the innovative culture that has been a focus of Kembla since day one, and I’m excited about the current large portfolio of products and services that Kembla has to offer our clients. We are Australia’s one-stop-shop for any pipeline repair problem. I’m also excited about what 2011 will bring, as Kembla will continue to pave the way with the introduction of new technologies to the trenchless industry.” With extensive in-house capability for design and management, Kembla’s engineered solutions and water services will be on display at stand F40 at OzWater ’11. For more information on any of Kembla Watertech’s products and services, please call 1800 803 861 or visit www.kemblawatertech.com.au

Australia’s Pipeline Renewal Specialist 18 years of experience in Australia and overseas A proven track record of consistently delivering:    

innovative and proven processes a full suite of renewal systems grown from strong foundations an emphasis on partnerships, integrity, safety & sustainability reliable delivery and strong community relations ensures highest quality outcomes

1800 803 861 www.kemblawatertech.com.au

SewperCoat® 20 Years of Proven Performance in Sewers

Around the world, sewer deterioration due to biogenic corrosion is a serious headache for numerous Owners and Operators. According to American EPA, less than 25% of rehabilitation needs can be funded, either in the USA or abroad. In such context, it is even more important to ensure that costly underground rehab works will last. Once seen as the forever solution, inert liners like epoxy or polyurethane have simply not delivered the expected performance. For owners looking for economical and proven durable rehabilitation methods, SewperCoat® mortar should be considered. SewperCoat® is a 100% calcium aluminate mortar manufactured by Kerneos, and due to this unique mineralogy it is able to withstand severe biogenic corrosion sometimes referred to as Microbiologically Induced Corrosion (MIC) - found in municipal wastewater environments. While the commercial registered product SewperCoat® celebrates its 20th year in service in waste water environments this year, calcium aluminate technology has been put to the test for many years prior. In fact, the oldest reference showing the superior durability of calcium aluminate mortar in sewers dates back to 1928. Since the 1950s, hundreds of kilometres of concrete sewer pipes have been cast or lined with Ciment Fondu®, Kerneos’ most well known calcium aluminate cement. In the 1980s, Kerneos sponsored extensive academic research and field observations to understand why calcium aluminate was showing such good resistance to biogenic corrosion found in municipal sewers. This research led to a comprehensive understanding of the interaction of calcium aluminates within the acidophilic bacteria ecosystem, and propelled the development of SewperCoat® as the ultimate repair mortar to resist the aggression of biogenic corrosion. SewperCoat®’s exceptional durability relies on its 100% CA composition obtained by the combination of calcium aluminate cement with calcium aluminate aggregates, leading to a unique “multiple barrier” system: •

First, acid neutralization capacity is about ten times higher than ordinary concrete;

Water Management Review 2011

•

Second, once exposed to bacteria acid, alumina gel precipitates a solid barrier down to pH 4;

•

Third, below pH 4, alumina is liberated and inhibits further bacterial activity on SewperCoat® surface, drastically slowing down the formation bacteria borne sulphuric acid;

•

In parallel, SewperCoat®’s abrasion resistance is four to eight times higher compared to ordinary concrete.

Kerneos – formerly known as Lafarge Aluminates - created the SewperCoat® range for wastewater infrastructure protection, but this is only one solution among Kerneos’ global offer. In fact, Kerneos is the reference supplier of calcium aluminates worldwide, offering a full range of high technology calcium aluminate binders to its customers (Refractory and Steel Industries, Building Chemistry, Wastewater Industries as well as other Technical Industries). These are sold under the trademarks CIMENT FONDU®, SECAR®, TERNAL®, PERAMIN®, CALCOAT®, LDSF® and OPTIMET®. Combining the benefits of a global industrial presence with a world wide supply chain network, Kerneos provides its customers with tailored services including dedicated local technical support, as well as reliable and rapid supply on all continents. SewperCoat® brings 20 years of proven performance, through its application for the protection of large numbers of new or damaged wastewater structures such as manholes, wet wells, pumping stations, main trunk line sewers and other wastewater treatment plant structures the world over (USA, France, Australia, Singapore, Middle East, etc). SewperCoat® was introduced in Australia around 10 years ago and after extensive, cautious and patient proofing, sewer owners are now choosing SewperCoat® to rehabilitate their infrastructure. For contractors specialising in sewer maintenance, SewperCoat® is available both in dry spray and pumpable wet spray grades. The dry spray product is better suited to large structure rehabilitation. The pumpable wet spray product is the most widely applied due to its advantages of minimal dust and

virtually no rebound and ease of finish. It also improves the safety of workers in manhole rehabilitation projects, where the use of spinning head equipment has made “no-man-entry-rehabilitation” a reality in many instances. As a hydraulic binder based mortar, Sewpercoat® is fully compatible with moist environments and can be installed in a live sewer thanks to the rapid hardening property of calcium aluminate as SewperCoat® develops its strength within four to eight hours, or faster when accelerated, allowing rapid return to service. Track records clearly exhibit that SewperCoat® is the ultimate solution for wastewater network owners who are looking for high quality, longevity and safety. Now that the large authorities such as those in NSW (Sydney), South Australia, Queensland and Victoria have approved the use of SewperCoat® in their networks, the profile of this technology will continue to grow in Australia.

You’ve put SewperCoat® in service.

SewperCoat®, the only proven 100% calcium aluminate solution, has decades of worldwide performance in the harshest sewer environments. Its unique chemistry resists the effects of biogenic corrosion for generations. In Australia, after rigorous evaluation, more and more sewer Owners and Operators are now specifying SewperCoat® for their rehabiliation works. With SewperCoat® on the job, there’s one less thing to worry about.

Call us for more information: 61-2-9498-5288

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Understanding a complex environment…

RIPE Replacement Inflatable Packers and Elements

Replacement Inflatable Packers and Elements Pty Ltd (RIPE) is a Perth, West Australian company with 30 years experience in designing and building inflatable packers. RIPE inflatable packers maintain a strong competitive profile, demonstrating leadership and innovation in applying cost effective inflatable packer solutions to your engineering and technical demands. Our expanding international markets include France (obturateurs gonflables), Italy (packer’s gonfiabili), Germany (schlauchpacker), Russia (надувной пакер), Česky (Nafukovaci pakry) Spain (obturadores inflables), South America (packers inflables), USA, India and China and the Middle East. RIPE inflatable packers service the demands of diverse down-hole industries, including oil and gas (onshore and offshore) and coal bed methane,

Water Management Review 2011

water well, construction, geo-thermal, environmental, mining and all geotechnical investigations. In addition, RIPE manufacturers and supplies all ancillary equipment such as hoses, hose fittings, pipes, inflation gauge boards, flow meters and other inflatable packer equipment and spares along with our comprehensive repair and rebuilding service. All RIPE inflatable packers are fully tested using NATA certified equipment and are available for sale or hire. RIPE inflatable packers manufacture down-hole tools including single wireline packer systems, inflatable bridge plugs and borehole abandonment packers, well termination packer plugs, reline casing packers and swage packers, high pressure packers (up to 12,000psi), cement grouting packers, RIPE K-packers, telescopic seals, and our unique PCV blind K-packers. Additionally, our high pressure packers are

uniquely suited to water well hydrofracture procedures and water well permeability drill stem testing (DST) operations. Our high pressure packers are a first choice for pre-conditioning block caving procedures. RIPE is a leading Australian manufacturer for high specification inflatable packers. Demand for our products in Australia and overseas has forged new partnerships, with distributors in Queensland (Australia), Canada and the USA with agents in Chile representing South America. We maintain strong connections in Europe with distributors in Italy and France also on sellers in the Middle East, China and India. Whatever your requirements, we look forward to applying our expertise to achieve practical and economical packer solutions on your behalf. Available 24hours 7days a week visit our website www.ripe-packers.com

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COE Drilling Successfully completes Barwon River Crossing

Barwon River

In Mid 2010 Barwon Water Alliance awarded the Barwon River Crossing – Ocean Grove Rising Main # 2 contract to Coe Drilling Pty Ltd. Barwon Water Alliance comprises Barwon Water, GHD Pty Ltd and John Holland Group. The project entailed the design, engineering, procurement and construction of a 560m long DN 630 HDPE 100 PN 16 Sewer Rising mains pipeline to be installed using the Horizontal Directional Drilling method at Barwon Heads near the mouth of the Barwon River. Coe Drilling mobilised to site in September 2010 following design approval and set up site at the Ocean Grove side of the river. The CoeDrill 210 was supported by a NF1000 Mud Pump and 1000GPM Mud System.

The CoeDrill 210 was selected as the most appropriate HDD rig to use due to the limited clearing permitted at the site and following site establishment the Pilot Hole was completed in less than 7 days using a 6 •••” mud motor and 9 7/8” Drill Bit. A temporary steel mud return pipeline was installed across the river bed to allow controlled transfer of the drilling fluids during the hole opening operations. The final 32” dia borehole was completed with three reaming pass after which a cleaning pass was completed to ensure the integrity of the borehole prior to pipeline installation. The formation within which the majority of the drilling occurred was Basalt bedrock. The DN 630 HDPE 100 PN 16 Pipeline string was fabricated in a nearby park before being manouvered into position for the pullback.

COE DRILLING SU BARWON

The pipeline was installed and following a Hydrostatic test, Coe completed the tie in connections and installed pigging traps and isolation valves. The completed works were handed over to Barwon Water Alliance in early December 2010.

Barwon River

In Mid 2010 Barwon Water Alliance award contract to Coe Drilling Pty Ltd. Barwon W Holland Group.

The project entailed the design, engineerin 100 PN 16 Sewer Rising mains pipeline to Barwon Heads near the mouth of the Barw

Coe Drilling mobilised to site in Septembe Grove side of the river.

Coe Drilling Pty Ltd 11-13 Gibbs Street, Labrador, Queensland 4215 Australia. +61 7 5500 5222 Tel +61 7 5500 6444 Fax www.coedrilling.com.au

• Oil & Gas • Telecommunications • Water & Waste Water • Environmental Remediation The CoeDrill 210 was supported by a NF10 • Power • 50-300 Ton Capacity The CoeDrill 210 was selected as the most • 6”- 54” Completed • 100-2040m Crossings Completed at the site and following site establishmen

mud motor and 9 7/8” Drill Bit. A tempor allow controlled transfer of the drilling flui was completed with three reaming pass aft the borehole prior to pipeline installation.

Nacap Brings Energy to its Destination in Australia With an excellent safety record, and proven ability to provide a wide range of services from Project Management to Construction and Commissioning, Nacap are a world leading pipeline and HDD construction contractor. Nacap own a modern and well maintained specialised pipeline and HDD fleet of equipment which includes over 200 pipelayers and a large array of Horizontal Directional Drilling/Micro-tunnelling equipment which deliver trenchless technology for pipes of up to 56” diameter and lengths approaching 2,000+ metres. As part of the Thiess Degremont Nacap Joint Venture, we are constructing pipeline which is to transport desalinated

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Water Management Review 2011

water from the Wonthaggi Plant to the Cardinia Reservoir near Berwick. The pipeline is approximately 85km in length, DN1930 (76”) with a maximum system pressure rating of PN25 (2,500 Kpa). Our people are our greatest asset, we share a compliance driven work culture whilst working in a climate of innovation. We focus on achieving outstanding results across a broad range of project objectives. These objectives are delivered to Nacap’s clients using a broad and comprehensive suite of management procedures which are targeted to linear pipeline construction projects.

including small diameter steel/HDPE gathering/flowlines to larger diameter welded steel transmission pipelines. Contract values range from $2M to in excess of $500M on the basis of Construct Only and EPC packages. Nacap has the logistical experience for the successful completion of projects in remote regions, and we are totally committed to providing quality and safe outcomes to the construction industry in Australia.

We have constructed over 3,000 kilometres of pipelines in Australia,

2/10/2011 11:22:57 AM

155

Rehabilitation of Trunk Watermain for SA Water using Swagelining™

ITS Trenchless offer Swagelining™ as a rehabilitation process for the renewal of pressure and non pressure pipelines in water, sewer and industrial applications. The process is ideally suited where techniques such as open trench or pipebursting are not suitable. ITS Trenchless is the only contractor performing swagelining in Australia. We undertook this project with our partner BJ Jarrad who performed the related civil works. This is the second project for SA Water having also completed a project in Adelaide in 2007. Swagelining™ uses PE pipe, which has an outside diameter slightly larger than the ID of the pipe to be rehabilitated. After sections of PE pipe are butt fused together to form a continuous string, the PE pipe is pulled through a reducing die to temporarily reduce diameter. This allows the PE pipe to be easily pulled through the host pipe. After the PE pipe is inserted,

the pulling force is removed, allowing the PE pipe to return naturally toward its original diameter until it presses closely against the wall of the host pipe. The new tight fitting pipe results in a flow capacity close to the original pipeline design. This technology is suitable for applications ranging in diameter from 150mm up to 1000mm.

rope unit. This is the largest unit of its kind in Australia with a pulling capability of 190 tons with run lengths up to 600m at 60 metres per hour. This unit allowed us to swage through a sweeping bend under the largest road intersection on the project providing significant community and cost benefits to the client.

This project involved the rehabilitation of 4,630m of an existing DN600 MSCL Locking Bar trunk water pipeline and is the largest swagelining™ project undertaken in Australia. This pipeline runs beneath one of Adelaide’s busiest roads, so utilising swagelining™ has resulted in a significant reduction in the impact to the community, environment as well as substantial cost savings with regard to road restorations compared with traditional open-cut methodology. For this project ITS commissioned German company, ABS Trenchless to build us the RBS1900 wire

ISO14001

Our trenchless technologies include:

• • • • • • •

ISO9001

A Better, Smarter Approach...

Robotics Pipe Lining Point Lining Pipe Bursting CCTV Inspection Structural Coatings Large Pipe Refurbishment

Phone: 02 8603 2000 Fax: 02 8603 2001 Email: enquiries@itstrenchless.com.au Office Address: 24 Anvil Road, Seven Hills NSW 2147 Web: www.itstrenchless.com.au

ASNZ4801

Booker Bay River Crossing On September 13th 2010, Infrastructure Constructions started the 650 metre HDD river crossing from Wagstaff to Booker Bay. The job was completed using a Vermeer D100x120 Series II. The D100x120 was chosen for this job due to the small rig up area available. A rig with a small footprint but enough power to pull back the 250mm and 63mm PN20 poly pipes and also to deal with the tough ground conditions was needed. The total weight of the poly pipe alone was 30,000lbs. The area that was allocated to setup the drill rig was only 16m x 10m. This area had to accommodate the drill rig, drill rods, 25,000 litre mud cleaning system, skip bins for mud cleaning system, transfer pumps, 12t excavator, and tooling. The drill area was closed in using 4m high sound proof barriers. The use of a maxi rig would have been impossible to get the job done due to the tight access. With 100,000 lbs of thrust and pullback, 12,000 ft-lbs of torque, and an onboard 200 gpm mud pump the Vermeer was chosen as the right drill rig to confidently complete the job. On the drill rig side of the river we used a DFE mud cleaning system. This system had a capacity of 25,000 litres of mud and could clean at 500gpm. The pilot shot was drilled from Wagstaff at 20 metres above water level and only 60 metres back from the river. A ParaTrak II magnetic guidance system was used to accurately steer the pilot shot down to depths of 55 metres from rig level (35m below water level). The excessive depth was due to the results of geotech boreholes drilled vertically alongside the drill route. The sand on the exit side of the river was 30m deep so drilling remained at the deep depths to stay in the sandstone formation as long as possible. At depths such as this constant monitoring of drill mud weights and viscosities were performed. Baroid was the supplier of choice for all drilling fluid products. The job was done with a mixture of Bore Gel and Extra Gel bentonites. Barazan D Plus was used to help carry the sand from the excessive depths and to help keep all the cuttings suspended during the drilling process. During the pilot shot fractured areas could have posed to be very damaging to the success of the job due to complete fluid loss. N-Seal and Diamond Seal were the LCM’s of choice and worked perfectly every time to seal up the fractures. Quick

Water Management Review 2011

Troll Gold was added when the sand formation was entered and worked very well to promote a good wall cake and stop any fluid loss into the formation. For the pilot shot a 4 3/4in Wenzel Mud Motor was used with a 6.5in PCD bit for the sandstone section. The mud motor was then retracted and changed to Vermeer TriHawk to finish off the sand section. The section of sand that was drilled was 200m in length, included a 35m depth change, and a 65 degree change in heading to the left due to allocated easement alignments. For the reaming process 2 mud cleaning systems were used on the exit side of the river (Booker Bay). The first cleaning system was a Mud Puppy 255-5SC with 40 mesh and 100 mesh shaker screens. The drill mud was then cleaned with another DFE cleaning system running 140 mesh and 210 mesh shaker screens. The whole compound on the exit side of river was closed in as well with 4m high sound proof barriers. In order to save time from having to truck drill mud back to the drill rig a spinning tail string was connected to the back of the reamer which allowed a mud swivel to be connected in the back of the tail string. By doing this a high flow mud pump could be connected to the swivel. With this setup was the ability to cleanse and pump the drill mud from whichever side of the river that mud was flowing back at. This allowed for continual reaming all day and no downtime due to fluid. The same drilling products were used for the reaming process as were used for the pilot shot except the viscosity was increased and ratios of mixtures were changed. These products kept the hole open through the sand section very well and the only problems during the reaming process were in the fractures that were dealt with during the pilot shot. In these sections there was complete fluid loss again. Baroids’ N-Seal and Diamond Seal were applied again and sealed the fractures perfectly every time. For the reaming process a Horizontal Technologies low torque R6 reamer was used to open the hole up to a 16in diameter. Two reaming passes were used to keep the down hole mud pressure at a minimum. At the depths that were being drilled and with the soft sand formation a high fluid to soil ratio was needed as the ground formation weighed twice as much as the drilling mud per volume and the pressure would be significantly reduced by concentrating on these ratios. By

knowing the annular velocity, weight of drill mud, weight of the ground formation, down hole volume of mud and ground formation, the penetration rates could be adjusted to minimise the down hole pressure the most as possible. The first reaming pass was opened to 12in and the second pass to the 16in diameter. Penetration rates were kept around 45 minutes per 20ft drill rod. After the reaming process the drill rig was moved to the Booker Bay side of the river and a 16in wiping reamer was pulled through for a cleaning pass. The decision to move the rig to the other side was due to the amount of sand on the Booker Bay side of the bore and to be able to pull the product through the rock section of the bore first. Calculations were done on the bend radius, depth of the bore, and buoyancy of the poly pipes. With this information the predicted pullback pressures and pullback speed during the installation process were also calculated. Pressures were calculated without changing the buoyancy of the pipe and as well by reducing the buoyancy of the 250mm and 63mm poly pipes. In order to keep the poly pipes under their stress limits and to reduce the pullback pressures the option to reduce the buoyancy by pumping water down the pipes was chosen. Aqua Options was chosen to do the poly welding to ensure the integrity of the welds would withstand the pulling forces required to install the product. To keep access to the ferry on the Wagstaff side of the river and to keep impact on the community to a minimum the pipe was installed in three sections. Two 220 metre sections and one 210 metre sections were used. Total installation time during the pullback was 10 hours which included 2 hours of poly welding. Pullback pressures never exceeded 32,000lbs which was actually 2,000lbs lower than predicted pressures and only 2,000lbs more than the product weighed itself. After the installation was finished the 250mm poly pipe’s integrity was checked by inserting a camera through the entire length of the pipe and the 63mm poly pipe’s integrity was checked by pulling a mandrel through. The installation process took place on the 16th November 2010, which was 9 weeks after the job commenced. Many obstacles were faced and overcome on this difficult project. The Booker Bay River Crossing was a successful HDD project due to the research, planning, equipment, and expertise of staff at Infrastructure Constructions.

this is where the name on the machine matters most. Vermeer helps meet your toughest underground challenges. Whether you’re facing a tight, congested urban setting or a remote river crossing, Vermeer and our global dealer network will be right beside you. We know the conditions you work in are demanding — it’s why we make equipment that’s up to the task. We offer the industry’s most complete lineup of horizontal directional drills, tooling, and accessories designed to take on your installation challenges. So when it’s tough going out there — look to Vermeer — the trusted name for proven equipment and reliable support.

For more information, please contact Jeff Lawson on 0409 613 085 or email to jlawson@vermeer.com.au Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the United States and / or other countries. © 2010 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

www.vermeer.com.au

RIDGID® microEXPLORER™ Digital Inspection Camera

Ridge Tool Australia is proud to announce our SeeSnake microEXPLORER™ Digital Inspection Camera as part of RIDGID’s commitment to continual development of technological precision products. The Ridge Tool Company is a world leading manufacturer of professional quality pipe and tube working tools serving the plumbing, mechanical, construction, HVAC, location and facility maintenance industries. The RIDGID® trademark is recognised by professional tradespersons and engineers for uncompromising product quality, performance, durability and service.

Specifications:

Display: Resolution: Image capture: Recording medium: Additional ports: Image controls: Lighting: Camera diameter: Cable reach: Waterproof: Power Source:

8.89cm (3.5”) Colour LCD 320 x 240 JPG images (1280 x 1024) AVI video (320 x 240) Internal memory or SD card USB and SD card Pan, Zoom, Self Leveling, Low Light Vision 4 fully adjustable LEDs 17mm (0.7”) 91cm (3’) (expandable to 9.1m (30’) with optional extensions Camera & cable to 3m (10’) when assembled correctly Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery (4 hours of continuous run time)

Records Images & Audio

The microExplorer digital inspection camera is a powerful handheld video inspection system that allows users to record digital images and video onto a removable digital SD card inserted into the unit. It has a mini USB port to allow the transfer of recorded information onto your computer where it can be saved, emailed or posted online for your customers, repair technicians or others to view. The unit can capture JPEG images or AVI videos.

Self Leveling Camera Head

The camera electronically knows what point is up and automatically adjusts the view so you see the upright image.

Target Market/Industries •

Professional Tradespersons

•

Plumbing Contractors

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Auto Mechanics

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Electrical Contractors

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Data Installers

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Pest Control Services

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Refrigeration

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Commercial Maintenance

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Home Maintenance

Water Management Review 2011

The professionals choice for prevention of tree root re-growth

Rootfoam速 WP Herbicide is the professionals choice for the cost effective prevention of tree root re-growth in sewers following mechanical clearance.

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For more information contact: Chemtura Australia Pty Ltd Ph: 1800 635 743 www.chemturaagrosolutions.com/au

速 Rootfoam is a registered trademark of Chemtura Corporation

CHA 6364

Roadside products manufacturers of Dura-Post

Roadside Products Pty Ltd is Australia’s leading manufacturer of Guide and Marker Post Systems and is now moving into supplying a wider range of roadside furniture, delineation and construction products. Our specialty product range is Guide and Marker Post Systems, starting with our Premier Product the Flexi360 Guide and Marker Post System. The Flexi360 is the most versatile Guide or Marker post system available in the world. This product comes in five standard colours, White, Orange, Yellow, Blue and Green other colours made to order. The DuraPost Flexi360 Guide Post System, is a fully 360o flexible post with an installation option to suit all situations. The DuraPost Flexi360 Flexible Guide Post is a system within its self. A drivable anchor, connecting flexible joint and the HDPe – High Density Poly ethylene post top are individual products forming the complete post. After initial installation the post top can be replaced at any time without the need to dig another hole or drive another post in its place. This design ensures that the post will self align to the vertical position after sustaining several severe impacts from a vehicle in any direction. The post is supplied in two assemblies, the anchor and the post. The Flexi360 can be installed with the use of a manual driver, jackhammer or air driver for the drivable anchor, a surface mount plate for attaching to concrete or bridge surfaces, there is a poly surface mount base for high corrosion areas and a temporary/ portable base for temporary purposes. Flexi360 Pro, same components as previously described with the difference of being a One Part installation method.

Water Management Review 2011

With this option there is no separate drivable anchor. The Flexi360 Pro has the drivable picket anchor (350mm length) attached to the flexible joint ready for installation with the use of a manual driver or Jackhammer attachment. With over one million Flexi360 Guide and marker posts sold in Australia, they really stand the test of time. Lightning Fast Installation, Ground Breaking Design! The “Dura” in Dura-Post stands for Durability, that’s what you get when you chose Dura-Post Guide and Marker Posts from Roadside Products and there’s nothing more durable than our Steel Guide and Marker Post System. Our proven Premium grade steel guide post and driving system is of the highest quality and manufactured from premium mild tensile steel. This product has the capability of withstanding multiple impacts and allows exceptional re-straightening capabilities. Premium Steel Guide Posts are manufactured from 2.0mm Steel and are available in three lengths 1350mm for normal situations, and for softer soil types or for shoulders where extra length is required, 1500mm and 1650mm lengths are available, and all three are suited to be driven into soft, medium and hard soil types including chip seal and bitumen with the use of the Patented Dura-Post Manual Driver with removal rod. Also available in the steel range is the Asset Management Marker Posts, available in four lengths. 900mm, 1350mm, 1500mm and 1650mm in a variety of colours. Other lengths can be made to order upon request. Information is easily fastened to the post for accurate road reporting functions. Dura-Post

supply markers such as fire plugs, stop valves, water mains, sewer mains and culvert markers Australia wide. DuraPost markers have already proven to be excellent in rural roadside addressing schemes. Posts can be powder coated in authorities’ choice of colours with any combination of letters and numbering (matt or reflective). Specialty marker posts and marker plates are made to order for Pipelines, Buried Cables and any other asset that requires a durable marking system. Setting us apart from our opposition is our range and solutions for all installation requirements and the necessary equipment to carry out installations of our products. Our highly experienced sales team provides onsite installation and safety training to road and plant crews, local councils and traffic authority engineers, overseers and any other user of our products. Roadside products now offer a larger range of traffic and road construction products including Hylyte Guard Rail Delineators, Raised Pavement Markers, Work Zone Barriers, Traffic Cones & Bollards and Car Park Speed Humps and Parking Markers. Roadside Products Head Office and Manufacturing is located in Launceston, Tasmania Australia. We have experienced sales staff based in all states of Australia and have recently opened our new National Distribution & Sales Centre in Brisbane, Queensland Australia.

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING GUIDE & MARKER POST MANUFACTURERS

MARKER POST SYSTEM

Job No: 5765 Date: 23.10.2008

Client: Roadside Products Version: Final

Job Description: Steel Colours: CMYK

Designer: Ken McLennan

462 Wellington Street Launceston TAS 7250 | p. 03 6341 1800 | f. 03 6341 1899 | info@walkerdesigns.com.au | www.walkerdesigns.com.au

AR RANTY W

ABN 68 387 047 965

YEARS YEARS

A R A N T EE

6/38 Eastern Service Road Stapylton, Queensland 4207 PO Box 7278 Loganholme QLD 4207

Web www.durapost.com.au Email sales@durapost.com.au

Head Office & Manufacturing 45-49 St Leonards Road Launceston, Tasmania 7250 Po Box 66 Newstead TAS 7250

Phone 1300 794 397 Fax 1300 794 511 7318B

Managed aquifer recharge

CSIRO has pioneered the research, development and implementation of managed aquifer recharge in Australia, presenting it as an innovative option for reducing Australia’s water shortages.

Harnessing all potential water sources Australia’s population growth and rapid urbanisation is steadily increasing the demand for water in our cities. Climate change is exacerbating these issues, with the recent drought dramatically highlighting the vulnerability of existing urban surface water and groundwater supplies. To continue providing high quality water services while maintaining water ecosystems and reducing our carbon footprint we need to fundamentally rethink how we manage our urban water systems. We require more integrated water management, which harnesses water, wastewater and stormwater sources to maximise social, environmental and economic benefits.

Managed aquifer recharge Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is emerging in Australia and abroad as an innovative option for the productive use of stormwater and reclaimed water. MAR is the process of adding a source

Water Management Review 2011

of water, such as recycled wastewater effluent or stormwater, to aquifers (underground reservoirs) under controlled conditions. In the aquifer, a natural ‘filtering’ process occurs, which results in the source water often improving in quality. The main purpose of aquifer recharge is to store excess water for later use, while improving water quality by recharging the aquifer with high quality water. In coastal areas, the recharged water can also be used as a barrier to prevent saltwater intrusion into the aquifer.

flood problems. Storing the water underground also reduces water loss from evaporation, and removes the potential for algal blooms and mosquito outbreaks. CSIRO research is addressing the knowledge gaps relating to MAR, enabling communities and water utilities to make informed decisions about the feasibility, design, operation and use of MAR.

Assessing and managing MAR For more than a decade, CSIRO has led research on the use of stormwater and reclaimed water for MAR.

Many different water sources can be used for MAR. Current successful MAR schemes in Australia use drinking water, flood waters, captured stormwater and treated wastewater. The water used will depend on what is available, the characteristics of the aquifer and the intended uses of the recovered water.

Drawing on research most States across Australia, the team produced a report on MAR for the National Water Commission. The report provides information on MAR alongside alternative water sources to help decision-makers, water utilities and the broader community consider its potential benefits.

Where it is viable, water schemes incorporating the process could cut transportation, infrastructure and energy costs, improve water quality, and alleviate

CSIRO scientists have also led the development of national MAR guidelines for Australia’s Environment Protection and Heritage Council.

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Left Bottom: Capturing and recycling stormwater through managed aquifer recharge has the potential to help reduce water shortages. Source: Greg Rinder, CSIRO Above: Taking a sample of the recovered water after it has undergone Aquifer, Storage, Transfer and Recovery. Source: Robert Kerton, CSIRO Top: Dr Declan Page sampling stormwater water in a constructed wetland prior to injection into the aquifer. Source: Robert Kerton, CSIRO Tp Left: Schematic representation of the processes for turning stormwater into drinking water via ASTR. Source: CSIRO

The guidelines focus on risk-based management and provide specific guidance on managing the health and environmental risks associated with MAR. The team has held workshops around the country to assist interested parties to put the guidelines into action.

MAR in action

There are over 14 sites across Australia where MAR is being applied for various uses. CSIRO researchers have been involved in many of these sites, including in site selection, implementation, monitoring and community engagement. For example, CSIRO conducted a threeyear pilot project in South-West Western Australia to investigate MARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential as a supply and management option to recover water for non-potable uses.

Turning stormwater into drinking water One application of MAR that is gaining particular interest is Aquifer Storage, Transfer and Recovery (ASTR). CSIRO conducted a project in collaboration with the City of Salisbury, on the Northern Adelaide Plains in South Australia to investigate the potential of this technique. Captured urban stormwater was first treated by passing it through a constructed wetland for natural treatment. It was then injected via wells into a brackish, limestone aquifer 160m below ground for storage and where it would undergo months of natural slow filtration, before being recovered via a different well.

Results from the project showed that water quality improved and that the human health and environmental risks associated with using the recovered water for garden or park irrigation were very low.

Recovered water was rigorously tested and found to meet the drinking water health guidelines, demonstrating that drinking water can be produced from stormwater. It also highlights how ASTR could be part of a suite of diversified water supply options.

The project is now being extended to look at community attitudes towards MAR.

The project won the 2009 Award for Excellence in Stormwater Research and

Development at the national Stormwater Industry Association Awards for worldleading research in stormwater treatment, storage and reuse. It also won the Australian Water Association â&#x20AC;&#x201C; South Australian Branch Water Award for research and development.

Guiding the future of MAR Through improved understanding, CSIRO research is helping to assess the potential of MAR, guide its application and manage associated risks. It is providing communities and utilities with advice and insight when determining appropriate sites, designing, operating and monitoring MAR, and adhering to regulatory requirements.

Water Sources What is the best option for the community and environment?

Water for our cities and towns comes from a wide variety of sources, including rivers, dams, aquifers, tanks, recycling and more recently desalination plants. Each of these sources can provide clean water however the cost-effectiveness of each source is different. The cost per litre and the cost to the community differ significantly. These issues have been hotly debated and there is no real common ground on what is the best water source in terms of the overall best outcome for the community. The traditional sources of water for towns and cities have been from the river systems, which had storage dams built on them to ensure water year around. Water from rivers and dams typically has been cheaper than other sources because of the lower cost in terms of infrastructure. The ability to grow this form of water supply has become far more restrictive due to more rigid environmental requirements, along with the fact the easier and more accessible dam sites have now been used. The costs of building dams have risen significantly in recent years resulting in higher cost per litre for this water. Ground water is used extensively in areas that have large volumes of water in aquifers which are readily available. Cites such as Perth obtain a large amount of its domestic water from groundwater. The issue that must be remembered is aquifer water is effectively large storage dam that is underground and it is a finite resource. There is only so much water that can be extracted from the groundwater system without having a negative impact on it. Recycling is an excellent way to make better use of water by using it more than once before it goes back into the river system or ocean. Recycling systems can be large scale or can go down to a small system on a residential house. Because we are using water that maybe carrying harmful bacteria or chemicals the system must be well designed and maintenance is critical to ensure all water going through the recycling equipment is up to standard. The other drawback is recycling can be expensive compared to other sources of water. A number of desalination plants have been built over the last few years with most major capital cities in Australia now having

Water Management Review 2011

a plant. The appeal of turning sea water, which is in abundance in coastal areas into drinking water, is attractive on the surface. The downside is that this is an energy intensive process and even though there maybe wind farms built to supply energy, they will contribute significantly to the overall energy demand of the nation. More recently there has been some controversy about the cleanliness of water coming from desalination plants because of their proximity to sewage plants and ocean outfalls. Rainwater tanks have been around for many years and have had periods of popularity and other times when government have not supported their use. The benefit of rain water tanks is that they catch water that would otherwise go into the storm water system and be lost to the household. Water caught is owned by the home and can be used in the garden or washing the car, even in periods of water restrictions. It is a totally renewable resource and can reduce the demand on public infrastructure from both a storm water and water supply perspective. Once the tank is installed the cost is minimal. Water tanks also provide water where

mains water is not available. All of these sources of water have a requirement for storage and water tanks are an essential part of every water system weather it is a recycling system, a waste treatment plant or a rain water harvesting system. The selection of the right tank for the particular application needs to be carefully considered and Bushmans Tanks has the solution for most applications. There are a range of sources of water and the important issue for government and the community as a whole is to ensure that water is sourced from places that provide clean water reliably and minimise the impact on the environment. Bushmans assessment is that rainwater tanks are an essential part of the water supply system and should be used in conjunction with other sources such as dams, rivers and recycling. Chris Glenn Bushmans Tanks

s n o s a e s l l a r o f r wate Water storage solutions for: • Rain water harvesting • Industrial processing • Waste water storage • Water treatment • Storage of bore and river water

SAVING AUSTRALIA’S WATER

Bushman tanks have stood the test of time manufacturing tanks since 1989. Rigorous quality assurance testing. Tanks are designed for specific applications and provide a wide range fittings to enable the tank to suite a Factories and distribution centres across QLD, NSW, VIC and SA. particular site or process.

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SunWater places dam safety as top priority

Recent unprecedented rainfall events across Queensland have proved that now, more than ever, it is crucial for water infrastructure to be capable of safely managing extreme weather events.

“Public safety is the highest priority for SunWater and our dams are designed with the Queensland climate in mind.” More information about SunWater’s infrastructure and water storages can be found at www.sunwater.com.au

In recent years, SunWater – one of Australia’s leading bulk water infrastructure owners and managers – undertook safety assessments on all 19 of its dams in response to extreme rainfall projections for Queensland that were announced by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The assessment, undertaken using national industry guidelines, identified three critical areas of evaluation; the existing spillway’s capacity to safely manage an extreme rainfall event, affected populations, and the impact of an extreme rainfall event to the provision of ongoing water supply. All SunWater dams were found to be extremely safe and no major structural issues were identified during the assessment. In fact, six of SunWater’s dams were found to already be capable of managing extreme rainfall events and did not require any upgrades. Of the remaining 13 SunWater dams that were required to undergo safety upgrades, each was prioritised with those least able to safely manage an extreme event upgraded first. This prioritisation of upgrades saw Fred Haigh Dam, Bjelke-Peterson Dam, Borumba Dam, Tinaroo Falls Dam and Kinchant Dam all earmarked as the first to undergo safety upgrades. SunWater is nearing the end of its program of works for the upgrades of the aforementioned dams with the whole program completed by early 2013. The ten remaining SunWater dams that require upgrades will have the work carried out over the next five to 20 years. SunWater Infrastructure Management General Manager Barry Jeppesen said all of SunWater’s dams were in good condition and fared well during the recent floods and cyclones that hit Queensland over the 2010-11 storm season. “As well as our dam safety upgrade program, all of our dams undergo regular and comprehensive safety assessments each year and are more than capable of safely handling high volumes of inflow.” Jeppesen said.

Water Management Review 2011

Above: SunWater’s latest upgrade on Tinaroo Falls Dam was completed in late 2010 and included works on both the main dam wall and saddle dam. Left: SunWater’s dam safety upgrade program ensures that the highest level of safety is maintained.

Priority Based Dam Safety Upgrade Program Fred Haigh Dam

Tinaroo Falls Dam

The first stage of the upgrade was completed in September 2006. Identified as the first priority upgrade, the top of the dam was raised by constructing a two metre high wall and providing a watertight gate to allow operational access to SunWater’s Monduran Pump Station. A second stage of the upgrade will be undertaken in the near future.

Identified as the fourth priority upgrade, construction commenced in March 2009 and was completed in late 2010. The upgrade to Tinaroo Falls Dam included work on both the main dam wall and the saddle dam.

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Identified as the second priority upgrade, work on the first stage commenced in February 2007 and was completed by October 2007. The main dam and saddle dam wall were both raised by 1.2 metres and the saddle dam wall was extended. A second stage of the upgrade will be undertaken in the near future. Borumba Dam Identified as the third priority upgrade, work commenced in April 2008 and was completed in March 2009. The Borumba Dam upgrade involved increasing the height of the dam wall by 1.6 metres, allowing the dam to hold excess water until it can pass safely through the spillway. Ownership of Borumba Dam was transferred from SunWater to Seqwater 1 July 2008.

The main dam wall was reinforced with the insertion of steel cable anchors within the wall and the addition of a concrete protection slab along the downstream base of the dam wall. In addition to work on the main dam wall, the height of the saddle dam was increased by 30cm and filter zones, designed to minimise damage caused by seepage during a flood event, were placed on the downstream face. Kinchant Dam The safety upgrade of Kinchant Dam will involve an upgrade of the existing drainage system within the structure itself, together with the installation of additional drainage within and downstream of the foundation of the dam. Also proposed is the strengthening of the structure by the addition of material on the downstream face of the embankment. Upgrade investigations will commence in the near future and construction will commence in mid 2011. The upgrade is expected to be completed early 2013.

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The future is safe, crystal clear, drinking water

Dematec Water is the exclusive supplier and installer of the Long Life Bridgestone GRP water storage tanks in Australia and New Zealand. These tanks are the latest technology in long term drinking water management, requiring minimum maintenance for periods of more than 40 years. Designed for potable water and approved by the world’s most rigorous testing regimes*, the Bridgestone GRP tanks have been engineered and developed in Japan with the single purpose of storing water with uncompromising levels of quality and reliability. *Approved ASNZS 4020 in Australia and NSF/ANSI 61 in the USA. The externally reinforced Bridgestone GRP tanks have been designed to ensure that the water never makes contact with metal. Internal corrosion is the biggest

single cause of tank failure, especially chlorinated water. The structure support architecture is completely external, and has been engineered so that there is minimum risk for corrosion. Jones Lang LaSalle chose the Bridgestone GRP tank to replace an existing water tank located on the roof of the ANZ building in Adelaide’s CBD. The original black poly tank heated the water significantly in the summer sun, causing severe risk of contamination as well as very unpleasant tasting water! Due to the low thermal conductivity (0.004% of a steel tank), Dematec Water’s Bridgestone tank became the obvious choice. The project has recently been successfully completed keeping the ANZ team refreshed, happy and cool! “The cooler alternative” ANZ’s building in Adelaide.

The Bridgestone GRP tanks can be assembled for a range of water storage capacities from 1000 to 12 million litres. While the lightweight panels make the tanks ideal for retro-fitting in tall buildings and basements, they are ideal for free standing long term major water storage needs such as water treatment reservoirs and desalination plants. The tanks are also highly suitable in outdoor environments, especially where the weather is extreme. The thermal conductivity of GRP is significantly less than that of steel so that the tanks will not expand in the harsh Australian sun, nor contract in the cool evenings. For more information: David Gold Business Development Manager Dematec Water Ph: (08) 8374 7600

For more Information: David Gold Business Development Manager Dematec Water Ph: (08) 8374 7600

Secure your water supply with a Bartlett Onsite Liner Ballarat based manufacturer C.E. Bartlett specialises in providing water saving products to various industries to reduce water loss from Dams, Reservoirs, Channels and Storage Tanks. Family owned and operated, the Bartlett business is now in its 55th year of operation.

Bartlett manufactures and distributes a wide range of industrial, agricultural, domestic and commercial products including Dam and Channel Liners, Tank

Water Management Review 2011

Liners, Bladder Tanks, Flexible Water Tanks, E-vapCap floating covers and a range of Fluming products used for irrigation and water transfer. Innovators in its field, Bartlett has evolved and developed its products and has become a national leader in the onsite manufacture and installation of Dam and Channel liners using various grades of High and Low density polyethylene or woven polyethylene fabrics. A fully installed Bartlett Onsite Liner completely eliminates water loss through seepage and is appropriate for many water saving applications such as town reservoirs and dams for farms, golf courses, wineries and growers. By lining your water storage area with a Bartlett liner, dams and channels can be successfully constructed in areas

previously considered doubtful or not viable because of the unsuitability of the site such as sandy or porous soil types. Existing dams or channels which leak can also be lined to help prevent water seepage. Not only do Bartlett liners significantly reduce water loss, they are also proven to improve overall water quality. Bartlett liners are also ideal for use in effluent ponds and other industrial applications such as mining where securing water resources is critical. If you are serious about preserving water, call Bartlett today to arrange a quote for any of our water saving products and take the first step in protecting your most precious resource! Ph: 1800 115 440 or visit our website at www.bartlett.net.au

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Are we prepared for when disaster strikes? Access to fresh water in the aftermath is key says Jon Moodie, CEO Novatank Australia In the face of the rapidly rising number of extreme weather events across the globe, governmental authorities and emergency response agencies are looking to be more prepared for when disaster strikes. This means holding adequate stockpiles of emergency materials and equipment. Disasters such as bushfire, hurricane, earthquake, flood and drought often require quick deployment of water storage capacity. Fresh water is needed for drinking, fire-fighting, stock feeding or just cleaning up. One of the challenges for responsible agencies has been the ability to rapidly deploy emergency water storage capacity to those in need. While pillowtanks and floating collar tanks are suitable in some temporary situations, the lack

of gravity-feed, and the flimsy nature of some fabric tanks can prove problematic in difficult disaster-affected environments. In 2006, recognising the need for a more robust semi-permanent collapsible tank, the founder of Novatank decided to spend four years developing and testing the world’s first large collapsible tank which combines the stability and height of a solid poly tank with the mobility of a fabric tank. Designed to safely contain five tonnes of water, the Novatank utilises a unique, super-strong thermoplastic bladder attached to a galvanised steel frame. In collapsed form, the polyethylene lid and base protect the bladder and frame during transportation and storage. When assembled, the base protects the bladder from sharp objects on the ground while

the lid, which has a built-in leaf strainer, covers the tank and prevents debris from polluting the water. The Novatank is assembled in minutes and has a footprint and height similar to a standard poly tank. When collapsed, its dimensions means the Novatank can be efficiently stored ready for instant deployment wherever and whenever needed. A standard 20’ shipping container will hold 22 Novatanks and they can be carried in smaller numbers by standard light commercial vehicles such as utes and vans. As well as disaster relief, the Novatank is ideal for numerous industries including event hire, agriculture, construction and mining. The Novatank is a robust and semi-permanent solution designed and built right here in Australia.

Wo r l d ’ s t o u g h e s t c o l l a p s i b l e t a n k

• Semi-permanent collapsible water tank • 5,000 litres capacity • Rapid deployment and assembly • Rated for potable water • Engineered and produced in Australia • Designed for difficult environments • Disaster emergency water supply • Fire authorities • Event hire • Horticulture and agriculture • Local authorities • Construction • Mining

When a traditional solid tank won’t do the job – turn to Novatank • www.novatank.com.au

The 2011 Queensland Floods: Changing the Stormwater Management Focus The Personal Impact According to the Bureau of Meteorology, 2010 was the wettest year on record for Queensland. In January 2011, the State endured one of the most significant flood events in its history. Many lives were lost in a tragedy that will live on in the minds of a generation of Queenslanders. Insurance claims by flood-affected Queenslanders now exceed $2 billion, with the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) stating that over 43,000 claims have been lodged. More than half of those claims are from Brisbane.

Many Queensland residents must deal with damage to their homes, which is not covered by their insurance, prompting some consumer groups to ask whether insurance policies should include a common definition of floods. This is because water flowing from rivers, creeks, dams, lakes or reservoirs may not be covered in the definition of a flood by some insurers. Policies differed in whether they covered floods caused by intense local rainfall, such as storms and local run off from streets, drains and gutters, or floods caused by rain falling somewhere else and running down rivers or streams. The issue of whether flooding is caused by stormwater flooding, or by river or creek flooding (sometime referred to as “mainstream” flooding), is really an issue of scale and timing, as the physical processes are basically the same. Nationally, flooding is arguably the most costly natural disaster and I suspect that this would definitely be the case if you now include the recent Qld, NSW and Victorian floods. The irony is that they are also the most manageable. The average annual cost of tangible (financial) flood damage in Queensland

Water Management Review 2011

is estimated to be more than $126M per year and can be broken down as follows for urban areas: Local overland flooding = $14M; Mainstream flooding = $46M (Source: Floodplain Management in Australia, Australian Water Resources Council, SCARM Report No. 73, 2000). The balance from the $126M is due to rural flooding. These are not current figures, but do indicate that stormwater (overland) flooding in urban areas is a significant component when talking about the extent and nature of flooding. The distinction between stormwater flooding and mainstream flooding is artificial for a number of reasons: 1. people affected don’t care where floodwaters flowing through their property originates from. 2. stormwater flooding may not be as substantial as mainstream but it is still significant enough to be treated and managed in the same way. 3. mainstream and stormwater flooding often, but not always interact. They often occur a different scales, and different timeframes. Stormwater flooding can be generated from a variety of sources. At the lower end of the scale this would typically

include direct surface runoff, surcharges and overflows from low point in kerbs or stormwater pipes. At the upper end of the scale overland flows involve the floodplains of original watercourses, whether still natural or altered by piping or channelisation. 4. often it is impossible to define a meaningful boundary between stormwater flooding and mainstream flooding. This is the cause of many arguments from the insurance perspective. (Source: NSW Floodplain Development Manual 2005) I have met with individuals who have to personally deal with insurance companies over compensation claims. Their stories are sobering but due to privacy concerns I will simply observe that people can act reasonably prudently, having what appear to be flood insurance policies in place for their assets, but can still be left financially destitute as a result of a flooding event.

Responses by Water Management Organisations The response by a range of government and non-government organisations to the impact of the floods generally comprises creation of a working group. Each of

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a review of its response to the flood event. As part of this review, the characteristics of the flood and the resultant flood levels (including a comparison against the Q100 flood level) will be established. The review will focus on a range of stormwater management aspects, including the effectiveness of flood prevention and stormwater infrastructure; as well as the effectiveness of BCC’s disaster management arrangements. The Final Report will be produced by early May 2011.

these groups or taskforces have different objectives, and Terms of Reference. •

•

The most notable of these is the Queensland State Government’s Royal Commission into the floods. The Commission’s Terms of Reference will require the Commission to deliver an interim report by 1 August 2011 and its final report by 17 January 2012. The Commission will be asked to inquire into and report on arrange of matters including the preparation and planning by federal, State and local governments for the 2010/2011 floods in Queensland. The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is forming a group to assist the enquiry. The Brisbane City Council had a few years ago formed a Flooding Advisory Taskforce. The Taskforce was asked to produce a report providing opinions, recommendations and advice on the strategies and options available to reduce the effects of significant rain events on areas of the city prone to flooding. After the January 2011 floods, the Brisbane City Council established a Flood Response Review Board to undertake

•

In January 2011 the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) has formed a Flood Advisory Taskforce, however I am of the understanding that the TOR and associated timeframes for this group are not yet publicly available.

•

The South-East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership is a notfor-profit organisation working collaboratively with government, industry, researchers and the community, for the purposes of improving waterway health. It has recently initiated the “Flood of Ideas” program. The project aims to provide a public forum to seek the best and the most creative ideas to respond to the threat of flood and natural disaster in our community. The project aims to deliver the following outcomes: an interactive website the documents all of the ideas and initiatives established throughout the course of the project; a video and publication that captures that idea content of the website in a format that can become an archive of the collective creativity and innovation of this unique period of time; a series of key policy recommendations that are developed as a result of the ideas process and delivered to the key representatives of federal, state and local government.

How Did We Get Here? There are a wide range of aspects to stormwater management and flooding is only one of these. During the past few decades, the focus on various aspects of stormwater management has shifted and this is evidenced by looking at the topics for discussion at typical industry seminars through the years.

Starting at the 1980s, when stormwater was viewed as nothing more than a problem to be cleverly and piped away as efficiently as possible; then waterways and overland flowpaths began to be viewed as opportunities to integrate water into the urban environment to enhance local amenity and ecology (Natural Channel Design). Later it was acknowledged that peak flows need to be restricted to natural flow rates so as to limit flow hazards, flood levels and erosion rates downstream (leading to the focus on On-Site Detention, or OSD). Subsequently the industry acknowledged the need to manage the various types of pollutants which are sourced within the catchment, and now the management of stormwater quality has become a fundamental aspect of the assessment of all new land development projects. In more recent years the drought had placed the focus on stormwater as a resource to be harvested and used by urban society, rather than be allowed to fully discharge to the waterway system. This has been manifested in a range of ways including the Queensland Development Codes which regulate new development in regard to stormwater harvesting. In the latter years of the last decade legislation has focussed strongly on the need to more formally integrate the wider range of water management issues. Local governments in South-East Queensland are now required by the Environmental Protection (Water) Policy (2009) of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to develop and start implementing a Total Water Cycle Management (TWCM) Plan. The legislation mandates that Local Authorities must complete their Local TWCM Plans before a specified date. To meet the requirements of the EPP (Water) 2009, TWCM Plans must include provisions about: •

the collection, treatment and recycling of waste water, stormwater, ground water and other water sources; and

•

the integration of water use in its area

•

effluent management, wastewater recycling, sewerage system overflows and biosolid management for each wastewater treatment plant

•

stormwater management for the protection of environmental values of waters.

Consideration must also be given to the following: •

demand management

•

impacts of land use on natural flow of waters, water quality objectives, and drinking water supplies

•

forecast of water supply requirements for the area

It can be seen from the above definition that aspects relating to stormwater quantity including: •

Depths and levels of inundation;

•

plan extents of flood inundation,

•

durations of inundation;

•

safety hazard of overland flow;

•

rate of rise of stormwater flows in overland flowpaths and roadways; etc are not the primary focus of the EPP Water.

Hence the TWCMs prepared as a result of this legislation may not shed any light on the quantity aspect of stormwater management. This is in spite of the wording in the guidelines that “managing flood risk—including floodplain and coastal inundation, climate change and natural disaster management” may be incorporated into a TWCM.

Water Management Review 2011

I am aware of one local authority in South-East Queensland which issued a tender requiring a stormwater management plan to be prepared, with the view that this study would inform a later TWCM plan. Later the Council withdrew the tender, with a view to re-issuing it with the stormwater quantity component removed. This is understandable as funds need to be spent carefully, in a way which meets all the requirements of the legislation as efficiently as possible. Indeed we should expect that many Councils have made adjustments to their budgets to ensure that the requirements of the TWCMs will be met; perhaps at the expense of reducing budgets previously earmarked for other stormwater management schemes, or perhaps delaying the commissioning of these other projects.

More High Rainfalls Imminent According to the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence, there is an increased probability of abovemedian rainfall throughout most of Queensland for the remainder of this summer. The Centre’s understanding takes into account the current and projected state of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon and related factors including the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO).

Should We Revisit Our Focus? Over the past few years the focus of government spending in the field of stormwater management has been shifted away from the investigation of flooding hazards, to ensuring that environmental values are maintained in waterways. However, as the recent Queensland floods have shown, there are countless locations where flooding hazards are still unknown and remain an ever-present threat to the safety and well-being of residents, and a threat to damage to private property and public infrastructure. The social impacts from flooding will revisit us for decades to come unless the focus of government funding shifts back to the detailed assessment of overland flowpath hazards, flood inundation extents, and best management practice design of stormwater infrastructure generally; and funding of the construction of feasible solutions where these problems are identified.

By Peter Comino, Stormwater Industry Association of Queensland (SIAQ)

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Westernport Water Uses Bentley’s WaterGEMS to Achieve Automated Distribution System Westernport Water provides water, wastewater, recycled water, and gas services to approximately 15,600 properties on Phillip Island and an area on the mainland in southern Victoria, Australia. Westernport Water integrated WaterGEMS using its SCADAConnect module into an existing SCADA system to realise the full potential of an accurate and calibrated water model and better serve customers. The investment produced markedly better performance knowledge of its assets and reliable decision-support tools. Impacts of this modeling project include cost savings, water conservation, and environmental benefits. The WaterGEMS water distribution model is constantly updated, providing optimal and accurate information for decision making. It eliminates the need for manual calibrations, which saves about $75,000. Westernport Water expects to save about

Westernport Water’s Water model importing field data captured by its SCADA system, using WaterGEMS’ SCADAConnect module.

$85,000 by measuring and identifying nonrevenue water. These efficiencies will reduce carbon emissions, as less water will be unnecessarily pumped to customers while maintaining appropriate service levels.

Understanding the performance of Westernport Water’s assets is critical to support capital improvements and preventative maintenance programs. The highperforming automated system will also contribute to the effective operation and management of over $43 million in water assets. The integration of these systems provides unprecedented scope for managers, engineers, and operational and maintenance personnel to assess water network performance in real time.

To read the full case study as well as other case studies, visit www.bentley.com/waterstories

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Major water network operators like Brisbane City Council, ActewAGL Water Division, SA Water, and Barwon Water all rely on Bentley products every day.

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1/25/11 10:30 AM

Smartstream Technology

‘‘All drains lead to the ocean’’… is a quote from the well known children’s animated movie, ‘Finding Nemo’, as simple as it sounds…. ‘Why are we missing this point?’ Storm Water Drainage runoff contains a large variety of contaminants, ranging from physical nasties including syringes and condoms as well as regular community waste such as bottles, cans, packaging and of course organic material/sediment. Storm Water Drainage infrastructure design selections will play a big part in the protection of our water ways in the future, its time we adapt our principles to reflect our learning. Primarily reinforced concrete and steel, the infrastructure of the past decades, is thwart with adverse inherent features, that cannot be ignored. For in excess of 10 years Shane Wormall of Western Australia and his companies Smartstream Technology Pty Ltd and Envirostream Catchment Management Pty Ltd have been actively involved in the Asset Management of third parties / local government drainage systems, the knowledge gained from these activities is priceless for designers wanting to move into the future responsibly. Smartstream Technology is reputed for ‘thinking outside the square’ and initiating change so it comes as no surprise the company now offer designers a range of smarter drainage systems featuring enhancements to overcome inherent flaws found in traditional systems. The products developed by Smartstream Technology reflect experience gained through many years of hands on research relative to the below ground drainage infrastructure and the variations in storm water quality. Gross Pollutant Traps are an effective device used to trap (mainly physical) contaminants, however if not cleaned ultimately the contents will escape and overdose the downstream ecosystem with the same nasties that we intend to remove.

Water Management Review 2011

The Gross Pollutant Traps offered by Smartstream Technology boast the most versatile range of features available, including telemetric communications and automated water quality testing, giving consideration to the fact that such devices are evidently not always cleaned effectively. Advanced material science has paved the way forward making it possible to build structures from inert materials such as plastic and/ or composites, which is something that we must embrace. Aside from the obvious weight savings plastic is superior due to its anti- corrosion characteristics and non porous properties. Like a sponge, the porous walls of concrete, pipes, manholes and other drainage structures are very effective at absorbing and retaining many substances, including largely hydrocarbons. Shane Wormall said “there have been many scenarios where an authority has intended to prosecute against a private company because of the nature of the discharge from its site, however when closely investigated it has been identified that the pipes and chambers downstream from the relative site will never stop releasing oil into the downstream environment, within the life of the storm drains and structures.” The maintenance undertaken on most city drainage systems is appalling, we are

very fortunate that comparatively globally Australia is a very young country and the age of most below ground infrastructure is only now reaching its expiration date, because the structural integrity of our deteriorating drainage systems is not satisfactory and will inevitably result in collapsed structures and road/ verge subsidence. Concrete and steel are not suitable materials to feature within a humid and/ or corrosive environment, such as drainage systems. Aside from the structures, the contents of our systems will result in an increase of public liability claims, due to the fact that we do not clean our drains until such time as a residence becomes flooded… we must stop being reactive and move towards regular cleaning, giving consideration to seasonal factors. Considering the fact that there would be almost zero pollutant trapping devices that would not contain dirty discarded syringes and the fact that if not cleaned, the contents of such a device will bypass and discharge downstream, which could be on to a community public open space….. ornamental community lake…. or like little Nemo said…. The ocean! We must get it together to protect our environment and ourselves!

Poorly Maintained Drainage Systems Are Putting Our Community & Environment At Risk As the photo to the left show, storm water drainage runoff is full of contaminants, ranging from physical nasties such as syringes and condoms as well as regular community waste such as bottles, cans, and packaging. On top of all the physical contaminants there are also the organic contaminants that are breeding grounds for diseases and cause a lot of harm to our natural environment. In Australia, the maintenance undertaken on most city drainage systems is minimal at best, this results in the drains not being properly cleaned or emptied until the drain has flooded. This often means that public places such as parks or reserves become flooded and are covered by the physical and organic contaminants, which are completely unsafe for the community and the environment. Apart from the poor maintenance, In Australia we also have a serious underground infrastructure problem. The drainage systems are primarily concrete and steel, which are both corrosive materials that are completely outdated. There are new alternative materials that are superior in many ways that should be used for replacements and all future drainage work.

We all need to work together to alter the existing infrastructure throughout Australia and ensure that from here on, all future drainage systems are environmentally friendly and safe for our community

For almost a decade now, SmartStream has been actively monitoring, cleaning, and Private drainage cleaning, maintaining maintainingand andreporting reportingononCouncil Council and Private draininfrastructure assets, in theineconomical and practical method. age infrastructure assets, the economical and practical method. With over 10 10 years yearsexperience experienceoffering offeringspecialist specialistservices servicesofofcomplete complete management management over over every every aspect aspect of of any any Storm Storm water waterDrainage DrainageCatchment Catchnetwork, Smartstream are Australia’s leading experts when when it comes ment network, Smartstream are Australia’s leading experts it to drainage comes tosystems. drainage systems. Shane Wormall, Wormall, one of Australia’s leading drainage experts and founder of SmartStream SmartStream isiskeen keentotopromote promote work government andand work withwith bothboth government and and private organisations to alter the existing infrastructure throughout private organisations to alter the existing infrastructure throughout AusAustralia ensure on, environmentally friendly and tralia andand ensure that that fromfrom here here on, environmentally friendly and safe safe systems and used. systems and used. Shane isiscurrently currentlyoffering offering a Free 15 minute “Drainage Phone a Free 15 minute “Drainage Phone ConsulConsultation” will discuss let you any discuss anyexisting of yourdrainage existingproblems, drainage tation” that willthat let you of your problems, future designorprojects or anydrain possible drain maintenance your futureyour design projects any possible maintenance issues to issues to may have. willyour provide expertand advice may have. Shane willShane provide withyour his with experthisadvice put and you put into contact right people who suitspecific your specific situation. intoyou contact with thewith rightthepeople who suit your situation.

FREE “Expert Drainage Advice” To Shane up upononhishisgenerous generous offer a FREE “Drainage Phone To take Shane offer of aofFREE “Drainage Phone Consultation” of the the following following Consultation”valued valued at at $97. $97. Please Please get get in touch in one of ways back. ways and andaatime timewill willbe bearranged arrangedfor forShane Shanetotogive giveyou youa call a call back.

1300 689 833

Phone: Phone Email: solutions@smartstream.net.au As Shane is very busy, he can only take 10 FREE phone consultations each month, so ensure you get in now to avoid disappointment.

Yarra Valley Water leading by example in stormwater management be used to supplement the drinking water supply in the local area. Two award-winning Yarra Valley Water stormwater projects are soon to begin construction in Victoria, in outer suburban Kalkallo and inner-city Coburg, leading the way in the provision of integrated ‘Next Generation’ water services.

Yarra Valley Water Managing Director, Tony Kelly, says he is proud his utility is at the forefront of developing new and innovative water management solutions that will help reduce pressure on rivers and drinking water supply into the future. “As the largest water utility in Melbourne, servicing more than 1.6 million customers, it is crucial that we create the foundation for sustainable, water sensitive communities of the future. In particular, our projects at Kalkallo and Coburg will provide important templates and learnings for stormwater reuse both for Yarra Valley Water and for the water industry.” The $19 million Kalkallo Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse Project is one of international significance. It involves capturing and treating around 365 million litres of stormwater on a large catchment area in Kalkallo, 38km north of Melbourne’s central business district with the treated stormwater eventually to

The environmental outcomes are significant: reduced reliance on the metropolitan water supply from Melbourne’s growing northern corridor, reduced degradation of local waterways, and improved water quality. The project won the ‘Master Planning and Design category’ of the 2009 Victorian Stormwater Excellence Awards and a ‘highly commended’ at the subsequent national awards - despite being only conceptual at the time. It was also awarded a Federal Government grant of $9.7 million. The project is supported by MAB Corporation, Melbourne Water, and the City of Hume. Says Kelly: “We work closely with key stakeholders such as councils, developers and utilities to develop integrated city wide solutions and to ensure that urban planning incorporates water sensitive design from the very beginning of a project.”

developed within an existing urban area. In central Coburg’s Principal Activity Centre, stormwater will be extracted from existing drains, treated to the required standard and then reticulated to around 4,000 residents for gardens, clothes washing and toilet flushing. The project is expected to reduce drinking water use in new houses and buildings in the supply area by 30 per cent. Urban runoff and nutrients discharged into local waterways (including nearby Merri Creek) are expected to decrease by 40 per cent. The project recently received the “Strategic Planning or Conceptual Design” Excellence Award 2010 from the Stormwater Industry Association of Victoria. This award recognised the creative catchment-based solution developed by Yarra Valley Water in a highly constrained urban environment with no opportunities to retrofit traditional stormwater solutions such as wetlands.

In partnership with Moreland City Council and Melbourne Water, Yarra Valley Water’s Coburg Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse project has also been given the green light after receiving $6 million funding from the Federal Government. The total cost of the project is $12 million. It will demonstrate how a significant stormwater harvesting project can be

The site of Yarra Valley Water’s Kalkallo Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse Project as it looks now; an artist’s impression of the final development. Images courtesy of Merrifield Corporation.

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Accolades for the City of Onkaparinga’s approach to sustainable water management Foundations of our water management solutions

Several wastewater and stormwater management schemes exist within the city to support the region. While each is important in its own right, these schemes evolved somewhat independently and without a single, clear vision or target to maximise re-use.

The City of Onkaparinga is being recognised for its innovative water management approach in response to the challenges of drought, population growth, industrial demand and climate change. This approach is being recognised at all levels including: • T he Water Conservation Award at the 2010 National Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards. • T he Stormwater Industry Association’s 2010 national award for excellence in strategic or master planning. • W ater Industry Alliance’s 2010 alliance award. • L ocal Government Manager’s Association 2010 South Australia excellence in sustainability award. • Our program leader winning the title of South Australia’s Young Water Professional of the Year by the Australian Water Association. Highlights of the strategic and innovative approach include our: • Water Proofing the South initiative including the Christie Creek upgrade. • Aldinga Hart Road wetland. •

ajor irrigation water savings resulting M through diligent management and control.

Bringing together these existing schemes to achieve a sustainable water management solution required a vision that was bold and realistic enough to engage the existing project owners and commit resources. The result was Water Proofing the South.

Water Proofing the South Delivering a city’s vision to harness and integrate alternative sources of water

Water Proofing the South was devised to deliver a localised integrated water resource management strategy entirely within the City of Onkaparinga. It aims to provide ‘fit-for-purpose’ alternative water sources to traditional sources such so that overall water use in the region is sustainable.

Stage 1 – capitalising on reclaimed water infrastructure and laying the foundations for stormwater reuse

The $185M first stage has resulted in 3.8GL of reuse, which would cover the playing surface of Adelaide’s AAMI Stadium to the top of the goal posts approximately 30 times. The project has also received $34.5M in funding support from the Commonwealth Government together with contributions from Flinders University and the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board. With existing schemes in place, more extensive infrastructure has been required to deliver the desired increase in the use of recycled water. Through the unique collaboration between the City of

Onkaparinga, SA Water and the privately owned Willunga Basin Water, we have collectively implemented: • U pgrades to the Christies Beach and the Aldinga Waste Water Treatment Plants to improve water quality to the standard required for urban use. • U p to 70km of network enhancements and expansions. • A n increase in the amount of winter storage by 1.1GL of above ground storage with complementary aquifer storage schemes. • T he reuse of surplus stormwater in the Christie Creek catchment including environmental and recreational benefits. These projects have delivered the critical architecture necessary to further integrate the vast network of alternative water supplies in the southern areas of metropolitan Adelaide.

Stage 2 – furthering stormwater reuse in the City of Onkaparinga The focus for Water Proofing the South Stage 2 is the capture, storage, treatment and reuse of stormwater. The objective is to offset as much as possible of the city’s mainswater demand with fit-for-purpose water.

The total cost of Water Proofing the South Stage 2 is estimated at $30M. We will receive approximately $15M funding from the Commonwealth and $7.5M from the State Government to support the delivery of the project. The Water Proofing the South stage 2 concept includes the creation of four new wetlands and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) schemes and an extensive network of pipe transfer infrastructure. The planning has taken an annual coastal outfall of approximately 24GL of stormwater and the need to preserve environmental flows into consideration. As a result, we will harvest approximately 2.8GL. 2.2GL will be made available for reuse with 20% preserved in the aquifer for environmental purposes. For more information please contact Benjamin Hall at the City of Onkaparinga on (08) 8384 0595 or benhal@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au or visit www.onkaparingacity.com/wps

A sustainable solution for urban pollution

As urban land continues to be developed and redeveloped, there is ever increasing demand to implement stormwater management options that go beyond the conventional practice of collecting stormwater run-off and draining it off site. Today there is a focus on harvesting and then redistributing rain water where it falls, thus reducing surface run-off and allowing natural drainage patterns to be maintained.

Paving solution to an existing pathway predicament Brisbane City Council contacted Adbri Masonry to discuss permeable paving as a potential solution to damaged pavements in the city’s renowned Botanic Gardens which was caused by the tree roots of 130 year old Moreton Bay Figs. After meeting on site, Adbri Masonry’s in-house engineers proposed a design to allow water to filtrate through the pavement layers into the subgrade and garden beds in an effort to keep the tree roots from coming to the surface in search of water. This project utilised approximately 250 square metres of Ecotrihex® permeable pavers, requiring around 90 tonnes of sub base aggregate and a further 10 tonnes of 7mm drainage aggregate for the bedding and jointing of the pavers. This project was designed, supplied, installed and certified by Adbri Masonry’s Contracting Services supply and install division. Brisbane City Council was delighted with the result and have instigated discussions with Adbri Masonry to undertake similar repairs in two more locations in the gardens.

Moore Park East Event Bus Station An ecological paving system provided several solutions for problems associated with the set down area for the bus station located in Moore Park, which services the entertainment precinct that includes the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Sydney Football Stadium and Fox Studios. One of the major challenges of the project was the requirement for sufficient aeration and moisture to nine heritage listed ‘Hills Weeping Figs.’ To solve the problem, the project utilised the benefits of permeable paving with Adbri Masonry’s Ecotrihex® paving system which provided tree protection,

Water Management Review 2011

sustainability, as well as a durable, yet safe pedestrian surface for pedestrian traffic and occasional vehicular loads. The design consisted of building up a pavement on top of the existing subgrade. Careful trimming was undertaken to leave the tree roots undisturbed. This was followed by the addition and compaction of several sub base layers, with varying sizes of aggregates to ensure adequate filtration of water run off. Finally the drainage voids and joints were swept with a 2-5mm crushed aggregate and the pavement compacted until the aggregate in the drainage voids was full to the surface. Aesthetically, the landscape architect selected 9,000 square metres of segmental pavers to give a softer appearance to the large expanse of pavement, combining honed Ebony coloured Trihex® and Ecotrihex® pavers with a contrasting white aggregate in the drainage voids to enhance visual appeal. The result is an attractive yet functional pavement that has performed to the demanding requirements for over 10 years. The use of the Ecotrihex® permeable paving system enabled the designers to achieve the environmental requirements for the project with a simple and durable design.

Breathing life into the urban environment

More than just a paver, permeable pavements are the visible starting point to a simple, environmentally effective, water saving system beneath the surface. With constant water restrictions and ever growing urban land development, architects and designers are under increasing pressure to incorporate water management systems that maximise the use of water resources. When an Ecopave® permeable pavement system is installed, a series of drainage holes are formed in the pavement surface. These drainage holes are filled with a small aggregate to allow water to filtrate through the surface layers, minimising stormwater run off, downstream flooding and pollution problems, with the added benefit of reducing the need for costly underground retention systems. Although permeable pavements are an effective structural solution, with obvious environmental

benefits, permeable paving itself does not create a sustainable water management system. Permeable paving together with an appropriate basecourse and sub-base material, is needed for the successful filtration of stormwater for either harvesting, slowing the rate of runoff, or re-introducing runoff into ground water tables. As seen in projects such as Sydney Olympic Park, as well as many other projects big and small across Australia, permeable paving systems are a practical and effective solution to water management issues in Australia. Available in a number of made to order colours and finishes, Adbri Masonry’s Ecopave® permeable pavement system is the inspired solution for permeable paving projects.

Ecotrihex® - 181mm x 88mm x 80mm thick

Need a breath of life in your next project? Call Adbri Masonry on 1300 365 565 or visit www.adbrimasonry.com.au/permeable

Australia’s leading manufacturer of quality concrete building and landscaping products

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Pathfinders Government Skills Australia (GSA) is a national Industry Skills Council servicing the government and community safety sectors representing the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and workforce interests of Correctional Services, Local Government, Public Safety, Public Sector and Water. GSA provides industry intelligence on skill needs and training solutions to the Australian Government to develop a skilled workforce, through the provision of quality training products and qualifications, workforce development and career advice. The water industry to date is experiencing skill shortages across a broad range of workforce occupations. Industry is seeing the impact of new technologies, an ageing workforce and lack of capacity for training delivery that requires action at both state and national levels in order to improve the current state.

Water Management Review 2011

To address recruitment issues, GSA’s water sector has developed promotional materials as part of the ‘Pathways program’ funded by DEEWR. These materials highlight the many and varied pathways into and within the Water industry, with a focus on providing recruitment strategies targeting in particular Indigenous Australians and women who have traditionally been less well represented Materials were piloted initially with RTO’s, job networks, schools and water organisations, with a positive response received indicating the need for promotional products such as these in the educational arena. The high media profile issue of sustainability will feature strongly in the material and provide a compelling argument for why environmentally conscious people may wish to join the sector.

The complete suite of materials includes: Water Pathways Chart- A poster aimed at school and VET students outlining various job roles available in the water industry. Waiting for an opportunity to surface?A booklet of case studies focusing on women and Indigenous workers providing pathways into the water industry. Recruitment and Retention: Utilising untapped resources- Various strategies and models for good practice recruitment. Information for recruiters looking to broaden their pool. Waiting for an Opportunity to surface?- 2 DVDs promoting women and Indigenous people in the water industry respectively. If you would like copies of these materials, please contact GSA on 08 8410 3455, email: info@governmentskills.com.au or visit: www.governmentskills.com.au

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QUT students’ irrigation kit designed to save lives

It might look like a hessian sack but the micro irrigation kit designed by two Queensland University of Technology (QUT) students has the potential to transform the way developing countries access clean water. Designed by Howard Hsu and Brett Hopper, the kit is a simple-to-use, watercarrying sack that incorporates a highlyinnovative filter capable of removing viruses that lead to significant health problems in developing countries. Howard said the kit which if developed for mass production could potentially only cost about $10 - would greatly benefit farmers in developing countries by filtering contaminated water before being used on crops. “It can also be used in the home to filter water for drinking,” Howard said.

Brett said the kit was designed to function as a drip irrigation system capable of holding 20 litres of water and irrigating 15 square metres of land.

offered the opportunity to put industrial design theory into practice.

Howard said one of the key benefits of the irrigation kit was the ability to filter out the potentially deadly Rotavirus and prevent the spread of diarrhoea through contaminated water.

The students presented their micro irrigation kit at the launch of the QUT Innovation Space - established to help budding entrepreneurs turn a novel idea into a booming business - and won $5000 worth of market research from the Australian Institute of Commercialisation.

“Rotavirus kills approximately 500,000 people a year in sub-Saharan Africa and south-eastern Asia,” he said.

Both students are considering undertaking a Masters degree at QUT when they graduate at the end of the year.

“The filter we have used in the kit was developed by QUT Professor Huai Yong Zhu and uses a specially designed ceramic mesh to filter the virus from water.” The project is part of the students’ fourthyear industrial design subject which focuses on Design Led Innovation and

Lead a sustainable future Our masters degrees focus on vital contemporary issues in the built environment and engineering industries and feature strong elements of sustainability, project management and leadership. They foster career development and creative thinking for long-term global solutions.

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QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering offers postgraduate degrees in:

Kristiane Davidson, Master of Urban Development Graduate Policy Officer for Infrastructure and Planning, Queensland ‘My QUT masters degree was interactive with hands-on modules that allowed me to practise real-world skills that I am now applying in the workplace. Sustainability was the common thread within my course and this demonstrated how urban development and planning encourages innovation and inspires sustainable outcomes.’

qut.edu.au

Engineering Management Engineering Systems Infrastructure Management Power Generation (industry sponsored) Project Management Urban and Regional Planning Graduate Certificate in Built Environment and Engineering Graduate Certificate Power Generation (industry sponsored) To learn more about our masters courses or how to apply, phone (07) 3138 1433 or email bee@qut.edu.au.

Managing careers in a changing environment

Australia’s water industry has certainly experienced extremes in the last decade, from drought to floods, which has had a significant impact on executive and technical careers. In a few short years, the water industry has been forced to shift its focus from conservation and reuse to managing oversupply of water. “As a result of this shift, the increasing shortage of engineering, scientific and technical expertise within the industry is likely to become more prevalent in both regional and metropolitan areas,” says Frank Tiatto, Manager of Bayside Personnel’s Water and Environmental recruitment division. The expertise required for water management and containment systems may in some areas differ from those skills previously in demand, making talent sourcing increasingly challenging. Tiatto

explains that more universities are offering water and environmental related courses to address long term needs, but Australia faces a shortage of skilled specialist water professionals now. However, employers are cautioned against ignoring their selection processes in the rush to find staff. A wrong recruitment decision has a far greater cost to an organisation over time, which means it is important for both organisations and job seekers to make informed decisions. Finding the right talent to meet increasing demand can require significant organisational resources. Bayside Personnel services consulting, government, regulatory, manufacturing, resources and technology clients across Australia, and has placed hundreds of water professionals into roles within the industry. “Like many people in the water industry, we are working closely with universities,

associations and employers to develop short, medium and long term solutions,” Tiatto says. Bayside Personnel uses a combination of traditional and innovative sourcing strategies. Where skill sets are not readily available in Australia, Bayside Personnel sources international talent from countries with similar water management systems, sponsoring professionals on 457 visas. This provides Australian organisations with the flexibility to meet project deadlines and ensure much needed expertise is passed on to their employees. Bayside Personnel’s specialist Water and Environment team have been active participants in the industry for many years. Well known for providing valuable assistance to organisations and professionals, Bayside Personnel offers career advice and talent services in specialist areas. For further information, visit www.baysidepersonnel.com.au.

Bayside Personnel has the experience and networking capability to deliver you the best water industry talent. Specialising in water recruitment, Bayside Personnel is a leading provider of executive, engineering, scientific and technical professionals across the following disciplines:

y y y y y

Water and Waste Water Management Surface Water and Catchment Management Hydraulics / Hydrology Conservation and Sustainability Natural Resources

Whether you are looking for new talent or a new career in water, visit www.baysidepersonnel.com.au Specialists in Engineering & Technical Recruitment

VIC: 03 9864 6000

Part of the Bayside Group l AS/NZS ISO 9001 Certified l RCSA Member l AHRI Member

Water Management Review 2011

NSW: 02 9919 6900

QLD: 07 3221 6822

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Accelerating the adoption of science outcomes

Arris Pty Ltd is made up of two very distinct divisions: Agricultural and Environmental Services, and Marketing Communications. This inimitable combination of agriculture and consultation together with marketing communication allows the divisions to work individually, on specialised projects, or jointly when projects need to encompass the communications of outputs from science, agricultural and environmental consultation.

This technical and communication expertise grew considerably through a project managed and staffed by Arris for Horticulture Australia Limited — the Australian Coordinator of Recycled Water use in Horticulture project (ACRWH). The project helped coordinate reclamation and reuse of urban wastewater across Australian horticulture through provision of a range of resources aimed at improving public understanding of recycled water and subsequently achieving greater acceptance and use. It also played a significant role in innovative research into the use of recycled water for horticultural production. This project also had a major focus on maximising training and adoption with the aim of effecting ongoing improvement and development of recycled water schemes. The courses, delivered around Australia, included: •

course targeting the user, trainer of the user and people on A the ground helping set up recycled water schemes.

•

Masters course examined the technical, environmental, A social and financial issues necessary to win community and government support for the development of recycled water schemes.

•

n irrigator’s course focused on the practicalities of using A recycled water.

Arris has developed and delivered tailored training packages to a variety of industries on a range of topics. Water is recognised as a precious resource that needs to be maximised, and as a result people, companies and industries are realising the benefits of targeted training. The communication division of Arris is used extensively when developing a tailored training package. It’s broad mix of skills and experience in professional writing, graphic design, web design, printing, publishing and electronic media development are vital to the delivery of an integrated and professional training package. For further information please contact the Arris Office on (08) 8303 6706 or visit www.arris.com.au

agriculture &

environmental solutions »agronomy & crop feasibility »irrigation assessment, design & redevelopment »impact of & adaption to climate change »environmental risk management »project development & management »web design & development »graphic design »photography »marketing »strategic planning »tour & event management »education & training

arris

The consultation division specialises in agronomic advice and environmental risk assessment/management for developing and using recycled water in the urban and agricultural environments (rural farming through to urban gardens).

Adelaide Univeristy Waite Campus, Urrbrae SA

t 08 8303 6706

www.arris.com.au

Specialist recruiters in water engineering At Hays Engineering, we are the technical engineering recruiting experts. We have a team dedicated to recruiting within Australia’s water industry, for both the public and private sectors. We deal in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments.

and accurate response allows us to deliver a real result.

We recruit within the fields of waste water, drainage, flood assessment, urban design, asset management, hydrology, hydrogeology, coastal engineering and water treatment.

• Senior Managers

As a true vertical player, we understand what employers in these fields are looking for. With our depth of expertise and technical understanding across all disciplines and at all levels of Australia’s water industry, we’ll bring the right person together with the right job. Our extensive database, local market knowledge and fast

Our areas of expertise include: • Engineers at all levels including Senior, Principal and Team Lead • Designers • Project Managers • Process Engineers By taking the time to understand our clients and candidates, we help people and companies achieve lasting impact. In fact, at Hays we find permanent jobs for over 15,000 people a year and temporary and contract assignments for over 25,000 people a year. At any one time we employ over 10,000 temporaries and contractors. That’s why, for over 34 years, we’ve powered the world of work.

PrinciPal Water engineer deliver major urban Water Projects melbourne cbd location. $150k+. As a household name in engineering circles both in Australia and globally, this interdisciplinary firm enjoys an excellent reputation. With more than 30,000 employees across their network of international offices, they offer a dizzying array of long-term career growth options and an opportunity to work on some of the highest profile projects alongside a supportive and professional team. As a result of a series of recent business wins, they find themselves in urgent need of a Principal-level Water Engineer to join their water engineering division. You will work in a leadership capacity to plan, direct and deliver major urban water infrastructure projects. Working closely with clients, you’ll ensure deliverables are met and issues addressed and you will work with colleagues within Australia and around the world on regional and international projects. As a recognised leader in your field you will be called on to mentor junior staff and provide strategic guidance to senior management. You are a degree-qualified engineer with extensive experience delivering water infrastructure projects. You are comfortable and confident engaging directly with top-level management and are commercially-minded with first-rate negotiation and dispute resolution skills. You have considerable consulting-sector experience and you understand the difference it can make to one‘s professional satisfaction to work with a supportive and engaging senior management team. contact matt Hinton at matthew.hinton@hays.com.au or 03 9642 4066.

hays.com.au

Water Management Review 2011

produced as a bi-annual publication, the very latest news from within the Australian water industry can be found online at the APRS new portal: “Voice for the Water Industry”

www.aprs.com.au/water-news The magazine and water news portal are packed full of content that is always aimed at the discerning reader who

Australian Water Management Review

is interested in quality, style, and informative editorial.

2011

If you would like to subscribe to the free digital eBook of the Australian Water Management Review, please visit our website and click the Subscribe Now button:

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While you are on our website, why not visit the Australian GovLink news portal to find the latest in Local and State government news:

www.aprs.com.au/govlink-ebook

Page: 50

company profiles

Abigroup Water Head office: Brisbane Branch Offices: Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide Telephone: (07) 3020 8200 Facsimile: (07) 3020 8380 Email: water@abigroup.com.au Web: www.abigroup.com.au Number of Employees: 45 Contact: General Manager: Chris Bulloch National Business Development Manager: Neil Easton Marketing & Communications Manager: Simone Siwka Services: ‘Our people are building Australia’s water future’ Abigroup Water is a complete water infrastructure service provider deriving strength from its diverse mechanical, electrical, civil and engineering capabilities. At Abigroup Water we have established a responsive, proactive culture focused on creating value for our clients with an emphasis on quality. Our dedicated and skilled team delivers balanced solutions by combining the latest technology with strong operations involvement to ensure innovation and timely delivery throughout the project lifecycle. Our strong commitment to health and safety, and our duty to ensure a positive social and environmental legacy creates sustainable water infrastructure solutions for our clients. Abigroup Water is a national contractor and provides the following integrated capabilities: • • • • • • •

Mechanical, Electrical, Civil & Engineering Turnkey Solutions Commissioning and Operations Management Water & Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure Water Recycling & Purification Desalination Irrigation Bulk Water Transmission & Network Distribution

Page: 74

Page: Back cover

Atteris Pty Ltd

AJ Lucas Group Ltd

Head office: Level 3, 220 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000

Head Office: 394 Lane Cove Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113

Branch Offices: Brisbane, Queensland

Telephone: (02) 9490 4000

Telephone: (08) 9322 7922

Facsimile: (02) 9490 4200

Facsimile: (08) 9322 7988

Email: mail@lucas.com.au

Email: info@atteris.com.au

Web: www.lucas.com.au

Web: www.atteris.com.au

Number of Employees: 900

Number of Employees: 30

Contact: CEO: Allan Campbell General Manager (Building, Construction & Infrastructure): Peter Williams Manager, Water division: Michael Arbon Irrigation Infrastructure and Food: Andrew Murray Water Treatment and Recycled Water: Peter Makris, Robert Wale, Sri Nayak

Contact: Managing Director: Eric Jas Project Delivery Manager: Dermot O’Brien Engineering Manager: Dean Campbell Capabilities: Subsea Pipeline Design, Subsea Pipeline Routing Design, Pipeline Mechanical, Stabilisation, and Protection Design, Finite Element Analysis, Shore Crossing and Shore Approach Design, Geological and Geotechnical Assessments; Metocean Assessments, Freespan Analysis, Installation Analysis Services: Feasibility Studies, Concept Engineering Studies, Basis of Design Definition, Front End Engineering design, Detailed Design, Cost and Risk Studies, Tender and Contracting Documents, Package Management, Construction Support / Field Engineering

Water Management Review 2011

Branch Offices: Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne

Services: Lucas provides the resources, expertise, and experience needed to provide water solutions to the private and public sectors. Our team has the balance of skills and proven achievements to deliver a successful outcome for all. We can help you with strategies, solutions and deployment plans including: Irrigation Infrastructure Lucas offers solutions across the full spectrum of the irrigation sector – from delivery infrastructure right through to the farm equipment and systems. Water Treatment Lucas is an innovator in the engineering and delivery of large complex projects across a range of industries including water, oil, gas and mining. This gives us a deep understanding of our clients’ business needs, and practical knowledge of their technical, commercial and legal constraints. Recycled Water Sustainable water management is imperative for Australia’s future. As water becomes scarce the current use of drinking quality water for all household and industrial applications cannot be sustained. Water reuse requires treatment of wastewater so it is fit for the intended purpose. Farming, agricultural irrigation, flushing toilets and washing cars are examples where recycled water can be readily used to save drinking water.

187 Page: 178

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Adbri Masonry

Agua Pty Ltd

Aqua Guardian Group Ltd

Telephone: 1300 365 565

Head Office: Adelaide

Web: www.adbrimasonry.com.au

Telephone: (08) 8365 3855

Head Office: Level 9, 564 St Kilda Road Melbourne, Vic, 3004

Services: Adbri Masonry has vast experience in manufacturing a range of innovative; pavers, retaining walls, bricks, blocks, decorative wall claddings and several environmental products. Operating from 16 sites throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, Adbri Masonry is Australia’s leading supplier of quality concrete building and landscaping products. In addition to this full complement of high quality products Adbri Masonry also features

Facsimile: (08) 8365 3857

Telephone: +61 3 8530 2000

Email: john@agua.com.au

Facsimile: +61 3 8530 2020

Web: www.agua.com.au

Email: sales@aquagaurdiangroup.com

Number of Employees: 2

Web: www.aquagaurdiangroup.com

• • •

Agua also can provide alarms via SMS or email. The application for these services is weather stations, soil status, pump station status, dam level, water quality status, flow monitoring. Any application can be incorporated into the Agua system

• • • • •

NATA Accredited laboratory National transport network Contracting Services team (an internal design, supply and install division) State based customer service teams Experienced in house engineers who can provide design solutions for commercial projects Specific Architectural and Engineering consultants Strong local sales teams The ability to create customised product solutions specific to individual projects (select products only, minimum quantities and lead times apply)

With a superior, versatile product range as well as industry leading service, Adbri Masonry has a solution for your next project.

Contact: John Bennett

Number of Employees: 10

Services: Agua collects data from remote locations and presents that data on www.agua.com.au. Data can also be provided via SMS and email.

Contact: CEO: Nigel Blair General Manager: Ian Woodfield National Sales Manager: Danny de Graaf Products: AquaArmour™ - An Australian made and engineered product. An Evaporation and Algal control system for major water storages and dams. Proven to reduce evaporation by 88% plus significantly limit algal growth.

Products: Weather Stations AguaMeter Remote water meter logging AguaWaste Remote pipe flow monitoring Pump Control and Monitoring Stations Environmental Monitoring Systems Soil Monitoring Systems Remote Alarm Systems Remote Flow Monitoring Stations Frost Alarm Systems

Page: 183

Page: 100

Page: 168

Arris Pty Ltd

AVK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

C.E. Bartlett Pty Ltd

Head Office: Adelaide University Waite Campus Building 11b, Gate 2c, Hartley Grove Urrbrae, SA 5064

Head Office: 559A Grand Junction Road, Wingfield, SA 5013

Head Office: 172 Ring Road, Wendouree VIC 3355

Telephone: (08) 8368 0900

Telephone: (03) 5339 3103

Branch Offices: Marketing Communications Office, Adelaide University Waite Campus Building 20, Hartley Grove Urrbrae, SA 5064

Facsimile: (08) 8368 0970

Facsimile: (03) 5338 1241

Email: info@avkvalves.com.au

Email: info@bartlett.net.au

Web: www.avkvalves.com.au

Web: www.bartlett.net.au

Number of Employees: 50-100

Number of Employees: Approx 95

Contact: Managing Director: Karsten Pedersen General Manager Sales & Marketing: Darren Gibbons

Contact: CEO: Keith Bartlett General Manager: Keith Bartlett Sales Manager: Scott Norman Product Manager: Max Bartlett

Telephone: (08) 8303 6706 Facsimile: (08) 8303 6752 Email: info@arris.com.au Web: www.arris.com.au Number of Employees: 13 Contact: Managing Director: Jim Kelly Directors: Natasha Wojcik & Dean Lanyon Services: Arris: Agricultural & Environmental • Agricultural • Environmental • Landscape Management • Lifecycle Assessments • Project Development & Management • Technical Expertise Arris: Marketing Communications • Graphic Design • Web & Database Design • Interactive Media • Printing & Print Management • Marketing Communications • Tour & Event Management • Education & Training • Professional & Technical Writing • Photography & Film Production

Business Development Managers: QLD &NT: John McTavish NSW, VIC & TAS: Ian Simpson WA: Jim Atkinson Dams & Hydro: Geoff Trowbridge Technical Support & Projects: Dale Ormond Customer Service: Diane Younger Marketing Assistance: Carol Wilkinson Products: With an extensive network coverage throughout Australia and New Zealand, AVK is committed to the continued supply of quality: • VALVES; Gate, Check, Butterfly, Air Release, Ball and Service Connection Valves • HYDRANTS; Underground fire hydrant, spring hydrant and isolation valves • COUPLINGS; Straight, Stepped, Flange Adaptors and End Caps • HYDRO, DAMS & RESERVOIRS; Free Discharge Valves, Submerged Discharge Valves, Control Valves

Products: Onsite Dam Liners, Pre-fabricated Pond & Dam Liners, Tank Liners, Flexiflume™ Irrigation hose, Evaporation Covers, Water Transfer Products, Bladder Tanks, Pillow Tanks, Tarpaulins

Page: 18

Page: 75

Bermad Water

Brookfield Multiplex Engineering + Infrastructure Pty Ltd

Head Office: 7 Inglewood Drive Thomastown, Vic 3074

Head Office: Level 2, Old Swan Brewery, Perth WA 6000

Branch Offices: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth

Telephone: (08) 9483 0899

Telephone: (03) 9464 2374 Facsimile: (03) 9464 2382 Email: sales@bermad.com.au Web: www.bermad.com.au Number of Employees: 15 Contact: General Manager: Bob Stephens Colin Kirkland, CSA Air and Vacuum Release valves. Michael Harrison, Sensus Water Meters Services: Supply of standard and custom build of Bermad diapragm actuated control valves for pressure control, tank level control, and water hammer suppression. Assistance in pipeline water hammer solutions…using CSA air and vacuum release valves. Supplying Sensus water meters, includes solutions for increasing revenue for water measurement.

Branch Offices: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide Facsimile: (08) 9483 0898 Email: waengineering@brookfieldmultiplex.com Web: www.brookfieldmultiplex.com Contact: Regional Managing Director: Rainer Rasmussen Services: Brookfield Multiplex Engineering + Infrastructure Pty Ltd is a construction contracting business specialising in the design and construction of large scale complex multi-disciplinary projects within the Australian Water Industry. From RO Desalination to Waste Water Treatment, our experience within the water industry is diverse with recently completed projects including: • 144 MLD Seawater Desalination Plant - Kwinana, Western Australia (2008 Australian Construction Association & Engineers Australia – Winner of Best Project) • 40MLD Northern Water Treatment Plant – Townsville, Northern Queensland • 232MLD Douglas Water Treatment Plant Upgrade – Townsville, Northern Queensland • 20MLD Alkimos Waste Water Treatment Plant – Alkimos, Western Australia With nearly 50 years in business experience, Brookfield Multiplex Engineering and Infrastructure’s ability to working collaboratively with our clients to deliver projects in an innovative way on time and on budget is what sets us apart and makes us a market leader. We pride ourselves on delivering value for money to our clients through: disciplined project management, innovative value engineered solutions, commitment to safety, quality and a sustainable environment.

• • •

Our project delivery capability and experience encompasses PPP, Alliance, ECI and lump sum.

Page: 52

Page: 182

Baulderstone

Bayside Personnel

Head Office: Triniti Business Campus, Level 5, 39 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113 Telephone: +61 2 9935 7000 Fax: +61 2 9935 7081 Email: communications@baulderstone.com.au

Head Office: Melbourne

Branch Offices: NSW: Triniti Business Campus, Level 4, 39 Delhi Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113 Telephone: +61 2 9935 7100 Facsimile: +61 2 9935 7090 ACT: 25 Childers Street, Canberra City, ACT 2601 Telephone: +61 2 6216 9111 Facsimile: +61 2 6216 9222 QLD: Level 3, 44 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059 Telephone: +61 7 3835 0555 Facsimile:: +61 3832 0269 QLD Regional Office Townsville: Unit 3, 17-19, Greg Jabs Court, Barbutt, QLD, 4814 Telephone: +61 7 4727 3777 Facsimile: +61 7 4727 3700 VIC: Level 9, South Wharf Tower, 30 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, VIC, 3006 Telephone: +61 3 9684 6111 Facsimile:: +61 3 9684 6100 SA: Level 14, 431 King William Street, Adelaide, SA, 5000 Telephone: +61 8 8202 8888 Facsimile: +61 8 8202 8999 WA: Level 4, 503 Murray Street, Perth, WA, 6000 Telephone: +61 8 9214 0888 Facsimile: +61 8 9214 0800

Email: ftiatto@baysidegrp.com.au

Web: www.baulderstone.com.au Number of Employees: 1400 Nationally Contact: Managing Director: Ian Luck General Manager: Stephen Green (QLD) Services: Construction, building and Engineering. Baulderstone has been creating what matters in Australian building and infrastructure for its clients and with the community for over 80 years. It’s one of the largest building and engineering companies in Australia.

Water Management Review 2011

Branch Offices: North Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide Telephone: (03) 9864 6000 Web: www.baysidepersonnel.com.au Number of Employees: Part of the Bayside Group of specialist recruiters – 250 employees, 2000+ on-hired employees Contact: CEO: Pam Dew General Manager: Steve Dunkley Manager, Environment & Water: Frank Tiatto Services: Bayside Personnel is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of executive and technical professionals. With a specialist Water and Environment team well known for their active participation and valuable contribution to the industry, Bayside Personnel provides career advice and talent services in the specialist areas of:

• • • • •

Total Water and Waste Water Management Sustainability Environmental Management Natural Resources Management Geosciences

Specialising in permanent and contract recruitment, Bayside Personnel services major clients across Australia and internationally. Our service philosophy is to build long term relationships, which means providing our clients with cost effective, quality services and assisting professionals to meet their career goals.

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Page: 173

Blucher Australia

Bentley

Head Office: SA

Head office: Bentley Systems, Incorporated 6 Riverside Quay, Level 6, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia

Branch Offices: NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic, WA Telephone: (08) 8374 3426 Facsimile: (08) 8374 3428 Email: blucher@blucher.com.au Web: www.blucher.com.au Services: BLUCHER Australia provides drainage & pressure piping solutions for industrial, commercial and residential applications throughout Australia and New Zealand. Products: • Blucher EuroPipe – 316 stainless steel drainage system available in diameters 50 to 250mm. • Blucher Industrial Drains in 316 stainless steel for hygiene sensitive or heavy traffic installations. • Blucher Channel Drains in 316 stainless steel, manufactured in Australia for hygiene sensitive or heavy traffic installations. • Mapress Press Fit pressure system available in 316 stainless steel for potable water, gas and compressed air applications. • Mapress Press Fit pressure system available in Copper Nickel for high chloride environments (new product). • Mapress Press Fit pressure system available in Carbon Steel for fire sprinkler and compressed air applications (new product).

Branch Offices: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland. Visit www.bentley.com/contact for more office locations Telephone: (03) 9699 8699 Facsimile: (03) 9699 8677 Email: sales.haestad@bentley.com Web: www.bentley.com/NRWM Contact CEO: Greg Bentley Sales Manager: Uma Umakhanthan Services: Bentley’s fully integrated water and wastewater solution addresses the needs of owner-operators and engineers who contribute to the water infrastructure life cycle. Its powerful capabilities enhance mapping and data management, information sharing and collaboration, hydraulic simulation and analysis, design and construction documentation, field engineering and inspection, and operations and maintenance. Products: Modeling and management software for: • water distribution systems analysis and design • transient analysis • sanitary and combined sewers analysis and design • storm water drainage analysis and design • hydraulic calculators • GIS • mapping • geospatial web publishing • road and site design • plant design and engineering

Page: 44, 49

Page: 122

Black & Veatch

Campbell Scientific Australia

Head Office: Kansas City

Head Office: Townsville

Branch Offices: Brisbane (07) 3010 9445, Melbourne (03) 8673 4200, Sydney (02) 9019 0600 , Perth (08) 9436 8900

Telephone: +61 7 4772 0444

Email: weknowwater@bv.com Web: www.bv.com Services: Black & Veatch is a global leader in the consulting, engineering, construction and operation of what the world needs now and in the future in the crucial areas of energy, water and telecommunications and in providing up-to-the-minute services in the fast changing federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch develops tailored infrastructure solutions that meet clients’ needs and provide sustainable benefits. Solutions are provided from the broad line of service expertise available within Black & Veatch, including conceptual and preliminary engineering services, engineering design, procurement, construction, financial management, asset management, program management, construction management, environmental, security design and consulting, management consulting and infrastructure planning. About Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company specializing in infrastructure development in energy, water, telecommunications, and management consulting, federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch develops tailored infrastructure solutions that meet clients’ needs and provide sustainable benefits. Solutions are provided from the broad line of service expertise available within Black & Veatch, including conceptual and preliminary engineering services, engineering design, procurement, construction, financial management, asset management, program management, construction management, environmental, security design and consulting, management consulting and infrastructure planning. With $2.7 billion in revenue, the employee-owned company has completed projects in more than 100 countries on six continents and has four offices in Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney). Drawing from local and global expertise on large and small scale projects, Black & Veatch is helping clients in Australia adapt and plan in the face of uncertainty, deliver ground breaking technology and complex solutions, and discover new sustainable sources of water.

Facsimile: +61 7 4772 0555 Email: info@campbellsci.com.au Web: www.campbellsci.com.au Number of employees: 18 Contact: Managing Director: Rob Kurz Product Manager: David Boadle Products: Data Loggers, Sensors, Communications, Measurement & Control Peripherals, Software, Tripods & Towers, Weather Stations, Eddy Covariance, Time-Domain Reflectometry Services: Training, Calibration, Repairs

Page: 164

Page: 159

Bushman Tanks

Chemtura AgroSolutions Australia

Head Office: 300 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Head Office: Adelaide, South Australia Branch Offices: Level 7, 435 King William St, Adelaide, SA, 5000

Branch Offices: NSW:18 Colliers Road, Orange, NSW 2800 QLD: 8 Cooper Street, Dalby, QLD 4405 SA: 15 CB Fisher Drive, Cavan, SA 5094 VIC: Cobden Road, Terang, VIC 3264

Telephone: (08) 8112 0900 Facsimile: (08) 8112 0999 Email: AUcustomerenquiry@chemtura.com

Telephone: 1800 00 88 88

Web: www.chemturaagrosolutions.com/au

Facsimile: (02) 6361 8508

Contact: Commercial Manager: Craig Graham, 0433 269 817 Marketing Manager: Paul Reynolds, 0428 881 208

Email: sales@bushmans.com.au Web: www.bushmantanks.com.au Contacts: CEO: Chris Glenn State Managers: NSW: Steve Dale, QLD - Dave Robinson, VIC - Paul Humphrey, SA - Wayne Vlassco Services: One of the keys to Bushmans is the advanced production and freight scheduling systems, combined with BUSHMANS own delivery vehicles, allows us to create a delivery window for all orders placed. This gives BUSHMANS a delivery performance advantage over its rivals. BUSHMANS local state-based sales centres permits the management of more enquiries as well and a greater understanding of local customer requirements. This allows more time to listen to our customers and understand their needs. Prodcuts: BUSHMANS original range of household rainwater tanks and rural rain water tanks, gives you access to the most cost-efficient water storage products available. BUSHMANS also manufacture a range of industrial chemical storage tanks and tanks for storing a range of agricultural products. Made in one piece, from UV stabilised polyethylene which complies with Australian standards for drinking water as well as food contact, BUSHMANS tanks give you long term performance you can rely on. Sizes range from 720 litres to 10,000 litres for household rainwater storage, and from 15,000 litres to 46,400 litres for country and more remote domestic applications.

Services: Chemtura AgroSolutionsTM is a subsidiary of Chemtura Corporation, A global company who produce and market polymer products and specialty chemicals globally. Chemtura AgroSolutions is a leading provider of a range of products and has a reputation for product innovation and field service expertise. Backed by a fully qualified team of agronomists and technicians, Chemtura Agrosolutions provide solutions for a wide range of issues that face growers and operators today and into the future. Products: Rootfoam WP Herbicide

BUSHMANS has been manufacturing tanks in Dalby - Queensland, Orange - New South Wales, Terang - Victoria and Adelaide - South Australia for more than 20 years and when it comes to water storage, BUSHMANS delivers the goods in the toughest Australian conditions. You can rely on BUSHMANS to Save Australia’s Water.

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Contexx Engineering Pty. Ltd.

Desaln8 Pty Ltd

Head Office: Level 9, 580, St.Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia Telephone: +61 3 9539 5000

Head Office: 21 Business Park Drive, Notting Hill, Vic, 3168

Facsimile: +61 3 539 5091

Telephone: (03) 8545 8800

Web: www.contexx.biz

Facsimile: (03) 8545 8899

Contact: General Manager: Geoff Thomas Commercial and Operations Manager: Chris Ong

Web: www.desaln8.com

Number of employees: 90 (Contexx Group)

Services: Hydrogeological Consultants – Offering advice on Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), one of the most efficient methods of protecting your existing water supply, and a perfect way to maximize the results of your ISD groundwater unit.

Services: Contexx Engineering is a forward-thinking civil engineering company driven by experienced leadership and a team of dynamic people. We specialize in design and construct contracting methods to deliver innovative solutions for medium to large scale engineering projects. Structure We are part of the Contexx Group and through a strategic alliance in December 2010, is now 50% owned by Probuild Constructions, which is majority owned by Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon Ltd - a listed civil and building contractor in South Africa. Approach We believe that success stems from integrity — a quality that forms the basis of everything we do. We recognize the importance of building strong relationships through collaboration, flexibility, transparency and, above all, continuity. Moreover, it is one that fosters genuine, mutual respect. Projects We specialize in water treatment plants, marine dry dock infrastructure, wharves and associated commercial facilities, renewable energy related civil works, and heavy civil infrastructure projects. We also have had extensive experience in managing projects involving contamination and heritage restrictions. Accreditation We are 3rd party accredited through Davis Langdon for our OH&S Systems (AS4801), Environmental Systems (ISO14001) and Quality Management System (ISO9001). Industrial Relations We have an exemplary record in maintaining sound relationships with all industrial parties

Water Management Review 2011

Contact: CEO: Trevor Ahale

Products: Water Supply – Desaln8 are the designers of the ISD system, an innovative and proven technology that turns undrinkable saline groundwater into fresh water. ISD is chemical free, environmentally sustainable and cost effective. Waste Water Treatment – Reduce the volume of waste and reduce your bottom line by recovering useful raw materials from your industrial processes. Desaln8 are exclusive agents for two innovative products: • EST, an industrial solvent and wastewater recovery system based on the latest electrosorbtion technologies, and; • C&G Vacuum Evaporation, an energy-wise European waste recovery technology successfully operating in industries all over the world.

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Coe Drilling Pty Ltd

Dama Manufacturing Ltd

Head Office: 11-13 Gibbs Street, Labador, Qld 4215 Branch Offices: Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Thailand Telephone: +61 7 5500 5222 Facsimile: +61 7 5500 6444 Email: e.foley@coedrilling.com.au Web: www.coedrilling.com.au Contact: CEO: Stephen Coe General Manager: Eamon Foley State Manager: Jim Blakeney Services: Coe Drilling Pty Ltd is a medium sized utility installations company, which was established in 1998 to offer clients, cost effective Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) services for the Australasian/Oceania markets. We are an innovative company that specializes in the Design and Construction of Horizontal Directionally Drilled Crossings throughout the Pipeline, Communications, Water & Sewer Industries. The company has available highly mobile and cost effective drilling spreads of up to 500 Ton Capacity capable of Installations from. 8” diameter over 300m with its Mini Rigs. 16” diameter over 1500m with the Midi Rig. 48” diameter in excess of 2500m with the Maxi Rigs. 30” diameter in excess of 1800m with the Maxi Pipe Pusher. We have a proven track record in all aspects of the industry from: Oil & Gas Telecommunications Water & Wastewater Coe’s senior management have been involved in the trenchless and drilling industries for over 20 years and all have worked for major international HDD companies prior to working at Coe Drilling. Our Directional drillers and site staff have travelled far a field working with many of the worlds leading HDD companies gaining valuable experience which Coe Drilling puts to use on its projects both here in Australia and overseas. Products: HDD, MICROTUNNELLING, PIPELINES.

Head Office: Whangarei, New Zealand Phone: +64 27 493 3183 Facsimile: +64 9 926 1811 Email: info@kleenscreen.com Web: www.kleenscreen.com Number of Employees: 4 Products: Stainless Steel Self-cleaning Intake Screens Footvalve Screens Effluent Screens Ultrasonic Flow Meters

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Dematec Water

Entura

Head Office: Adelaide

Head Office: Cambridge

Telephone: (08) 8374 7600

Branch Offices: Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide

Facsimile: (08) 8374 7627 Email: david.gold@dematec.com.au

Telephone: (03) 6245 4500

Web: www.dematecwater.com.au

Facsimile: (03) 6245 4550

Contact: BDM: David Gold

Email: info@entura.com.au Web: www.entura.com.au

Services: Dematec Water is the sole Australasian distributors and installers for the Bridgestone GRP potable water storage system. Dematec Water brings excellence to its customers, through design, supply and final installation. The benefits of having a safe, near zero corrosion, and substantially stronger product that has been rigorously tested, should bring peace of mind to any owner or facility manager requiring longevity and value.

Contact: CEO: Roy Adair (Roy.Adair@hydro.com.au)

Capabilities: • Approved for potable water in Australia/New Zealand (ASNZS4020) and in the USA (NSF61) •

The tanks are Stored water makes contact with GRP surfaces only and does not make contact with steel components. There is no internal reinforcement, there are no internal tie-rods, no risk of internal corrosion

•

The tanks are completely sealed from dust, bugs, vermin and light—therefore contamination is rare, algae and micro-bacterial colonies will not form and evaporation is zero

•

Smooth mirror surface of panels prevents bacterial growth

•

The need for chlorine dosage is significantly reduced

•

The hot pressing method for producing panels eliminates styrene and makes the tanks ideal for drinking water

•

Unique floor design ensures free flow drainage when cleaning

Products: Bridgestone GRP panel water tanks

General Manager: Scott Baddiley (Scott.Baddiley@entura.com.au) Sales Manager: Emma Benson (Emma.Benson@entura.com.au) Services: We provide a full range of consulting services covering the planning, feasibility, design, approval, construction, and operation and maintenance of all kind of major water and energy projects. We specialise in hydro power, water management, water infrastructure, renewable energy, power engineering and environmental management and planning.

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Enware Australia Pty Limited

First State Super

Head Office: Cambridge

Head Office: PO Box R1827, Royal Exchange NSW 1225

Branch Offices: 9-11 Endeavour Road, Caringbah, NSW, 2229

Branch Offices: PO Box 1229, Wollongong NSW 2500

Telephone: (02) 9525 9511 Facsimile: (02) 9525 9536

Telephone: 1300 650 873

Email: info@enware.com.au

Facsimile:1300 722 072

Web: www.enware.com.au

Email: enquiries@firststatesuper.com.au

Number of employees: 300

Web: www.firststatesuper.com.au

Contact: General Manager: Paul Degnan Sales Manager: Adam Degnan Product Manager: Scott Whittaker

Contact: Business Development Manager: Michael Keyte

Services: Enware Australia is a proud manufacturer and distributor of a wide range of high quality products in the Specialist Plumbing, Adaptable Living, Environmental, Health & Safety, Water Metering and Washroom Systems markets. We are 100% Australian owned and managed, with 3 local manufacturing sites and sales offices throughout the country. We also distribute a number of high quality global brands, and we offer the support of full Customer Service, R&D, Projects and Technical Services teams to deliver customised, end-to-end solutions. Products: Commercial Anti-vandal Tapware, Self-closing Tapware and Bubblers, Lever Action Tapware, Food Service Tapware, Laboratory Tapware, Showers, Backflow Prevention Devices, Water Saving Devices, Electronic, Hands-free Tapware, Sensor-activated Flushing Systems, Temperature Control Valves, Water Chillers and Appliances, Water Treatment Solutions, Emergency Showers, Eye and Eye/Face Washes, Portable and Self Contained Eye Wash, Laboratory Safety Systems, Decontamination Systems, Safety, Signage for Compliance, Spill Prevention, Spill Containment

Services: Financial planning Education seminars Regular email newsletters Dedicated customer service helpdesk User-friendly website and calculators Investment updates Personal interview service Products: Employer-sponsored superannuation Personal superannuation Transition to Retirement Income Stream Retirement Income Stream Life insurance Income protection

Page: 20

Emerson Process Management Head Office: 471 Mountain Highway, Bayswater, Victoria, 3153 Branch Offices: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland Phone: 1300 55 3051 Facsimile: 03 9720 4215 Email: ausales@ap.emersonprocess.com

Page: 180

Government Skills Australia Head Office: Level 2, 47-49 Waymouth Street, Adelaide, SA 5000 Telephone: (08) 8410 3455 Facsimile: (08) 8410 2842 Email: matthew.lees@governmentskills.com.au Web: : www.governmentskills.com.au Number of employees: 25

Contacts: General Manager: Tom Diederich

Contact: CEO: Jan Weir General Manager: Wayne Morling Marketing Manager: Matt Lees

Services: Start-up Commissioning Services, Repair Services Turnaround/Outage Services Remote Seal Repair Parts Services Advanced Tools – Diagnostic Services Calibration & Validation Services 375/475 Communicator Services Inventory Programs Training Programs

Services: Government Skills Australia (GSA) is a national Industry Skills Council for the government and community safety sectors representing the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and workforce development interests of Correctional Services, Local Government, Public Safety, Public Sector and Water. GSA provides industry intelligence on skill needs and training solutions to the Australian Government to develop a skilled workforce.

Products: Measurement & Analytical – Pressure, Temperature, Level and Flow Measurement, Analyzers, Gas Chromatographs,

Products: GSA services industry through the provision of quality training products and qualifications, workforce development and career advice.

Web: www.emersonprocess.com

Valves, Regulators, and Final Control Elements – Control Valves and valve-related instrumentation, regulators Systems, Controllers and Software – Process Management Systems, Safety Instrumented Systems

Water Management Review 2011

193 Page: 102

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epco australia

EPCO Australia

Gentrack

Head Office: 17 Argon Street, Sumner Park 4074, QLD Australia

Head Office: Level 9, 390 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004

Telephone: (07) 3279 3276 Facsimile: (07) 3279 4250

Telephone: +61 3 9867 9100

Email: info@epco.com.au

Facsimile: +61 3 9867 9140

Web: www.epco.com.au

Email: info@gentrack.com

Contact: Managing Director: Grant Cobbin General Manager: Paul Cobbin

Web: www.gentrack.com Number of employees: 120+

Services: EPCO Australia offers a range of consultation services to assist you in the ongoing operation and maintenance of your wastewater treatment equipment. As with refurbishment, this service is not specific to the EPCO Australia range of wastewater treatment products. If you have equipment from other suppliers or manufacturers we may still be able to assist you. We offer services in the following areas: • Needs Analysis • Plant sizing • Operation and Maintenance Analysis • Equipment Assessment and advice • Process Design Criteria Products: Our equipment includes: • Complete packaged sewage plants. • Clarifier mechanisms of all types for circular and rectangular tanks. • Microfiltration membrane systems (UF). • Trickling filters (Rotary Distributors), siphon equipment and plastic media. • Anaerobic Digestion systems. • Aeration and mixing systems. • Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) systems. • Screening equipment from fine to heavy duty. • Ultraviolet water disinfection equipment. • Grit removal equipment.

Page: 55

Contact: CEO: James Docking Country Manager: Cesare Tizi Marketing Manager: Aaron Baker Product Manager: Terry Maude Services: Gentrack has a highly experienced and dedicated team available to deliver professional services to support water utilities of all sizes. Services include: • Utility Business Consulting • Industry Consulting • Project Services Products: Gentrack Velocity – specialist solutions for water utilities including: • Billing – water/waste water and sewerage • Credit and Collections • Works and Asset Management • Meter Data Management • CRM

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Page: 135

GWMwater

H2O PUREPLUS Pty Ltd

Harris Environmental Consulting

Head Office: 11 McLachlan Street, Horsham, Victoria

Head Office: Unit 3, 24 Leda Drive, Burleigh Heads, Qld, 4220

Head Office: Jamberoo,NSW

Telephone: 1300 659 961

Telephone: (07) 5520 0164

Facsimile: (03) 5381 9881

Facsimile: (07) 5520 1542

Email: info@gwmwater.org.au

Email: info@h2opureplus.com

Web: : www.gwmwater.org.au

Web: www.h2opureplus.com

Number of employees: 25

Number of employees: 10

Contact: Managing Director: Jeff Rigby

Contact: CEO: John Conomos General manager: Kevin Venville State Manager: Joanne Venville Sales Manager: Ryan Venville Product Manager: Wade Roberts

Services: The total region serviced by GWMWater covers approximately 6.2 million hectares. We provide water supply services to approximately 52,000 urban customers living in 71 towns throughout the region. Environmental services are provided to 24 of these towns. Services provided to our 7,000 rural customers include domestic and stock water supplied by pipeline and irrigation supply to about 3,000 hectares. GWMWater also supplies bulk water to 83 rural customers across the region, typically for intensive agricultural activities such as poultry farms, piggeries and commercial feedlots. Rural services also include groundwater management, river diversions and support of key regional catchment and environmental management strategies. We manage eight bulk water supply reservoirs, including recreational access to these reservoirs.

Services: • Quotations • Supply of products • Installations of products • Maintenance services • On-site designs • Plumbing • Water harvesting Products: Waste water treatment systems Grey water systems Ionizing rod products Water monitoring units UV sterlizers Septic tanks Water holding tanks

• • • • • • •

Telephone: (02) 4236 0954 Facsimile: (02) 42361 1410 Email: kate@harrisenvironmental.com.au Web: www.harrisenvironmental.com.au Contact: Principal Environmental Consultant: Sean Harris Services: Design, supply and install Floating Treatment Wetlands, Floating Streambank Edges and Instant Mature Islands. We have been installing floating wetlands for 5 years and have provided water treatment for golf courses using recycled effluent, contaminated ponds (gas leaks), urban stormwater ponds and sewage treatment plant ponds. The Floating Streambank edges have also been used for riverbank erosion control along the Parramatta River in Sydney. Products: • Standard Floating Treatment wetlands which are either installed by us or can be shipped as a DIY kit. Our wetland is designed to provide a natural, long term and endurable water treatment system.

•

Established wetland plants on coir matting. These mats provide instant revegetation in situations where it may be difficult to establish wetland plants due to the risk of bird predation, eroded riparian edges, or water flows uprooting tubestock

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Hays Engineering

Hydrosmart

Head Office: Melbourne

Head Office: 259 Fullarton Road Parkside SA

Branch Offices: We operate in 33 locations throughout Australia. Our world-wide operation spans 28 countries

Phone: (08) 8357 3334

Telephone: (03) 9642 4066

Facsimile: (08) 8357 3336

Email: matthew.hinton@hays.com.au

Email: info@hydrosmart.com.au

Web: www.hays.com.au

Web: www.hydrosmart.com.au

Contact: Section Manager, Melbourne: Matthew Hinton (03 9642 4066)

Number of Employees: 5

Services: At Hays Engineering, we are the technical engineering recruiting experts. We have a team dedicated to recruiting within Australia’s water industry, for both the public and private sectors. We deal in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. We recruit within the fields of waste water, drainage, flood assessment, urban design, asset management, hydrology, hydrogeology, coastal engineering and water treatment. As a true vertical player, we understand what employers in these fields are looking for. With our depth of expertise and technical understanding across all disciplines and at all levels of Australia’s water industry, we’ll bring the right person together with the right job. Our extensive database, local market knowledge and fast and accurate response allows us to deliver a real result. Our areas of expertise include: • Engineers at all levels including Senior, Principal and Team Lead • Designers • Project Managers • Senior Managers • Process Engineers By taking the time to understand our clients and candidates, we help people and companies achieve lasting impact. In fact, at Hays we find permanent jobs for over 15,000 people a year and temporary and contract assignments for over 25,000 people a year. At any one time we employ over 10,000 temporaries and contractors.

Contacts: CEO: Paul Pearce General Manager: Paul Pearce State Manager: Brain Wilkins Sales Manager: Jonas Harrow Product Manager: Chris Murphy Services: Manufacturing and consulting on sustainable water treatment approaches to Industry, Agriculture and Domestic markets. Products: • Hydrosmart Digital Water Conditioner • Hydromaster Water Conditioner • Poolmaster • Minemaster

That’s why, for over 34 years, we’ve powered the world of work.

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Page: 150

James Hardie Pipes

John Holland

Kerneos

Head Office: James Hardie Pipes

Head Office: 70 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford, VIC 3067

Head Office: Kerneos S.A, 8, rue des Graviers, 92521 Neuilly sur Seine Cedex, France

Branch Offices: Sydney: Level 3, 65 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont, NSW 2009 Perth: Level 8, 67 Walters Drive, Osbourne Park, WA 6017 Brisbane: 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 Telephone: (03) 9934 5209

Branch Offices: Kerneos Australia Pty Ltd, Level 4 7-9 Merriwa Street, P.O. Box 38, Gordon NSW 2072, Australia

Branch Offices: Meeandah – 46 Randle Road 4008 Telephone: 1800 659 850 Facsimile:1800 639 908 Email: pipes@jameshardie.com.au Web: www.jameshardiepipes.com.au Contact: State Manager: Jesper Jensen Services: Delivering Concrete Pipes solutions to Government and Civil Industries Products: • Concrete Piping • Drainage Solutions • Headwalls

Web: www.johnholland.com.au Services: Our expertise stretches beyond the traditional civil engineering and construction markets. We have industry leading skills and award winning teams in the telecommunications, power, roads, services, aviation engineering, water, mining, services, rail, tunnelling and energy & resources fields. As the largest deliverer of water and wastewater infrastructure in Australia, John Holland’s Water business offers clients an unrivalled breadth and depth of specialist experience in the water sector. We have in-house technical capabilities backed by broad experience that allows us to provide smart solutions tailored to the needs of our clients. Our water capabilities include water treatment, wastewater treatment, desalination, water recycling and reuse, bulk water catchment, as well as water and wastewater transfer and network distribution.

Water Management Review 2011

Telephone: +61 2 9498 5288 Facsimile: +61 2 9498 5311 Email: andrew.martin@kerneos.com Web: Kerneos.com Contact: General Manager: Greg Tucker Product Manager: Andrew Martin Services: Technical and customer support Products: • Sewpercoat for waste water • Assorted mining products • Cacium Aluminate Cement

195 Page: 129

Page: 155

HydroPlan

ITS Trenchless

Head Office: 7/62-66 Glen Osmond Rd, PARKSIDE SA 5063 Branch Offices: Adelaide: Andre Christie – ac@hydroplan.com.au Beijing: David Bedingfeld – db@hydroplan.com.au Brisbane: Jim Phillips - jp@hydroplan.com.au Perth: Colin Campbell – cjc@hydroplan.com.au Sydney: Anthony Spinks – as@hydroplan.com.au

Head Office: 24 Anvil Road, Seven Hills, NSW 2147 Branch Offices: 4/8 Shannon Place, Virginia, QLD 4014 Telephone: (02) 8603 2000 Facsimile: (02) 8603 2001 Email: enquiries@itstrenchless.com.au

Telephone: +61 8 8373 4949 Facsimile: +61 8 8373 4949 Email: us@hydroplan.com.au Web: http://hydroplan.com.au Contact: Managing Director: John Gransbury – jg@hydroplan.com.au Practice Manager: Theresa Medlock – tm@hydroplan.com.au

Web: www.itstrenchless.com.au Contact: Director: Trevor Groeneveld Director: Phill Cook Operations Manager: Wally Akacha BD Manager: Anna O’Donnell

Services: Hydro-Plan is an independent design consultancy that engineers pressurised irrigation systems for turf, landscaping and horticultural applications. An innovative and experienced consultancy with the resources to manage many large and small projects concurrently, Hydro-Plan was formed in 1985 and has offices in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Beijing. Our clients include governments, golf courses, farmers, irrigators, developers, architects and engineers. Hydro-Plan will help you get best value when you buy, construct and operate commercial irrigation systems by providing professional services including: • Site evaluation • Concepts, feasibility and budgets • Detailed design drawings • Specifications, bill of quantities • Calling and assessing bids • Construction supervision • Contract administration • Procurement assistance • Certification and witness testing • Commissioning and training

Services: ITS Trenchless, the infrastructure rehabilitation specialists, provides a broad range of world’s best practice technologies for the installation and renovation of pipelines and structures. Our capabilities include: pipebursting, swagelining™, sliplining, CCTV Inspection, pipeline robotics, Point-Lining® (patch repair), manhole and water/ wastewater related structure rehabilitation. ITS has built a reputation as the industry leader on the back of successful projects, innovative solutions, strong project management and strong commitment to our systems.

By spending a small amount to engage Hydro-Plan, you will manage risks and save water, energy, time and money.

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Page: 42

Kembla Watertech Pty Ltd

Cleanwater Sales

Head Office: Strathfield, NSW

Head Office: 67 Randle Road Pinkenba, Queensland 4008, Australia

Branch Offices: Central Division, Strathfield NSW, Southern Division, Altona North, Vic, Northern Division, Loganholme, QLD

Telephone: (07) 3121 2900 Facsimile: (07) 3121 2985

Telephone: 1800 803 861

Email: enquiry@ludowici.com.au

Facsimile: (02) 9642 7093

Web: www.ludowici.com.au

Email: brianc@kemblawatertech.com.au

Number of employees: 890

Web: www.kemblawatertech.com.au Pipeline Rehabilitation Contractor

Contacts: Sales Engineer: Theo van Velzen Sales Engineer: Michael de Bretton Technical Officer: Ben Harker

Contact: CEO, Founder and Managing Director: Chris Meredith Chief Estimator: Brian Campion Business Development: Chris Frangos

Products: Oily Water Separation Systems, Washdown Systems including Water Cannons, Spray Bar Systems, Hose Reels and Foamer Units, Filtration & Screening and Spray Nozzles

Number of Employees: 150

Services: Kembla Watertech Pty Ltd is a specialised pipeline rehabilitation contractor with over 18 years experience in Australia and overseas. Kembla Watertech is committed to working in partnership with its clients to deliver the highest quality products and services using the safest and most efficient and sustainable processes. Kembla Watertech has been active in the pipeline rehabilitation industry since 1993 and has a team of over 150 experienced and trained personnel, who operate an enviable suite of products and services from around the world and customised to meet unique Australian conditions. Kembla has invested heavily in acquiring state-of-the-art technology in order to offer the most cost effective solutions to critical environmental problems, such as deteriorated sewers. Kembla has a proven track record, second to none, in the introduction and operation of new technology in Australia. With Quality, OHS&R and Environmental Accreditation, Kembla Watertech readily accepts its accountability to clients, staff and the environment with a strong focus on customer service being fundamental to fulfilling this responsibility.

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Page: 78

Lindsay Corporation

Macmahon Holdings

Head Office: Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Head Office: Perth, Western Australia

Branch Offices: Lindsay International (ANZ) Pty Ltd, 19 Spencer Street, Toowoomba QLD 4350

Branch Offices: Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Lagos

Telephone: (07) 4613 5000 Facsimile: (07) 4613 5053

Telephone: +61 8 9232 1000

Email: richard.hall@lindsay.com philip.bell@lindsay.com

Facsimile: +61 8 9232 1001 Email: info@macmahon.com.au

Web: www.zimmatic.com

Number of employees: 3000

Number of employees: 890

Contacts: Manager – Major Projects: Gary Fitzgerald Phone: +61 (8) 9232 1000 Email: gfitzgerald@macmahon.com.au

Web: www.macmahon.com.au

Contacts: CEO: Richard W. Parod Export Manager: Dirk Lenie Regional Manager: Richard Hall Sales Manager: Philip Bell Services: Lindsay Corporation, maker of Zimmatic™ irrigation systems, is one of the world’s leading providers of irrigation and water management systems. Through our technology, reliable products and international network of certified dealers, Lindsay can create a customized total integrated solution to save water, energy and labour—and increase crop yields. Products: Zimmatic centre pivot and lateral move irrigation systems, irrigation controls, fertilizer and chemical injection systems, and GrowSmart™ monitoring and control systems. FieldNET™ Web-based irrigation management, including FieldNET Mobile and FieldNET with pump control. Watertronics customized pump stations and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) technology. AccuFlow Variable Rate Irrigation for precision applications.

Services: Macmahon is a leading Australian contract mining and construction company with major projects throughout Australia, in New Zealand, South East Asia and Africa. An ASX/S&P 200 company, Macmahon has played a major role in the delivery of many of Australia’s largest multi-disciplinary mining and construction projects throughout its 47 year history for both public and private sector customers. While offering the full range of underground and surface mining services, Macmahon’s comprehensive construction capabilities span roads and bridges and rail, marine, water and resource infrastructure services. Visit www.macmahon.com.au for more information.

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Page: 60

Melbourne Water

Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd

Head Office: 100 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002

Head Office: 473 King Street Melbourne VIC 3003

Telephone: 131 722

Telephone: +61 3 9254 6209

Facsimile: (03) 9235 1509

Facsimile: +61 3 9329 7426

Email: inquiry@melbournewater.com.au

Email: rbennett@mitchellwater.com.au

Web: melbournewater.com.au

Web: www.mitchellwater.com.au

Contacts: Managing Director: Shaun Cox

Number of employees: 45

Services: Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government. We manage water supply catchments, treat and supply drinking and recycled water, remove and treat most of Melbourne’s sewage, and manage waterways and major drainage systems in the Port Phillip and Westernport region. We consider social, environmental and financial effects and short-term and long-term implications in all our business decisions. Our key stakeholders are customers, government, regulators, other water businesses, land developers, the community and suppliers. These stakeholders and our other strategic partners, including alliance colleagues and research organisations, help us achieve our objectives.

Water Management Review 2011

Branch Offices: L18, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Contacts: General Manager: Rob Shelton BD Manager: Ross Bennett Mobile:+61 418 997 663 Services: Complete Design and Construction of Water Infrastructure Systems: Design services: route selection & alignment survey, hydraulic modelling & optimisation, pipeline design & grading, pump systems design, storages design, Geographical Information systems, Asset Registers, Operations Manuals Construction services: Set out survey, Environmental & Cultural Heritage protection systems, Landowner Liaison, Federal OHS Accreditation, Fully accredited QA/Environment/OHS management system, Pipe Installation using: Bucketwheel trenchers, ‘Swiftpipe’ vibratory plough, ‘Kwikpipe’ trenching saw, full materials procurement, Civil, electrical & mechanical engineers Full design of pipelines, pumping, storages and communications for all types of water supply systems when required. Products: • Pipelines – Bulk transfer mains, Trunk mains, Distribution mains, Town supply, Stock & Domestic schemes, Irrigation schemes • Pumping Stations: Buildings, Pumps, Piping & Gauges, Electrical Switchboards, VSD’s, PLC’s & Software, SCADA & Telemetry • Water storages: Earthen storages with earth & PE liners, Water Tanks: Steel & Concrete

197 Page: 42

Watergates Sales, Engineering & Manufacturing

Page: 99

Kessler Couplings and Engineering Supplies Pty Ltd (KCES) Head Office: Melbourne

Head Office: 72 Mica Street, Carole Park QLD 4300, Australia

Telephone: (03) 9728 3973

Telephone: (07) 3718 8300

Email: info@kces.com.au

Facsimile: (07) 3718 8301

Web: www.kces.com.au

Email: enquiry@ludowici.com.au

Number of employees: 5

Web: www.ludowici.com.au

Contact: Director: Wolf Kessler Senior Sales Consultant: Liam Riddiford

Number of employees: 890 Contacts: Client Support Manger: Steve Pettit GM Engineering: Rob Angus. BE (Hons) Mech MBA MIEAust CPEng RPEQ Senior Design Engineer: Pedram Rafati. BE (Mech) Senior Mechanical Engineer: Gordon Ong. B.Eng Mech (Hons) MIEAust Mechanical Engineer - Design & Estimation: Sachin Bhosale. BE (Mech) Products: Watergates, Penstocks, Stopgates, Wedge Gates, Knifegate Valves, Actuators, Flap Gates, Shear Gates, Stop Logs, Tilting Weir Gates, Mud Valves, Telescopic Bellmouths, Hydrostatic Pressure Relief Valve, Site Services

Facsimile: (03) 9728 2973

Products: KCES is based in Montrose, Victoria and is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand importer for STRAUB pipe couplings and clamps. STRAUB pipe couplings are pipe joints to join plain ended pipes without pipe end preparation. They can be: • Axial restraint (pull out resistant) Grip type • Non axial restraint (not pull out resistant) Flex type. KCES also stock: Repair clamps for sealing leaks. NEW!!! A new product range for steam temperatures up to 240 deg C.

• •

In our warehouse we stock STRAUB Pipe Couplings and Clamps in all standard MS and DI pipe dimensions from DN 20 up to DN 1200, as well as tube dimensions and in addition some special dimensions such as for rubber-lined pipes. We also have a network of distributors across Australia and New Zealand with products already in store. Our total product and customer focus enables us to respond quickly and efficiently to our customers’ most stringent requirements. Pipe couplings and clamps are our only business – we are specialists and we are passionate about what we do. Product advice, training and documentation are part of our quality service, wherever the product is used.

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MEX

Mono Pumps (Australia) Pty Ltd

Head Office: Annerley, Brisbane

Head Office: 338 – 348 Lower Dandenong Road, Mordialloc, Victoria, 3195

Branch Offices: Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Lagos

Branch Offices: Sydney, New South Wales; Brisbane, Queensland; Darwin, Northern Territory; Kalgoorlie and Perth, Western Australia; Adelaide, South Australia; Melbourne, Victoria.

Telephone: (07) 3392 4777

Facsimile: +61 3 9580 6659

Facsimile: (07) 3392 4888

Email: ozsales@monopumps.com

Email: sales@mex.com.au

Web: www.monopumps.com

Web: www.mex.com.au

Number of employees: 200

Number of employees: 30

Contacts: CEO: Mr Paul Jeffery Marketing Manager: Mr Maurice Calderon Pressure Sewer Systems Global BDM: Mr Craig Kennedy - 02 8536 0900

Contacts: CEO: Steve Ninnes General Manager: Brendan Collins Sales Manager: Matt Ward Product Manager: Paul O’Hare Services: MEX offers a range of different services including providing maintenance software, as well as continual technical help, support, training, consulting, and data hosting. Products: • MEX • FleetMEX • MEX Ops • MEX Dashboard • MEX Mobile • MEX iPad* *coming in April

Telephone: 1800 333 138

State Manager: Mr Andrew Bini – Melbourne: 03 9580 5211, Mr Craig Kennedy – Sydney: 02 8536 0900, Mr Jonathan Watson – Adelaide: 08 8447 8333, Mr Martin Slabbert – Perth: 08 9303 0444, Mr Craig Moffat – Darwin: 08 8931 3300, Mr Michael Norton – Queensland: 07 3350 4582 Product Manager: Mr Nick McNamara - Mining & Industrial products Services: At Mono we can service, maintain, install, commission or repair any make or model pump. With a wide range of Packaged Systems that can macerate, grind or screen Mono can provide you with a wide of solutions to suit your particular application. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality in both equipment and parts. Our Universal Parts range of competitively priced and can suit most makes or model pumps. Products: PC Pumps, Rotary Lobe Pumps, Solar Products, Artificial Lift applications, Grinders, Screens, Packaged Systems, AODD Pumps, Centrifugal Pumps, Service & Universal Parts.

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Nacap Australia Pty Ltd

Netafim Australia Pty LTD

Head Office: Level 1, 601 Doncaster Road, Doncaster VIC 3108

Head Office: 213-217 Fitzgerald Road, Laverton VIC

Branch Offices: Level 6, 35 Boundary Street, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101 Facsimile: (03) 8848 1889

Branch Offices: Level 6, 35 Boundary Street, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101 Telephone: (03) 8331 6500, 1300 307 407

Email: info@nacap.com.au

Facsimile: (03) 9369 3865

Web: www.nacap.com.au

Email: netinfo@netafim.com.au

Contacts: Managing Director: Mark Bumpstead General Manager: Matthew Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell QLD State Manager: Ben Rees Business Development Manager: Jim Reaman Operations Manager: Rick Boreham

Web: www.netafim.com.au

Telephone: (03) 8848 1888

Number of employees: 100 Contacts: Sales Manager: Cedric Geffen

Services: Engineering, procurement, construction, management and maintenance are all part of our competencies. Nacap guarantees perfect connections of above-ground or underground, highpressure or low-pressure pipelines - pipelines for liquids and gases in all materials, in every diameter and in all (terrain) conditions. Nacap also ensures the necessary drillings, landfalls, data management for pipes, and maintenance of pipelines. In Australia, Nacap has successfully executed projects in the water, oil and gas sectors. Nacap own a modern and well maintained specialised pipeline and HDD fleet of equipment which includes over 200 pipelayers and a la rge array of Horizontal Directional Drilling/Micro-tunneling equipment which deliver trenchless technology for pipes of up to 56â&#x20AC;? diameter and lengths approaching 2,000+ metres.

Page: 1, 177

Services: Netafim offers comprehensive solutions to the Agricultural, Landscape & Turf, Waste Water, Industrial Water, Mining, Greenhouses & Nursery markets. Netafim services include design, technical services and agronomic expertise. Products: Netafim offers a full range of products and services to satisfy all your drip & micro-irrigation needs including dripperlines, sprinklers, filters, valves, water meters, crop management technologies (automation, fertigation & monitoring) and other vital system components.

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City of Onkaparinga

Parsons Brinckerhoff

Philips

Head Office: Ramsay Place, PO Box 1 Noarlunga Centre SA 5168

Head Office: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Singleton, Sunshine Coast, Sydney

Head Office: Philips Australia, 65 Epping Road, North Ryde, 2113, Australia

Telephone: (03) 9861 1111

Facsimile: +61 2 9947 0325

Telephone: (08) 8384 0666

Facsimile: (03) 9861 1144

Email: lightingsalesdesk@philips.com

Facsimile: (08) 8382 8744

Email: webmanager@pb.com.au

Web: www.philips.com/uvpurification

Web: www.onkaparingacity.com

Web: www.pb.com.au

Number of Employees: 3 (for Special Lighting)

Contact: CEO: Jeff Tate

Number of Employees: More than 2,500

Contacts: Rachel Ash: Sales and marketing manager, special lighting, pacific region

Branch Offices: The Hub, Aberfoyle Park SA 5159 St Peters Tce, Willunga SA 5172

Services: Local Government Organisation

Contacts: Market and Clients Leader: Wayne Tobin, wtobin@pb.com.au General Manager Water: Tom Mosquera, tmosquera@pb.com.au Services: Strategic consulting, environmental studies, design engineering, construction management, project and program management

Telephone: +61 2 9947 0000

Michael: Renshaw, marketing and sales co-ordinator, special lighting Australia Services: Philips Special Lighting stands for innovation, reliability and sustainability. All our products are tested to the most stringent standards. With Philips as a partner, you deal with one supplier for the total lamp system. This avoids compatibility problems and makes life easier for you. Together with our customers we develop and produce the most efficient solutions with minimum impact on the environment. Products: Philips Special Lighting offers a comprehensive range of UV lamps, drivers and sleeves that help provide a healthier and safer environment in a wide array of water purification applications: residential, municipal drinking, waste, industrial process, ship ballast, swimming pools and ponds.

Water Management Review 2011

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Page: 91

Novatank Pty Ltd

OLAER Australia Pty Ltd

Head Office: Melbourne

Head Office: 13 Boola Place, Cromer NSW 2099

Telephone: 0424 504 658

Telephone: (02) 9981 6888

Email: jon@novatank.com.au

Facsimile: (02) 9981 6144

Web: www.novatank.com.au

Email: charlie@olaer.com.au

Contacts: CEO: Jon Moodie

Web: www.olaer.com.au

Products: Novatank is a semi-permanent 5,000 litre collapsible water tank for potable water. Australian designed and built for use in disaster relief, event hire, mining, agriculture and construction or wherever traditional poly tanks will not go.

Importer: OLAER

Number of employees: 20 Manufacturer: Charlatte Contacts: Managing Director: Marijn Machielsen Eastern Sea Board Sales Manager: Neil Bennett Business Development Manager: Ray Butcher Product Manager: Charlatte - Charlie Daoud Services: OLAER has over 70 years experience in selling high pressure (up to 700 bar) small volume bladder type pressure vessels used for Storage, Valve Closure and emergency standby applications. In our range, we also supply larger volume (100L to 125,000L) bladder pressure vessels for low pressure surge applications (from 5 to 80bar). This type of low pressure units are designed for water applications such as potable water, treated water, raw water and waste water. Some of OLAER services include:

• • • •

Specialising in the supply of bladder surge vessels for clear and waste water applications Specialising in the supply of storage pressure vessels to assist pump regulation Commissioning bladder surge vessels on-site Assisting in system design and application sizing

Products: Charlatte Bladder Surge Vessels WEKA Magnetic Level gauges to complete suit range MAHLE – Industrial Filtration BUHLER – Level / Temperature probes

• • • • Page: 10

Page:128

Promains Pty Ltd

Polymer Innovations Pty Ltd

Head Office: 75-89 Link Drive, Campbellfield VIC 3061

Branch Offices: Unit 2 , 129 Maison Dieu Rd, Singleton, NSW 2330

Branch Offices: NSW, SA, QLD, NT, Auckland NZ Telephone: (03) 9357 8787 Facsimile: (03) 9357 8785 Email: anthony@promains.com.au Web: www.promains.com.au Manufacturer: PVC Pipe Importer: GRP / DI PUR Contacts: Infrastructure Development Manager: Anthony Favero Services: Promains has forged the enviable reputation as Australia’s most professional and reliable manufacturer and distributor of high quality watermain pipeline packages. With five sales and distribution centres across Australia and New Zealand, a state of the art PVC manufacturing plant and over 600 years of collective specialist water industry experience Promains has the knowledge, resources and network to achieve on time and on budget project delivery. By choosing Promains you are selecting to work with Australia’s leading team of pipeline professionals, who are committed to the single goal of ensuring your project is executed safely and accurately.

Phone: (02) 6571 5177 Facsimile: (02) 6571 2505 Email: info@polymerinnovations.com.au Web: www.polymerinnovations.com.au Number of Employees: 10 Contacts: General Manager: Andrew Evans Operations Manager: Lachlan Evans Services: We specialize in cost effective super absorbent, lineal & flocculating polymers to assist in the management & efficient use of water & pollution. Polymer Innovations work in a broad range of industries like Mining, Construction, Government and Agriculture, where their polymers help absorb large quantities of toxins in water & hold them stable for removal on roadways, in dredging & any other industrial waste water affected areas. Our products can also assist with the maintenance of parks & gardens, leaking dams, revegetation & reforestation of native land, pollution and dust control. These easy to use products can seal leaking dams, save water, suppress dust, prevent soil erosion, control toxic pollution, stabilize run-offs or maintain roads & crops. Our continual research & development ensures that we meet the specific requirements & conditions of our clients.

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QUT Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering

Redline Contracting Pty Ltd

Ridge Tool Australia

Head Office: 9/26-34 Weippin Street, Cleveland QLD 4163

Head Office: 127 Metrolink Circuit Campbellfield, Vic 3061 Australia

Head Office: QUT – Garden’s Point campus, Brisbane CBD

Branch Offices: 1 Stott ROAD, Welshpool, WA 6106

Branch Offices: NSW, SA, QLD, NT, Auckland NZ

Phone: (07) 3138 1433

Telephone: (07) 3488 2242

Email: bee@qut.edu.au

Facsimile: (07) 3488 2342

Web: www.bee.qut.edu.au

Email: redline@redlinecontracting.com.au

Services: QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering Masters degrees focus on vital contemporary issues in the built environment and engineering industries and feature strong elements of sustainability, project management and leadership. They foster career development and creative thinking for long-term global solutions.

Web: www.redlinecontracting.com.au

Products: QUT’s Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering offers postgraduate degrees in:

• • • • • • • •

Number of Employees: 50 Contacts: Director: Max Shaw General Manager: Ken Shaw State Manager: (WA) Clayton Bundy Services: Pipeline construction, civil construction, plant hire, earthworks, project management

Telephone: (03) 9930 7000 Facsimile: (03) 8339 2511 Email: sales.australia@ridgid.com Web: www.ridgid.com.au Services: Technical product support. Product field demonstrations & training Products: Line location equip, CCTV pipe inspection cameras, wrenches, pipe vices, pipe/tube cutting & preparation, roll grooving, threading machines & hand threaders, cutting & drilling, general purpose hand tools, bending & forming.

Engineering Management Engineering Systems Infrastructure Management Power Generation (industry supported) Project Management Urban and Regional Planning Graduate Certificate in Built Environment and Engineering Graduate Certificate Power Generation (industry supported)

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Schneider Electric

Stornoway

Head Office: 78 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park 2113

Head Office: Hobart, Tasmania

Branch Offices: Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Townsville, Newcastle Telephone: (02) 9851 2888 Email: help@au.schneider-electric.com Web: www.schneider-electric.com.au Number of employees: 108,000 Contacts: CEO: Lionel Finidori General Manager: Scott Wooldridge Marketing Manager: Simon O’Donnelly Sales Manager: Phil Ridler Product Manager: Lina Hermiz

Branch Offices: SAcacia Ridge, Queensland Launceston, Tasmania Devonport, Tasmania Phone (Hobart): (03) 6224 4774 Phone (Brisbane): (07) 3273 95 Fax (Hobart): (03) 6224 1918 Fax (Brisbane): 07 3277 7200 Email (Hobart): corporate@stornoway.com.au Email (Brisbane): water@stornoway.com.au Web: www.stornoway.com.au/water www.stornoway.com.au

Services: Consulting, Design and Implementation of SCADA and Telemetry Systems. Electrical distribution systems design and consulting. Technical Support and call-out services.

Number of employees: 70

Products: Water Treatment Plant and Pumping System Automation, Telemetry, SCADA, Electrical Distribution, Transformers, PLC, RTU, Variable Frequency Drives and Motor Control Centres, Critical Power and Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS), Security Systems (access control and video surveillance).

Services: Stornoway is a multi-faceted infrastructure organisation with significant capability and experience in water solutions for government, resources and property sectors; quarrying and specialist product for civil infrastructure; and asset management and maintenance.

Water Management Review 2011

Contact: Managing Director: Tim Gardner Chief Operating Officer: Brad Johnson Sales Manager, Water: Sam Costin

Products: Stornoway is one of Australia’s leading suppliers of modular, transportable water and wastewater treatment systems. Stornoway specialises in meeting camp accommodation requirements of resources projects in remote areas. Stornoway also provides industrial and commercial clients with a full service package based around the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of our Aqeo® range of package-style water and wastewater treatment systems. Our Aqeo® wastewater treatment systems produce recycled water to Class A+, Class A, Class B and Class C standard, suitable for a range of reuse applications including toilet flushing, irrigation and dust suppression. Stornoway is also a specialist supplier of high quality quarry products, sand and decorative stone.

201 Page: 160

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Roadside Products Pty Ltd

Replacement Inflatable Packers and Elements Pty Ltd

Head Office: 45-49 St Leonards Road, Launceston TAS 7250

Head Office: 29 Wheeler Street Belmont, Western Australia 6104

Branch Offices: National Sales & Distribution Centre 6/38 Eastern Service Road Stapylton QLD 4207

Facsimile: (08) 9475 0770

Telephone: (08) 9475 0700 Email: john@ripe-packers.com Web: www.ripe-packers.com

Telephone: 1300 794 397

Contacts: CEO: John Misson Product Manager: Kim Misson

Facsimile: 1300 794 511 Email: sales@durapost.com.au Web: www.durapost.com.au Number of employees: 20 Contacts: CEO: Ralph Norton – Managing Director General Manager: Scott Payton – National Sales, Marketing & Export Manager Sales Manager: Karen Lapham – National Sales Team Manager Product Manager: Darran Randall – Production Manager Services: Design and Manufacture of Pipeline Marker Post Systems. Roadside Products offer expert advice for determining the ideal marking system for underground assets

Services: RIPE inflatable packers service the demands of diverse down-hole industries, including oil and gas (onshore and offshore) and coal bed methane, water well, construction, geo-thermal, environmental, mining and all geotechnical investigations. In addition, RIPE manufacturers and supplies all ancillary equipment such as hoses, hose fittings, pipes, inflation gauge boards, flow meters and other inflatable packer equipment and spares along with our comprehensive repair and rebuilding service. All RIPE inflatable packers are fully tested using NATA certified equipment and are available for sale or hire. Products: RIPE inflatable packers manufacture down-hole tools including single wireline packer systems, inflatable bridge plugs and borehole abandonment packers, well termination packer plugs, reline casing packers and swage packers, high pressure packers (up to 12,000psi), cement grouting packers, RIPE K-packers, telescopic seals, and our unique PCV blind K-packers. Additionally, our high pressure packers are uniquely suited to water well hydrofracture procedures and water well permeability drill stem testing (DST) operations. Our high pressure packers are a first choice for pre-conditioning block caving procedures.

Products: Rigid and Flexible Marker Post Systems and Installation Equipment. Design and Manufacture of Etched Aluminium Marker Plates; Screen Printed Marker Plates and Vinyl, Laminated Marker Plates. Construction Site Delineation and Barrier Products.

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Smartstream Technolgy Pty Ltd

SunWater

Head Office: 6 Kingscote Street Kewdale WA 6105

Head Office: Brisbane

Branch Offices: 15 Scotts Road, #03-02 Thong Teck Building, Singapore 228218

Branch Offices: Ayr, Bileola, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Clare, Emerald, Eton, Mareeba, Moranbah, Rockhampton, St George, Toowoomba

Telephone: (08) 9449 1000

Telephone: +61 7 3120 0000

Facsimile: (08) 9449 1099

Facsimile: +61 7 3120 0260

Email: solutions@smartstream.net.au

Email: info@sunwater.com.au

Web: www.smartstream.net.au Number of employees: 10 Contacts: CEO: Shane Wormall Operations Manager: John Walton Product Manager: Besim Kqiku Services: Manufacture, design and maintenance of civil infrastructure products and structures such as stormwater filtration systems, gravity sewer systems and associated access covers and ancillary products. Custom Rotational moulding and Injection Moulding. Manufacturer of Rotomoulded Polyethylene Water Tanks Products: Gross Pollutant Trapping Systems Oil separator systems Stormwater filtration Systems Polyethylene Manholes and Maintenance shafts Distributors of Ladtech Manhole Adjusting Rings Light weight Manhole covers Rotomoulded Water tanks and custom Rotational Moulding Wastewater Treatment, Tertiary and Wastewater Treatment Systems, Drinking Water Underdrains, Residual Analyzers, Gas/Leak Detectors, Controllers

Web: www.sunwater.com.au Number of employees: 500+ Contacts: CEO: Peter Boettcher Executive Management Team: Mark Browne, General Manager Infrastructure Development Barry Jeppesen, General Manager Infrastructure Management Geoff White, General Manager Corporate Business Development Manager: Garry Grant Services: SunWater is leading the way in water infrastructure management and development solutions and has built a reputation as one of the most progressive and successful water infrastructure companies in Australia. With a proven 80 year history of growth and leadership in delivering world-class bulk water infrastructure solutions, today SunWater owns and manages around $7 billion in water infrastructure assets and supplies 40% of all water used commercially in Queensland. Products: SunWater offers total water solutions across the mining, industrial, local government and agricultural industries. Our services include, but are not limited to: • Bulk water supply • Design and design review services • Infrastructure development • Asset management, planning and review • Flood hydrology, hydraulics and flood management • Infrastructure operations and management • Customer water account management and billing • Water management and policy strategy advice

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Page: 139

Severn Trent Services

SMS Management & Technology

Stevco Seals and Pumps Victoria

Head Office: United States

Head Office: 41/140 William Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Head Office: Unit 8, 53 Gateway Boulevard, Epping Business Park, Epping, Vic, 3076

Telephone: +65 6737 9565

Branch Offices: Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore

Facsimile: +65 6887 5026

Telephone: +61 3 9674 3333

Telephone: (03) 9408 3875

Email: info@severntrentservices.com

Facsimile: +61 3 9696 0711

Facsimile: (03) 9408 4827

Web: www.severntrentservices.com

Email: melbourne@smsmt.com

Email: vicsales@stevco.com.au

Number of employees: 2500+

Web: www.smsmt.com

Web: www.stevco.com.au

Contacts: General Manager: Mr. Marwan Nesicolaci State Manager: Mr. Vincenzo Palma Sales Manager: Mr. William Stimeling

Number of employees: 1600

Number of employees: 8

Services: • Business Performance Improvement (BPI) • Operational Learning & Change (OpLC) • Program & Project Services (PPS) • Application Development (App Dev) • Information & Data Management (IDM) • Systems Integration (SI) • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) • Infrastructure Consulting & Managed Services • M&T Resources (Recruiting) • Controllers

Contact: Directors: Rainer Wiemann , Steve Russell

Branch Offices: 15 Scotts Road, #03-02 Thong Teck Building, Singapore 228218

Services: Contract Operations & Maintenance Products: Chlorine Dioxide Generators, Gas Feed Systems and Accessories, On-site Sodium Hypochlorite Generation Systems, Gas Scrubbers- Emergency and Process, Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems, Ballast Water Treatment System, Seawater Electrochlorination Systems, Inorganic Removal Systems, Membrane Filtration Systems, Biological Wastewater Treatment, Tertiary and Wastewater Treatment Systems, Drinking Water Underdrains, Residual Analyzers, Gas/Leak Detectors, Controllers

Services: Sales, service and repairs of pumps and mechanical seals. Installation of new and refurbished systems. Upgrades and onsite pump surveys. Laser alignment. Services: Hygienic pumps, centrifugal pumps, air diaphragm pumps, Submersible pumps, helical rotor pumps, Dosing pumps, vacuum pumps, gear pumps, inpro bearing isolators and airmizer product seals, gland packing and of course Stevco mechanical seals

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Think Water Head Office: 470 Upper Roma Street Brisbane, 4000 Branch Offices: Christchurch, New Zealand Sydney, NSW

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Transfield Services Head Office: North Sydney, NSW Branch Offices: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane Phone: (02) 9464 1000

Phone: 1300 901 120

Facsimile: (02) 9464 1111

Facsimile: (07) 3211 4255

Email: anthonyd@transfieldservices.com

Email: admin@thinkwater.com.au

Web: www.transfieldservices.com

Web: www.thinkwater.com.au

Number of Employees: 28,000

Number of Employees: 500+

Contacts: CEO: Dr. Peter Goode Chief Executive Officer ANZ: Bruce James Executive General Manager Infrastructure: Nicholas Yates General Manager - Water: Cameron Evans Executive Manager, M&BD - Water: Anthony Dal-Corobbo

Contacts: General Manager: Bryan Ward (bward@thinkwater.com.au) Operations Manager Australia: Phil Best (phil.best@thinkwater.com.au) Operations Manager New Zealand: Trevor Shadbolt (trevor.shadbolt@thinkwater.co.nz) Services: Think Water is an international group of more than 50 independently owned irrigation and water solutions businesses who work together under the one brand Think Water. Think Water businesses design, supply, install and service a wide variety of irrigation and water management projects as well as operating retail sales for domestic and trade customers. Their collective vision is to create a water services business that meets the needs of the rapidly changing global water management environment. The Think Water philosophy is underpinned by three core pillars: 1. To be leaders in water efficiency 2. To offer water solutions, not just products 3. To retain and enhance local knowledge, while adding national business support and training Products: Extensive range of irrigation and water management products and solutions from manufactures and distributors around the world.

Water Management Review 2011

Services: Transfield Services is a leading service provider to the water industry in Australia and NZ. Our services and capabilities include; • Operations of water/wastewater assets (plants and networks); • Maintenance & asset management (mechanical, civil, electrical/ instrumentation, 24-hr call centre) • Programs of capital works (manage scope, design & delivery to final handover) • Major capital works (project management, planning, construction, handover)

203 Page: 85

Page: Inside front cover

Tedra Australia Pty Ltd

Thiess Pty Ltd

Head Office: 293 Queen Street Altona Meadows, VIC 3028

Head Office: Level 5, 179 Grey St, South Bank QLD 4101, Ph: (07) 3002 9000. Fax: (07) 3002 9009

Telephone: +61 3 8360 7298

Branch Offices: QLD: level 7, 189 Grey St, South Bank Qld 4101. Ph: (07) 3121 8500

Facsimile: +61 3 9820 9554 Email: aatchison@tedraaustralia.com Web: www.tedagua.com, www.drace.com Number of employees: 250 Contacts: General Manager: Alan Atchison Services: Water Treatment Project Management and O&M, Renewable Energy EPC and O&M

NSW/ACT: Level 5, 26 College St, Sydney NSW 2000. Ph: (02) 9332 9444 Vic/NZ: Level 9, 417 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne Vic 3004. Ph: (03) 9864 8888 SA/TAS: Level 2, 101 Flinders St, Adelaide SA 5000. Ph: (08) 8274 5200 WA/NT: Level 19, The Forrest Centre, 221 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000. Ph: (08) 9214 4200 Thiess Services/Industrial Projects: The Precinct 2, Level 1, 10 Browning St, West End Qld 4101. Ph: (07) 3169 8300 Email: info@thiess.com.au Web: www.thiess.com.au Number of Employees: 17,000 Contacts: Rob Evans, National Water Manager Ph: (07) 3121 8500 Services: • Dams, weirs and catchments works • Bulk irrigation schemes • Plant operations and asset management • Transfer and network distribution • Water treatment

• Desalination • Major pipelines • Sewage treatment • Water recycling plants

Products: (Recent Projects) Victorian Desalination Project, Vic. Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plant, Qld. Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, WA. Wurdee Boluc Water Treatment Plant, Vic. ‘us’ – Utility Services Alliance, Vic. Waikato Water Project, NZ. Hinze Dam Stage 3 Alliance, Qld. Awoonga Dam Raising and Infrastructure Relocation, Project, Qld. Swan Water, WA. Metrowater, NZ.

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‘us’ – Utility Services

WJP Solutions Pty Ltd

Head Office: 40 Commercial Drive, Lynbrook VIC 3975

Head Office: 11/28 Hight Street Kew East Victoria 3102

Branch Offices: Heatherton, Dandenong South, Penrose, Auckland

Phone: +61 3 9854 0900

Phone: (03) 8788 4200

Email: info@wjpsolutions.com.au

Facsimile: (03) 8788 4122

Web: www.wjpsolutions.com.au

Email: info@usus.com.au

Number of Employees: 20

Web: www.usus.com.au

Contacts: CEO: Derek Gnauck Director & BDM: Adrian Pratt Engineering Manager: Glen Millot

Number of Employees: 650 Contacts: Managing Director: Kevin Hutchings Group Mgr Commercial & Technical Servs: Philip Johnson Marketing Manager: Steve Webb Product Manager: Craig Doughty Services: • 24/7 Call Centre Services • Water Operation & Maintenance • Sewer Operation & Maintenance • Treatment Plant Operation & Maintenance • Capital / Civil Works Feasibility, Design & Construction • Integrated Water Management • Intelligent Networks Monitoring & Control • Traffic Management • Hydrographics • Air Scouring, Leak Detection, CCTV & Pipeline Repair Products: BlokAid Sewer Monitoring & Alarm Device Hydraulic Manhole Gatic Lifter Easy Lift Manhole Covers with safety Grate Footprint – Electricity, Gas and Water Consumption Monitoring solution Pressure Sewer Systems Hydrotrak – Hydrant Withdrawal monitoring and asset tracking solution

• • • • • •

Facsimile: +61 3 9819 7979

Services: Design, construct and maintain water treatment plants including storm water, grey water and specialising in black water. All purpose-built either in situ or utilising a modular design pre-assembled in our factory. Products: Specialising in membrane MBR plants for commercial buildings, mining, accommodation, municipal, construction industry, residential, correctional, sport and recreation, and institutional market sectors located around Australia.

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Züblin

Vermeer Sales & Service Pty. Ltd

Head Office: level 19 St Martins Tower, 44 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000

Head Office: 1 Fulcrum Street, Richlands QLD, 4077 Branch Offices: 148A Newton Road, Wetherill Park NSW, 2164 29&30 Brooklyn Court, Campbellfield, VIC, 3061 406 South Road, Richmond, SA, 5033

Phone: (08) 9325 9399 Facsimile: (08) 9325 7433 Email: info@zueblin.com.au

Phone: (07) 3275 4888

Web: www.zublin.com.au

Facsimile: (07) 3275 4800

Number of Employees: 20

Email: sales@vermeer.com.au

Contacts: Commercial Manager: Andrew Hall

Web: www.vermeer.com.au Number of Employees: 28,000 Contacts: Director: Peter Pullan Director: Ian Jensen Director: Gary Cowley National Operations Manager: Simon Coles Services: Vermeer is a market leader in the supply of construction machinery to the pipeline industry. Track trenchers suitable for all conditions, including hard rock, horizontal directional drills, mud motors, terrain levelers and surface miners, vacuum excavation machinery and more. Vermeer can even supply horizontal/tub grinders and wood chippers for land clearing and right-of-ways. With 110 dealerships around the world and over 60 years of engineering excellence in every unit, Vermeer is here to help. Vermeer’s machines save time, saves labour and offers superior performance in a wide range of application. Products: When its production per hour that counts, Vermeer’s range of surface mining, trenching and directional drilling machinery is the gear Australia’s top contractors turn to.

Page: 92

Virotec Global Solutions Pty Ltd Head Office: Coomera Waters – Queensland Branch Offices: Virotec is a privately owned company based in Queensland, Australia. Virotec’s head office is located on the Gold Coast including a warehouse, operations and laboratory facility. Through our strategic alliance partners, clients can now access a range of advisory services in North America, Europe, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. Phone: +61 7 5573 3353 Facsimile: +61 7 5573 3346 Email: dblair@virotec.com Web: www.virotec.com Number of Employees: 20 Contacts: General Manager: Daniel Blair Services: Virotec is a world leader in meeting the demand for effective, sustainable solutions to deal with serious environmental and waste problems. The proven, patented, state-of-the-art technologies developed by Virotec enable companies and public utilities to meet government regulatory waste treatment standards, reduce future liabilities, and help safeguard the environment. Virotec’s technologies benefit many different industries, including mining and metals processing, the oil and gas sector, metals finishing and other manufacturing industries, municipal sewage treatment, property development and marine dredging, and timber preservation. Products: • ViroFlow™ Technology provides a total solution to contaminated wastewater and solids in industrial applications, including metal finishing, tanneries and manufacturing. • ViroMine™ Technology provides a total solution to the management and treatment of waste in the mining industry. • ViroSewage™ Technology removes phosphorous, heavy metals and odour from sewage effluent and centrate, reduces BOD and TSS in the effluent stream, and treats biosolids for pathogens, odour and other contaminants. • ViroSoil™ Technology provides a total solution for the treatment and remediation of contaminated soils and sediments.

Water Management Review 2011

Services: Specialist provides end-to-end tunnelling solutions to the Australian Water Industry. Züblin prodes itself on exemplary project management leading to timely design, production and construction of all its tunnelling projects. Züblin produces concrete pipes and other pre cost concrete elements from their factory in Thailand insuring the highest quality outcome for their client.

produced as a bi-annual publication, the very latest news from within the Australian water industry can be found online at the APRS new portal: “Voice for the Water Industry”

www.aprs.com.au/water-news The magazine and water news portal are packed full of content that is always aimed at the discerning reader who

Australian Water Management Review

is interested in quality, style, and informative editorial.

2011

If you would like to subscribe to the free digital eBook of the Australian Water Management Review, please visit our website and click the Subscribe Now button:

www.aprs.com.au/water-ebook

While you are on our website, why not visit the Australian GovLink news portal to find the latest in Local and State government news:

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Mackay Water Recycling Project

Our award winning Water business offers cutting edge expertise in complex infrastructure projects. Our unrivalled strength in project delivery means we have all the resources necessary to manage and deliver your project, no matter what the size. If you have a key project on the horizon, think John Holland.

Find out more, visit us at johnholland.com.au We understand...

Lucas. 50 years in water. 2

101006

Lucas expertise in action 1

Trenchless sewer for Hunter Water. Lucas installed this 1,350 m long, 900 mm HDPE pipe using our award-winning HDD technology, avoiding trenching in this sensitive environment. Lucas has done nine HDD sewers over 1,000 m. More than anyone else in the world.

WA’s second desalination plant. Lucas, in alliance with Técnicas Reunidas, Valoriza Agua and WorleyParsons, began construction in July 2009 of WA’s second seawater desalination plant near Binningup. By enabling it to be built without disturbing the fragile littoral landscape, Lucas trenchless technology is critical to this project.

Queensland’s Western Corridor recycled water project. Lucas delivered pipelines, pumping stations, horizontal directional drilling and microtunnelling on the Eastern Pipeline.

PIPELINES • TRENCHLESS • WATER TREATMENT & RECYCLING • COAL SEAM GAS

aJ Lucas Group Limited www.lucas.com.au Sydney (02) 9490 4000 Perth (08) 6216 9800 Melbourne (03) 8615 7800 Brisbane (07) 3235 8100

Sustainable Infrastructure Company of the Year

Winner Australian Pipeline Industry Association Safety Award

SuStaining auStralia