Current Magazine April 2022

VO L 0 6 / A P R I L 2 02 2

environment

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innovation

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community

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business

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technical papers

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The Water sector is racing to reduce emissions, but some are easier to cut than others.

The water sector is on the path to zero emissions, but some are easier to cut than others.

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Time is ticking!

Go Green! Stay Clean!

Check out Atlas Copco’s range of sustainable, energy efficient blowers for your waste water treatment facility!

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to make compressed air systems more efficient while saving money and the environment at the same time?

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THE OZWATER’22 ISSUE

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32 REACHING NET ZERO The water community is succeeding in carbon reduction, but to reach our long-term targets, a broader focus is needed to account for all greenhouse gas emissions

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GROUNDING OUR WATER

CHALLENGE TO TRANSFORM

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

CYBER RESILIENCE

Mapping groundwater recharge zones

Managing workforces during disruption

The origins and future focus of the Association

Is your organisation prepared for a cyber attack?

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BACK TO NATURE

FUELLING THE FUTURE

Solutions for preventing erosion and flooding

Factors to consider about hydrogen production

64 RIDING THE 5G WAVE The network transforming water management

70 ABSOLUTELY SUBLEEM Inside a food-grade pilot scale biorefining plant

82 INDIGENOUS WATER REFORM Q&A with legal scholar Dr Virginia Marshall

86 PANDEMIC PARTNERSHIPS How we guided Vietnam through its water challenges during COVID-19

100 SECURING AUSTRALIA’S WATER FUTURE How the states and territories are preparing to achieve water security

104 COVER YOUR ASSETS TasWater’s approach to managing its diverse asset portfolio

Australian Water Association

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THE OZWATER’22 ISSUE

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AWA

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VALUING OUR MEMBER S

MEN T OR ING

OZ WATER’22

Insights from AWA’s 2022 Member Survey

The formation of an organic professional relationship

The premier conference for water professionals

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22

VALE CHRIS DAVIS

WATER AWARDS

Remembering our former Chief Executive

Outstanding achievements recognised in 2022

15 HELP BE YOND BORDER S Australia helps Fiji detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater

16 VOICE S FOR THE BUSH Support rural communities at our 2022 conference

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Ozwater'22

BRISBANE FLOOD

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A WATER SENSITIVE CITY

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SLUDGE MANAGEMENT

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WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT

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BEYOND ZERO CARBON

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DESALINATION COSTS

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NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS

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DIGITAL FRAMEWORK

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SMART WATER METERING RISKS

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AVERAGE DRY WEATHER FLOW

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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NEXT WAVE

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Power and Water head Djuna Pollard talks infrastructure and community initiatives

YOUR PARTNER TO NET ZERO TURN YOUR WASTEWATER TO ENERGY Reach your net zero emission target by partnering with Evo Energy Technologies We can help you achieve a sustainable waste-to-energy solution and reduce your operating costs and dependence on electricity from the grid. Speak to us today about our superior technology that will help you fast track minimising your carbon emission goal.

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Commencing 6th June 2022, this tour will coincide with IFAT - the world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management.

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We are pleased to announce our 2022 Factory Visit and Site Tours in conjunction with our technology partners 2G Energietechnik, ETW Energietechnik and Sattler in Germany. This rare opportunity will take you behind-the-scenes at some of the world’s leading cogeneration and O renewable gases companies, where you will see their equipment in action at installation sites.

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EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Acceptance of editorial submissions is at the discretion of the editors and editorial board.

TECHNICAL PAPERS: Submissions should be 3000–4000 words long and accompanied by relevant graphics, tables and images.

To submit a paper or for more detailed submission guidelines, please email journal@awa.asn.au NEWS AND FEATURES: News tips, submissions and press releases should be sent to cecilia@mahlab.co COPYRIGHT: Current is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any format without the written permission of AWA. Email james@mahlab.co DISCLAIMER: The Association assumes no responsibility for opinions or statements of fact expressed by contributors or advertisers. Mention of particular brands, products or processes does not constitute an endorsement.

Produced by

369a Darling St, Balmain, Sydney, NSW 2041 Managing Editor: James Chalmers Editors: Cecilia Harris cecilia@mahlab.co Chloe Hava chloe@mahlab.co Creative Director: Gareth Allsopp Design: Sonia Blaskovic Production Manager: Kathy Little Publishing Director: Jelena Li jelena@mahlab.co Advertising Manager: David Taggart davidtaggart@mahlab.co

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Ozwater'22

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Corinne Cheeseman Head of Strategy, Member Engagement & Innovation / Deputy CEO: Kirsty Blades Email: KBlades@awa.asn.au Head of Communications and Corporate Services: Rebecca Newnham Email: RNewnham@awa.asn.au Head of International and Industry Programs: Sally Armstrong Email: SArmstrong@awa.asn.au Head of Events, Awards and Digital: Lee Devereux Email: LDevereux@awa.asn.au TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Dr Robbert van Oorschot (Chair) GHD, Ted Gardner (rtd); Dr Andrew Bath, Water Corporation; Dr Dharma Dharmabalan (rtd) TasWater; Robert Ford (rtd), Central Highlands Water; Dr Lionel Ho, SA Water; Karen Rouse, Water Research Australia (WaterRA); Dr Tim Muster, CSIRO Land and Water; Asoka Jayaratne, Yarra Valley Water; Joe Pera, Water NSW; Kala Senathirajah, Water Corporation; Nick Swain, SA Water; Daniel Visser, GHD. Water e-Journal Coordinator: Kyllie Whitehead Email: journal@awa.asn.au is the official magazine for members of the Australian Water Association.

Level 6, 655 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065 | Cammeraygal Country Phone: (02) 9436 0055 Email: news@awa.asn.au The Australian Water Association acknowledges the Traditional Custodians across Australia, where we live, work and play, for their deep connection to our precious waters and land.

We pay our respect to Elders past and present, and the ancestors who have cared, protected and nurtured Country for many thousands of years.

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CEO

FROM THE CEO

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SIX DECADES OF MAKING HISTORY “We have continued to provide water professionals, businesses and stakeholders with opportunities to share, connect, and inspire as we drive towards a sustainable water future.”

Corinne Cheeseman Australian Water Association Chief Executive

hat a privilege it is to lead the Association as we celebrate our 60th Anniversary. This is a significant milestone and an opportunity for us to reflect and celebrate all that has been achieved over the past six decades. To mark our 60th year, we have produced our Celebrating 60 Years booklet, which provides an overview of the changes that have occurred in water across Australia – noting some key events and milestones alongside our history.

After a very tough few years, it is important to recognise the resilience our members have shown and their ability to respond and rise to many challenges.

Our journey over the last 60 years has set us up well, and there are many examples of where we have adapted – including the diversification of water sources, drought and flood management, and reduced carbon emissions, to name a few. We have continued to provide water professionals, businesses and stakeholders with opportunities to share, connect, and inspire as we drive towards a sustainable water future. We have championed diversity and inclusion; advocated for water skills and careers; provided networking and professional development opportunities; and built a network and programs for young water professionals.

We have also enabled our members to connect with their peers through our Specialist Networks; delivered sustainable water outcomes in our region through our international programs; and celebrated the achievements of our members through our state and national water awards.

AWA will continue to be there for our members as we adapt to meet their needs, as well as the needs of the broader water community. I am proud of the commitment that our

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team and volunteers have shown as they continued to deliver during border closures and lockdowns.

While it has been challenging, there have been many benefits too.

We have made good progress with our member-centric digital transformation, including our new website, improved access to content, and changes in how we communicate and engage. We connect our members – whether they are in different states and territories, or in the same city or town – through virtual and hybrid events. We now deliver high-quality live content to our members, no matter where they are, allowing us to extend our reach.

Over the past year, we revitalised our Specialist Networks and connected our membership virtually in member circles. Our State Branch Presidents have connected online frequently, enabling them to share and collaborate more easily. We have even continued to deliver and sustain our programs and relationships in Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia throughout COVID-19. A highlight was Vietnam Australia Water Week, which we held while our Australian team and Vietnamese partners were in lockdown. The three-day event was run virtually using simultaneous translation and connected over 1,000 people from 26 countries, including 600 people engaging with our new virtual trade platform.

Indigenous involvement in water management is essential, and we have made good progress on our Reconciliation Action Plan, which we will launch later this year. Last year we celebrated National Water Week with an Indigenous theme, “Caring for water and Country”. For this year’s National Water Week, held on 17–23 October, the theme “Our Water Stories” will give us the opportunity to celebrate our members’ journeys as we connect with the broader community.

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Our technology suite comprises biological air treatment systems, activated carbon scrubbers, chemical scrubbers, degassers and regenerative WKHUPDO R[LGLVHUV WRJHWKHU ZLWK İEUHJODVV ducting and cover systems.

We’ve recently completed several odour control facilities (OCF) around Australia. One such facility was for Melbourne Water’s Hoppers Crossing Pumping Station, which transports approximately 50% of Melbourne’s wastewater to the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee.

To prevent fugitive emissions from the sewer system, 100,000 m3/h of odorous air is extracted and treated WKURXJK İYH ELRWULFNOLQJ İOWHUV At Queensland Urban Utilities’ Luggage Point Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), we recently installed another major 2&) 7KH 673 ORFDWHG LQ 3LQNHQED 4XHHQVODQG WUHDWV approximately 60% of Brisbane’s sewage. The 26,000m3/h OCF was installed as part of a strategy to reduce hydrogen VXOSKLGH DQG RGRXU HPLVVLRQV IURP WKH LQOHW ZRUNV DUHD

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President

FROM THE PRESIDENT

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NEW BEGINNINGS After taking the presidential reins last year, Louise Dudley outlines what is in store for our members and the water community in 2022.

want to start this address by acknowledging the challenging times we live in, including the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and the recent devastating floods, which have caused damage to infrastructure and homes, the evacuation of people, and the loss of lives.

These challenges highlight the essential role of those working in water to protect public health and the environment through sewage treatment and safe drinking water.

The amazing people who make up the water community work collectively to ensure essential services are provided. The resilience of our industry, infrastructure, services, and people has been tested repeatedly. Resilience is now a core organisational capability, and I am sure we will continue to build it by sharing the knowledge gained through preparing for, responding to, and recovering from these events.

There are further big challenges that lie ahead, such as climate change, water security, urbanisation, environmental sustainability, liveability and affordability. It will require collective intelligence gathered from the collaboration of many individuals united around a common goal to solve these challenges.

The Association has continued to connect our members through a strong sense of purpose to drive a sustainable water future. While we have had to change some face-toface events, we have continued to provide digital content and virtual opportunities to complement local gatherings. These opportunities have provided a platform to connect and inspire our membership on issues and areas unique to their state or specialist network.

Our digital content has expanded to include the launch of a new website and refreshed e-newsletters,

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which will provide more opportunities to connect with local and national networks.

We welcomed a new Board in May 2021, and while it has been challenging to meet in person due to border closures until recently, we have continued to build on the strong foundations of the Association.

It’s certainly a strength to have such a diverse Board in terms of gender, experience, skills and expertise, and geography. New in this Board Term is the Member Experience Committee which is focused on better understanding the needs and expectations of our diverse members, and ensuring that we tailor and continually improve our offerings as an Association to meet those expectations.

We have continued to deliver the initiatives outlined in Strategy’22, and the Board has commenced work on the development of Strategy’25. This important work is being developed with input from our members, staff, branches and Strategic Advisory Council. We expect to be able to share Strategy‘25 with you all in June.

Next month, we are holding Ozwater’22 in Brisbane. Preparations are well underway, and we will welcome back some of our international guests and partners.

Ozwater’22 will undoubtedly be a special event as we celebrate the 60th year of the Association and explore our water journey together.

As some of you are aware, a great contributor to the Association recently passed away. While I did not have the privilege of knowing our previous CEO, Chris Davis, the accounts from people who did outline what an exceptional water leader he was. We look forward to formally marking Chris’ contribution at Ozwater’22. I hope to see as many of you as possible in Brisbane.

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THE END OF AN ERA: THANK YOU TO OUR PAST PRESIDENT

WHAT OUR MEMBERS VALUE MOST The results from our 2022 Member Survey are in. very two years, the Association encourages members to share their opinions on our products and services, what they want more of and where we can improve.

Our 2022 Member Survey indicates that networking is the most valuable membership aspect, followed by the information we provide and the chance to be a part of Australia’s largest water network. Satisfaction remains high.

The Ozwater conference is a key networking and learning opportunity for our members, generating 98% awareness and 79% engagement, with 76% indicating its importance.

Our content is well-known and utilised, with a preference for digital platforms including

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Ozwater'22

80% engagement with Source news. Content areas of interest include water treatment (17%), water stewardship (13%), water policy (12%) and water future and climate change (11%).

Our members are highly satisfied with our products and services. The areas they would like us to expand include building water sector skills through training and competency programs (64%), engaging with the community to better understand attitudes and beliefs relative to water (54%), and enabling data sharing across the water sector (49%). AWA will use our members’ feedback to improve our products and services, and inform the development of Strategy‘25.

The Australian Water Association Board bids farewell to our Immediate Past President Carmel Krogh OAM. Krogh, who served as President from 2019–2021, became a Board Member in 2013 and has been a member of AWA for over three decades.

She is a central figure in the water sector, beginning her career as a trainee engineer with the Water Board in Sydney in 1980.

Since then, she has served in several leadership and board roles for both local and state public utilities.

In 2019, Krogh was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to civil engineering.

She now works as an independent consultant in the water sector and is on the Board of Water Utilities Australia and Permeate Partners.

Past President Francois Gouws said he felt “privileged” to work closely with Krogh during his six years on AWA’s Board.

“Carmel is an incredible person who cares deeply for the water industry and the people who work within it,” he said. “I have the utmost respect and admiration for Carmel, and her abilities to comprehend and drive a good outcome. She is an inspiration and example to so many of us.”

Insights

A round-up of news, upcoming events and key developments in the world of water.

VALE CHRIS DAVIS The Australian Water Association lost our first full-time Chief Executive, Chris Davis, who passed away on Thursday 10 February 2022 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Chris dedicated his career to driving progress towards the sustainable management of water for all Australians.

He received AWA’s highest honours – Life Membership in 2008 and an Exceptional Service Award in 2016 – for his outstanding contribution to AWA and water management. Along with serving as Chief Executive for 14 years, his natural talent for connections and clear vision for a sustainable future made

him a champion for new ideas, solutions and possibilities.

Chris is also remembered as a pioneer and role model for women and young professionals.

In recent years, Chris strove to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, serving as a President of Parkinson’s New South Wales.

“Chris had a genuine way with people, he was passionate about important issues and his calm demeanour and ability to bring stakeholders together is always something I admired,” said Association Chief Executive Corinne Cheeseman.

To read the full tribute, visit bit.ly/ vale_chris-davis

HELP BEYOND BORDERS he Australian Water Association and Water Research Australia (WaterRA) have embarked on a new project to transfer Australian expertise on the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater to the Water Authority of Fiji.

The initiative, delivered with the support of the Australian Government through the Australian Water Partnership, will help to inform Fiji’s preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The partnership will enable the transfer of SARS-CoV-2 environmental surveillance methods and operational approaches established in Australia by WaterRA and partners.

The aim of the project is to support the Fijian Government’s efforts to monitor SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in water environments such as sewage and stormwater, inform the government’s COVID-19 control strategies and add to their COVID-19 resilience planning toolbox.

Through the development of this cost-effective early warning system, the detection and management of COVID-19 in Fiji will significantly improve.

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PROJECT DELIVERY TEAM

Katie Trevor | AWA

Marlene Hsu | WaterRA

Mosese Nariva | WAF

Kirti Chandra | WAF

Josh Quinn | AWA

Australian Water Association

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SHARE, CONNECT, INSPIRE VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE BUSH ecuring and managing smaller water supplies is crucial for Australia’s regional, remote and rural communities. The Voices for the Bush 2022 conference aims to identify solutions, technologies and practices in this space, as well as address the importance of community engagement and local capacity development. Co-hosted by the Australian Water Association and the Water Services Association of Australia, the conference will take place in Alice Springs from

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9–10 August. Decision and policy makers, government agencies, and water utility and service providers will convene to explore solutions for regional and rural water systems. Themes include wastewater and water quality management, water security, the impacts of COVID-19 and climate change, public and environmental health, and government policies.

Australia’s red centre provides the perfect backdrop to champion the sustainability of regional water supply systems.

CELEBRATING NATIONAL WATER WEEK very October, the Australian water community comes together to build awareness around the value of water among individuals, organisations and communities.

As the national host of the week-long event, 17–23 October, we encourage organisations, schools and communities to participate in and promote National Water Week events, activities, and educational resources.

This year’s theme is “Our Water Stories”. Water is our most important resource. It nourishes life, comprising two-thirds of our bodies and covering three-quarters of the planet. It’s also a key industrial and agricultural asset, used for recreational and commercial purposes.

“Our Water Stories” builds upon this year’s Ozwater theme, “Our Water Journey”.

Reflecting on the importance of water is a key focus for us this year as we mark our 60th anniversary.

We invite everyone to share their past, present and future stories, hopes, and dreams.

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OUR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Australian Water Association members can now take part in a new online experience which will allow them to connect with us from wherever whenever and from any device of their choosing.

The member-focused CX platform enables easier access to the information that matters most to our members.

“Members will instantly be provided with an easier way to find what they are looking for, whether it’s to register or find out about our events, or access the latest research and insights,” said Deputy CEO and Head of Strategy, Member Engagement and Innovation Kirsty Blades.

Features include a login option to access exclusive, member-only materials, and CRM integration, helping the Association tailor content to our members.

Next in the works is a revised digital marketplace to showcase our corporate members and to facilitate business-tobusiness networking.

“Our commitment is to continue to be member centric, take on feedback and evolve the platform to meet our members’ needs on an ongoing basis,” Blades said.

“With the type of technology we are putting in place, we are in a better position to do that.”

SPECIALIST ANALYTICAL SERVICES Our NATA-accredited analytical services are comprehensive and backed by world-leading expertise to help you monitor and solve your challenging water quality issues.

Features of our testing services include high sensitivity with lower limits of detection, fast turnaround times, rapid response services for health-related incidents, and local expertise to help with technical enquiries.

Two of our specialist testing services are:

AS/NZS 4020 product testing

Radiological testing

Ensuring products are safe for contact with drinking water.

Routine monitoring of radiation levels in drinking and source water supplies.

We play a key role in protecting public health by providing leading manufacturers in Australia and around the world with laboratory testing services to Standard AS/NZS 4020:2018.

Sampling and analysis is conducted for gross alpha and beta, radon-222, radium-226 and radium-228, lead-210, polonium-210 and total uranium and thorium for a range of water matrices, including drinking water, and source waters such as groundwater, wastewater, reuse water and irrigation water.

Call us on 1300 653 366 or visit us at Ozwater‘22, stand P14 to learn how we can help solve your water quality issues.

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Events

10-12 MAY, BRISBANE This year’s Ozwater conference is all about reflection.

Celebrate our past, present and future possibilities, and how far we have come as a collective at the largest water conference in the Southern Hemisphere.

oin us on our water journey at Ozwater‘22, where professionals, delegates and leaders will unite to inspire the water community over three action-packed days.

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PROGR AM AND E VENT S Attendees will be treated to keynote addresses by inspiring thought leaders, including forward-looking insights from Ashleigh Morris, Chief Executive of circular economy consultancy, Coreo. Indigenous artist and educator Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM will also share her incredible life journey and discuss the importance of education.

With resilience a key competency in today’s challenging times, paralympic swimmer Karni Liddell will speak on overcoming adversity and her journey to success. Liddell will discuss her vision of diversity and inclusion, and how the water sector can do better.

This year’s program features over 130 technical presentations and more than 300 presenters, along

with numerous workshops and panels.

Don’t miss the top 12 technical papers on offer, including a session on navigating the digital transformation of home water use through visualisations by Professor Simon Fane from the Institute for Sustainable Futures, Sydney.

A new addition to the program, the Inclusive Networking with Confidence workshop, will focus on embracing diversity and encouraging inclusion in the water community.

MINGLING WATERS Ozwater’22 features numerous opportunites for socialising, allowing water professionals to catch up with their colleagues and forge new bonds. Kick off the conference at the Welcome Reception, and glam up for the prestigious Gala Dinner, where this year’s Australian Water Awards winners will be revealed.

We look forward to connecting with our members face-to-face in Brisbane next month.

Australian Water Association

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EXPLORE OUR SUB THEMES

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COMMUNITIES OF THE FUTURE Master how to achieve sustainable and thriving communities through:

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• Social equality • Integrated water management • Urban water cycle planning • Decentralised and distributed systems • Governance, policy and project delivery • Meaningful engagement

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THE OZWATER’22 PROGRAM INCLUDES: 3 DAYS IN BRISBANE 8 STREAMS PER DAY 12 SUB-THEMES 300+ PRESENTERS 130+ TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS 200+ EXHIBITORS 20

Learn about the action being taken worldwide to secure and safeguard the future health of people and the environment.

OUR WATER JOURNEY This year’s event provides an opportunity for us to celebrate our evolution, and learn to adapt to new challenges through innovative thinking and technological transformation.

Ozwater'22

SAFEGUARDING COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

• Meeting SDG targets • Risk-based catchment management • Wastewater overflow response • Fit-for-purpose water supply CASE STUDY: • COVID-19 tracing

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ACHIEVING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Melbourne Water shares insights from 24 years of cryptosporidium monitoring on the Victorian capital’s water supply system.

Boost your knowledge on the policy, regulatory, governance and business model transformations needed to drive a circular economy.

• Biosolids utilisation • Energy recovery • New policies, business models and investment strategies • Overcoming regulatory hurdles • Net-zero carbon water cycle cities

Events

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EXCELLENCE IN OPERATIONS Discover what the future holds for excellence in operations, including:

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• Treatment technologies and practices • Renewal and repair techniques • Energy optimisation • Automation advances • Water efficiency • Big data, AI and machine learning SPOTLIGHT: • Efficiencies and Monitoring and cost reductions analysing water • Cyber security demand in Australian multi-level residential buildings. Presented by researchers from Deakin University.

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LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNANCE AND PROGRESSIVE REGULATION

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Explore the concepts of strong leadership, governance and progressive regulation with sessions on:

CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME EVENTS Droughts, floods and fires are becoming more common and severe around Australia. Find out how to prepare for future extreme events and mitigate their impact through climate change action.

• Incident management and disaster recovery • Wastewater surveillance • Emergency coordination • Incident management • Moving beyond response and recovery

Planning, design, delivery and renewal of assets is critical to providing safe and reliable services at an affordable cost.

Build your knowledge on:

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• Building a brand • Understanding customer behaviour and attitudes • Designing experiences and products • Tailoring customer support • Championing customer voices • Community education and water literacy

• Green infrastructure solutions • Future planning models • Engineering advances • Productivity and maintenance optimisation • Water resource management • Innovative maintenance IN ACTION: • DecisionUnitywater share making how they developed frameworks a system leakage management plan using the nine pillars approach.

FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION

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Listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices to understand traditional responsibility for land and water.

RESILIENCE AND WATER SECURITY

DELIVERING EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Tips for engaging with your customers to deliver information, education and excellent service.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND EQUITY Expert advice on innovative programs and approaches.

• Supporting the LGBTIQ+ community • Diversifying leadership • Addressing unconscious bias • Attracting and retaining professionals • Building an agile organisation • Embedding a wellbeing culture

• Leadership and involvement in programs • Surface water and groundwater plans • Reconciliation Action Plans • Caring for Country, culture and people

• Collaborating in a competitive environment • Water pricing and valuation • Enabling water-sensitive cities • Integrating water and land use planning

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ASSET MANAGEMENT, PLANNING AND DELIVERY

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RURAL, REMOTE AND REGIONAL WATER

Hear from leading experts on the latest approaches to managing water systems and resources.

Overcoming challenges and championing collaboration to ensure a thriving rural, remote and regional Australia.

• Integrating town water solutions • Risk identification, monitoring and evaluation • Ensuring resilience outcomes • Adaptive planning SPOTLIGHT: • Best practices Comparing net-zero from overseas strategies across • Recycle and Victorian and UK-based water authorities. reuse Presented by Mott • Future energy

• Regulation of water allocation and usage • Managing river flows • Remote operational monitoring and control • Attracting and retaining talent • Water storage and groundwater use

MacDonald.

Scan the QR code for sneak peek at our Preliminary Program Guide

Australian Water Association

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NATIONAL SPONSOR:

AUSTRALIAN WATER AWARDS Well done to all our 2022 National Awards Finalists.

The winners will be announced at the Ozwater’22 Gala Dinner.

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R&D EXCELLENCE AWARD • uPtake Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA) • Goyder Institute for Water Research – Second Term Research Program (2015–2020) The Department for Environment and Water, CSIRO, Flinders University, The University of Adelaide and The University of South Australia (SA) • Minimisation of Leaks and Breaks in Pipes with Innovative Integrated Deployment Sydney Water, University of Technology Sydney, Detection Services, Ovarro and WaterGroup (NSW) • Australian-First Technology – the Next Step in Biosolids Innovation Transforming Local Circular Economies South East Water, Greater Western Water and Intelligent Water Networks (VIC)

ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT INNOVATION AWARD (REGIONAL)

• Water Future Program Seqwater (QLD)

• Mer (Murray) Island Water Network Management Program Torres Strait Island Regional Council (QLD)

• Cultural Connection and Collaboration Guides South-East Prescribed Burn SA Water and The Department for Environment and Water (SA) • Sydney Water Innovation Festival Sydney Water and Isle Utilities (NSW) • Aboriginal Employment and Retention Strategy Barwon Water (VIC)

Proudly sponsored by:

• Port Lincoln Wastewater Treatment Plant Redevelopment SA Water and Aurecon (SA) • Vasse Diversion Drain Upgrade Project Water Corporation (WA) • Sewage Intrusion Program NRM North and Partners (TAS) • Gayini Nimmie-Caira Wetlands The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (NSW) • Web-Based Decision Support Tool for Regional Wastewater Management KBR, Goulburn Valley Water, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, North East Water and Decentralised Water Australia (VIC)

Proudly sponsored by: Proudly sponsored by:

22

Ozwater'22

Awards

Check awa.asn.au and subscribe to Source to see the winners

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT INNOVATION AWARD (METRO) • Australia’s First Municipal Sidestream Anammox Treatment Facility Urban Utilities, Veolia Water Technologies, The University of Queensland and Fulton Hogan (QLD) • SA Water’s Zero Cost Energy Future Program SA Water, KBR and Aurecon (SA) • Wharf Street Basin Next Generation Community Park Project Urbaqua, Water Corporation, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (WA) • IoT Wastewater Blockage Detection Sydney Water (NSW) • Adaptive Planning to Enhance Canberra’s Preparedness for Future Droughts Icon Water and Aurecon (ACT) • Reimagining Your Creek Melbourne Water and Alluvium Consulting Australia (VIC)

Proudly sponsored by:

STUDENT WATER PRIZE • Towards Net-Zero Emissions and Energy Neutrality, a Novel Technology to Utilise Methane Produced in Wastewater Treatment Tao Liu, The University of Queensland (QLD)

• Missing Voices: Engaging Family Violence-Affected Water Customers Eliza Venville, Monash University (VIC)

Proudly sponsored by:

• Formation and Detection of Bromophenols and Their Contribution to Plastic Taste in Drinking Water Elkia Szczecinski, Curtin University (WA) • High-Resolution Pipe Condition Assessment and Scanning for Water Distribution Systems Wei Zeng, The University of Adelaide (SA) • A Closed-Loop Technology Benefits the Wastewater Treatment Plants Through Sludge Treatment Huan Liu, University of Technology Sydney (NSW) • Women’s Empowerment Through Learning and Working Together: The Perspectives of Small Agricultural Landholder Farmers in Punjab and Sindh on Factors Enabling and Sustaining High Levels of Women’s Engagement in a Water Management Project in Pakistan Gowri Pincombe, GHD/University of Canberra (ACT)

AUSTRALIAN STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER PRIZE Winner announced at Ozwater’22 Gala Dinner

Proudly sponsored by:

BEST WATER E-JOURNAL PAPER – IN HONOUR OF GUY PARKER Winner announced at Ozwater’22 Gala Dinner

Australian Water Association

23

NATIONAL SPONSOR:

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AUSTRALIAN WATER AWARDS

YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD

WATER PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD

• Samuel Koci Senior Engineer, Water, Arup (QLD)

• Abel Immaraj Director, Environment and Planning and Water Resources Systems Leader, Aurecon (QLD)

• Jocelyn Ellero Area Manager, Darwin/Senior Water Resources Engineer, SMEC (NT) • Chenoa Lange Technical Advisor, Wastewater Processes, Water Corporation (WA) • Brittany Coff Senior Water Resources Engineer, Jacobs (SA) • Ryan Francis Senior Consultant, Pinion Advisory (TAS) • Michael Carter Principal Process Engineer, Hunter H2O (NSW) • Advait Madav Design Engineer, Alluvium (ACT) • Gabby Butera Process Engineer, Arup (VIC)

Proudly sponsored by:

• Professor Charlie Fairfield Charles Darwin University (NT) • Kathryn Pugh Team Leader Water, City of Launceston (TAS)

Proudly sponsored by:

• Dr Fabiana Tessele Director, Tessele Consultants (WA) • Eamonn Kelly General Manager, Major Program Delivery, Melbourne Water (VIC)

WATER INDUSTRY SAFETY EXCELLENCE AWARD • Lock It In: An Innovation for Safer Network Isolations Logan Water, Downer and Mass Products (QLD)

• Western Treatment 125W Plant Sludge Drying Pans Upgrade John Holland-KBR Joint Venture and Melbourne Water (VIC)

Ozwater'22

• Safety Innovations for the High Pressure Water Jet (HPWJ) Drain Cleaning Industry Veolia Environmental Services, Mass Products, Urban Utilities, Queensland Water Directorate and WSP (QLD)

• Victor Cantone Section Executive, Water, WSP (SA)

• Using PipeDiver Technology to Take Workers out of Confined Space Fulton Hogan Utilities (QLD)

24

• Reverse Osmosis Membrane Loader Veolia (QLD)

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD • Our Customers Program SA Water (SA) • Free the Poo, Working with the Community to Free Canberra’s Wastewater Icon Water (ACT) • VoC Knowledge and Customer Engagement Skills Hunter Water (NSW) • Digital Customer Platform Sydney Water (NSW)

Proudly sponsored by:

Awards

STATE & TERRITORY WINNERS Congratulations to the 2022 National Awards Finalists. Toast their outstanding achievements at the Ozwater’22 Gala Dinner on 11 May 2022.

NSW

QLD

TAS

VIC

ACT

SA

WA

NT Australian Water Association

25

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

By Chloe Hava

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Ozwater'22

Pic Credit: Tony Lomas, Island 26 Photography

These two water professionals have very different roles. But their similar personalities and reflexive approach to mentoring meant Dirk Stegink and Akira Weller-Wong were able to tackle issues as they arose – including the best way to land a new job.

Mentoring

AKIR A WELLER-WONG ESTUARY SCIENTIST, DERWENT ESTUARY PROGR AM

MENTOR: Dirk Stegink, 56 CURRENT ROLE: TasWater E XPERIENCE: 32 years

MENTEE: Akira Weller-Wong, 32 CURRENT ROLE: Derwent Estuary Program E XPERIENCE: 4 years

“

Before I entered the water sector, I had two previous careers as a jazz musician and in woodland restoration.

I started working at the Derwent Estuary Program in December 2017 as a technical officer before moving into a role as a stormwater officer, but I hadn’t really considered my career arc in the industry. It’s so easy to get sucked into the day-to-day responsibilities of your role.

In 2020, my boss let me know that the Australian Water Association had started running a mentoring program, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn from someone who has more experience.

I wanted to explore the idea of career development, and reflect upon that with someone outside of my workplace.

K EEPING IT CASUAL While our roles are quite different, Dirk and I have a similar personality and character. Perhaps AWA picked up on the fact that we both really like gardening when they matched us.

When we first met, Dirk gave me a jar of home-made jam, which set the tone for an organic relationship.

I tried to come up with ideas for our meetings, or similarity between our roles. But as time went on, it became a bit more ad hoc.

When we first met, Dirk gave me a jar of home-made jam, which set the tone for an organic relationship.

Akira Weller-Wong

Dirk’s office is near where I live, so we’d catch up for a coffee on his way in, or even a quick phone call here or there when I needed advice.

I think that’s where it became the most useful, rather than working around a set agenda.

CAREER PL ANNING Dirk and I were able to really delve into the idea of career development on a broader scale.

For example, some mentors and mentees might plan their career right through to the end, whereas others focus on putting themselves in a good position so they are ready when an opportunity comes up.

I could ask Dirk the kind of questions I might not be able to ask internally, which is such a valuable thing.

When the opportunity for a new role as an estuary scientist came up in my organisation, Dirk helped me structure my CV and hone my interview skills.

Ultimately, I did get the role, and Dirk was then able to help me prepare for what came next.

We talked about the practical aspects of fulfilling a more senior role, where I was responsible for data collection, management, analysis and reporting on our major water quality projects.

Dirk and I discussed different forms of work planning, whether short, mid or long term, that I’ve been able to implement into my workflow.

Stakeholder engagement is something I have been exposed to a lot in this role, so we also bounced around ideas about that.

It was such a great opportunity to seek advice from someone who has 40 years of experience. No matter how different your role might be, we found there’s always ways to find links, opportunities and solutions.

Australian Water Association

27

PREPARING FOR A NE W ROLE

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DIRK STEGINK PROJECT DIRECTOR SPECIAL PROJECT S, TASWATER

“

The one thing that I did ask of Akira, however, was for him to drive the relationship.

While I can offer advice, it needs to be a pull rather than push dynamic for it to be really valuable.

Dirk Stegink

28

Ozwater'22

I’ve always enjoyed passing on advice to younger engineers and colleagues, so I thought the AWA mentoring program was another avenue to do that.

I had a really good mentor earlier in my career, who used to be my boss. He just turned 70 and we’re still in contact. Having had that experience myself, I was keen to provide a helping hand to an emerging professional.

When I met Akira, I was managing a team of engineers at TasWater to improve the performance of sewage treatment plants. Now, I’ve moved into a different role as the director of special projects. While we haven’t crossed paths professionally, Akira and I quickly realised we have very similar ways of working.

When something came up, Akira would just give me a ring or send me an email. It wasn’t high intensity or frequency, but it worked for us.

The one thing that I did ask of Akira, however, was for him to drive the relationship. While I can offer advice, it needs to be a pull rather than push dynamic for it to be really valuable.

When Akira was keen on another role in his organisation, we spent some time going over application letters.

I’ve obviously applied for jobs in the past, but I’ve also been the person sifting through applicants – so I have a fair idea of what people look for.

It was good to tease out some of Akira’s transferable, non-technical skills through his music career that apply to his work as a water professional.

In his CV, he placed music as a hobby, but there was nothing that linked that hobby to anything career wise. So we looked for toeholds to tie it all together.

We also looked for ways of reframing things Akira has done as achievements, for example, “I managed to get this across the line”, or “I delivered that”. Little things like that help a lot when you’re trying to get an interview.

It helps to reflect on the things you’ve done, because it gives you a better idea of your capabilities and boosts your self-confidence.

Akira has a lot to offer. As a musician, he is very creative. Making music is all about pleasing an audience and working with others.

That is really good stuff to bring to any role you do.

LE AVING THE DOOR OPEN Looking back, I’m impressed with how well AWA managed to match us. I was always a bit dubious about the idea of appointing mentors to mentees, because it’s all in the relationship. But the good thing about this format is that you have something to start with.

If it doesn’t work, you can always move on.

While the mentoring program runs for a year, I’ve certainly never looked at it that way.

We have a relationship now, and if Akira ever wants to talk about anything, I’m very happy to keep it up. I think that’s a measure of success.

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48

GROUNDING AUSTRALIA’S WATER

BACK TO NATURE

The search for viable groundwater recharge zones in South Australia.

Protecting our coastlines through natural means.

32 RE ACHING NE T ZERO The water sector has succeeded in reducing carbon emissions through the adoption of renewable energy technologies. But there remains enormous scope to expand its role in building a more sustainable country.

To discover more environment news, visit awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news 31

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The water sector is taking steps to reduce emissions in the pursuit of net zero by 2050.

While Scope 2 emissions have been the focus, Scope 1 and 3 remain out of reach. How can the sector reorient its focus to meet its long-term renewable energy targets?

By Martin Kovacs

32

Ozwater'22

Environment

he Australian water sector has made significant headway reducing carbon emissions, but the path to net zero remains fraught with complex long-term challenges.

Decisions made now will not only determine how the water community meets its initial commitments but also its capacity to effectively address future obligations.

Getting the balance right is critical, and – against a backdrop of intensifying climate change – time is of the essence. There are three classes of greenhouse gas emissions: Scope 1, which refers to direct emissions from controlled sources; Scope 2, the indirect emissions generated from purchased energy; and Scope 3, other indirect emissions occurring in an organisation’s value chain (see infographic on page 40).

The water sector has a sizeable emissions profile, demanding a multifaceted mitigation approach.

Beyond technical considerations, utilities need to weigh up a range of economic factors to meet emissions reduction goals, while adhering to regulatory frameworks governing the supply of water services.

The sector has broadly made progress mitigating Scope 2 emissions via the adoption of renewable energy technologies, with energy efficiency and demandside flexibility paving the way for increased renewables integration.

Significant challenges remain, however, particularly regarding Scope 1 wastewater treatment emissions.

John Poon, Aurecon Technical Director, Water, says the sector has the capacity to substantially contribute to emissions reduction and has a key role to play in achieving broader net zero targets.

“Currently, 2–3% of carbon emissions can be attributed to the water sector. That’s a pretty significant amount from one sector,” he said.

T

“

Currently, 2–3% of carbon emissions can be attributed to the water sector. That’s a pretty significant amount from one sector.

John Poon, Technical Director, Water, Aurecon

While the water sector is characterised by using large amounts of grid electricity, the level of Scope 1 emissions in treatment processes is not insignificant.

“We generate methane, which we don’t always capture and use, and nitrous oxide emissions as well, so the sector obviously has some big challenges in that area,” Poon said.

LEGACY INFR ASTRUCTURE The water sector is encumbered by legacy infrastructure and technologies developed in an era when carbon constraints and resource scarcity were not primary considerations.

Poon emphasised the need to not only investigate methods of making current infrastructure more efficient, but also to explore transitioning from traditional centralised models that prioritise incremental development.

“We also have other things going on around economic regulation. Does the economic regulator have room to allow utilities to pay for what we need to do around sustainability and decarbonisation?” Poon asked.

“The economic regulations can sometimes be premised on a degree of predictability, but what we’re finding now is that adding on more of the same stuff doesn’t always get us on the pathway we need to be on. Now is the time to be more innovative and adapt our ways.”

Australian Water Association

33

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Environment

Aerial view of waste water treatment plant pools in Melbourne, Australia.

“

The water sector has more opportunities for reducing emissions than some other sectors, so it has a responsibility to move faster.

Professor John Thwaites AM, Chair, Melbourne Water and ClimateWorks Australia

Aurecon Group Director, Sustainability, Paul Gleeson said that, despite the absence of a true price on emissions, momentum is building as states and territories commit to net zero by 2050.

Factors such as water being an essential service, the fragility of the resource and challenges like climate change will drive the water sector to focus on sustainability.

“Whatever the driver is, there’s no question there are lots of projects being directed towards decarbonisation ahead of any price signal on emissions,” he said.

Gleeson also pointed to an evolving regulatory environment, in which a host of additional drivers are emerging, with utilities required to meet various climate and sustainability requirements.

“We see utilities and government agencies now starting to respond to things like the Task Force on

Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and the incoming sustainability reporting standards through the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation,” he said.

“A lot of agencies are using those frameworks around sustainability reporting. Once you have to report and disclose, that drives action.”

A LE ADING ROLE Professor John Thwaites AM, Chair of Melbourne Water and ClimateWorks Australia, said the water sector should aim for net zero well before 2050, with the view of taking a leading role in decarbonisation.

Melbourne Water and other water corporations in Victoria’s capital have set a 2030 net zero target, with the utility presiding over a growing portfolio of integrated renewable energy sources.

“The water sector has more opportunities for reducing emissions

than some other sectors, so it has a responsibility to move faster,” Thwaites said.

“For Melbourne Water, that means all our energy being renewable, and we’re targeting to achieve that by 2025.”

For most water corporations that should be easily achievable, with the costs of renewable energy now on a par with that of fossil fuel energy, Thwaites added.

While progress in mitigating Scope 2 emissions continues to be made, he said the water sector needs to concurrently address its “biggest challenge” – reducing Scope 1 wastewater treatment emissions.

Melbourne Water – which harnesses captured biogas to generate electricity at two major treatment plants – is undertaking ongoing measurement and mitigation research, with Thwaites observing the introduction of new technologies is a long-term proposition.

As this research continues, Melbourne Water will need to purchase offsets to achieve net zero by 2030, while it addresses another element of its Scope 1 emissions profile by transitioning to an electric vehicle fleet.

Even though the utility has been able to purchase substantial numbers of passenger vehicles, Thwaites said securing commercial vehicles remains a challenge.

“Until we get a better system in Australia to attract supply of electric vehicles, water corporations are going to be handicapped in the transition to a zero-emissions transport fleet,” he said.

“We need the Federal Government to step up with vehicle emissions standards, as Australia stands out as being behind almost every other advanced country in our standards.”

FILLING THE GAPS Matt Lyon, WSP Senior Engineer, Water, said that while utilities around the country are at different points on the path to net zero, Scope 2 emissions reduction has broadly

Australian Water Association

35

“

If the water industry were to also target reducing its Scope 3 emissions, it could accelerate these wider industry emission reductions and have a larger overall impact on mitigating climate change.

THE MAK ING OF AN ICON

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Matt Lyon, Senior Engineer, Water, WSP

been an initial focus. Initiatives such as solar photovoltaic integration across utility assets, the purchase of renewable power from the grid, energy efficiency and wastewater biogas power generation have all been used to reduce both Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

“Historically, the industry has focused on these higher payback emissions reduction initiatives,” he said. “This is partially because utilities in jurisdictions without legislated emissions reduction targets have faced difficulty getting lower payback initiatives approved by economic regulators without completing customer willingness-topay studies.”

While mitigating methane emissions via biogas capture is an

established process, Lyon said Scope 1 emissions are a challenge.

“There’s ongoing research to understand whether the emissions factors being used to estimate emissions, such as nitrous oxide, correlate to the actual emissions of plants,” he said.

As Scope 1 emissions research progresses, in combination with their mitigation of Scope 1 emissions, Lyon said this presents a clear path to net zero.

While there is less of a focus on reducing Scope 3 emissions – which are not reported under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme – there is potential for change, with some upstream companies committing to emissions reduction.

Googong Dam in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, overflowing.

36

Ozwater'22

Icon Water is one of 14 Australian and New Zealand water utilities to join the United Nations-backed Race to Zero global campaign.

Manager Environment and Sustainability Ben Bryant said Icon pledged to reach net zero by 2050 or earlier.

“Icon Water is developing a plan outlining our roadmap to achieve net zero by 2045 based on 1990 emission levels consistent with targets in the ACT Climate Change Strategy,” he said.

Approximately 75% of the ACT-based utility’s emissions are comprised of fugitive nitrous oxide and methane emissions, with the utility undertaking several initiatives to target this area.

“We are collaborating on projects with other utilities through WaterRA to realise new nitrous oxide mitigation approaches, and exploring pyrolysis and gasification technologies for producing biochar as a valuable agronomic material,” he said.

“Our pathway to net zero also includes transition to a green energy fleet, purchase of green power, favourable secondary treatment process upgrade technology, a new scrubber on solids treatment stack emissions and use of offsets for recalcitrant fugitive emissions.”

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Environment

“If these reductions occur, this would see reduced emissions from the mining and refinement of raw materials, in equipment manufacturing and in the construction of infrastructure,” Lyon said. “If the water industry were to also target reducing Scope 3 emissions, it could accelerate wider industry emission reductions and have a larger overall impact on mitigating climate change.”

THE R ACE TO WIN

“

We need partnerships not paternalism, and that approach depends on programs that clearly show a short- and long-term goal of net zero.

Professor Peter Newman AO, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University

DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS Peter Newman AO, Curtin University Professor of Sustainability, highlights the importance of transitioning from a centralised outlook in navigating the path to net zero, emphasising the role increasingly distributed systems can play.

Newman points to the Western Australian power sector, which under its Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap has set about integrating smaller-scale resources that generate or store electricity, including rooftop solar panels and batteries.

“We have had to go for a distributed power system because we don’t have the big grid they have in the eastern states, so we are rapidly moving towards distributed as the only option,” he said.

“That model will translate into water. We’ve got a big grid over here and scaling that back is going to be on the agenda, which means that parts of it will eventually not be rebuilt.”

Deployment of integrated small-scale systems that remain on both the power and water grids,

Victorian-based utility Barwon Water has also joined the Race to Zero campaign, with Managing Director Tracey Slatter stating it is “another indication of how we are leaning into the challenges of climate change and coming up with the solutions together”.

Under its Strategy 2030 plan, Barwon Water outlined how it will achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2025, utilising solar, wind and biogas generation, and net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

With Barwon Water’s remaining emissions primarily comprised of fugitive nitrous oxide and methane emissions, significant knowledge advancements have been made over the past decade.

“This is currently being compiled in a state-ofknowledge report by Water Research Australia and the

University of Queensland, in collaboration with Intelligent Water Networks and water corporations,” Slatter said.

“A key development is the ability to measure actual nitrous oxide emissions, which will lead to more appropriate emissions calculation and reporting methods that better reflect and recognise lower-emission and higher-performing treatment plants and processes.”

Slatter emphasised the importance of collaboration, pointing to the Zero Emissions Water initiative, under which Barwon Water and 12 other Victorian water utilities have partnered to purchase solar power as one.

“With our own Scope 1 and 2 emissions on track to reach net zero, our focus will shift to our supply chain Scope 3 emissions, and developing plans to work with suppliers and contractors to embed the emissions reduction hierarchy into their business operations.”

Barwon Water and 12 other Victorian water utilities have partnered to purchase solar power as one.

Australian Water Association

39

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but are progressively less dependent on centralised service provision, should begin now, Newman said.

Water-sensitive urban development, for example, may encompass a range of approaches, including stormwater and rainwater harvesting, local desalination of groundwater powered by solar energy, and water efficient appliances.

“You can see how that fits into the wider grid, and how quickly it could be taken up as a way of solving problems, rather than expensive big desalination and wastewater treatment systems that go with the big groundwater replenishment schemes,” he said.

“All of that can happen, but it’s a matter of slowing it down on the big scale and accelerating distributed systems so that they can crossover at some point.”

Newman would like to see local communities provided the opportunity to demonstrate how these types of distributed net zero systems work.

“It’s time for government to step in,” he said. “We need partnerships not paternalism, and that approach depends on programs that clearly show a short- and long-term goal of net zero.”

WATER SECTOR EMISSIONS PROFILE SCOPE

1 40

Direct wastewater treatment methane, nitrous oxide emissions and fleet emissions.

This area is a key challenge.

Ozwater'22

Hydro-power generators hard at work in a dam.

NET SCOPE SCOPE

2

Indirect emissions resulting from the traditional use of large amounts of grid electricity.

Renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency have helped to greatly reduce these emissions.

3

These Indirect value chain emissions are hard to quantify. At this point in time, this emissions scope is comparatively not a strong focus for the water sector.

0

Seeking value-driven organisations to sponsor our

WATER FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM We connect Australian expertise with need and opportunity to drive a sustainable water future internationally. Since 2015 our International Program has:

Helped four AsiaPacific nations develop a system to track COVID-19 prevalence in wastewater in partnership with WaterRA.

Improved water service delivery to over 20 million customers in Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia by pairing 26 water utilities to enable knowledge sharing and capacity building.

Facilitated 25+ outbound missions across South-East Asia, engaging over 500 Australian water professionals promoting Australian innovation.

Increased access to safe drinking water for children and villages in Vietnam and Cambodia through enabling over 15 drinking water treatment technology trials using innovative Australian technologies.

Showcased Australian experts and expertise via numerous policy forums, including the recent VietnamAustralia Water Week, which saw over 1,000 attendees from 28 countries.

Managed the Online Emerging Water Leaders Program, empowering young water professionals to build global water networks, kickstart their professional development journeys, and sharpen their leadership skills.

Hosted 20+ inbound delegations to Australia involving over 300 international delegates.

If your organisation wants to support development outcomes and the achievement of SDGs in South East Asia and the Pacific, please contact our Head of International and Industry Programs, Sally Armstrong. Email: sarmstrong@awa.asn.au

.HHSLQJ D ÀUP H\H RQ water quality SOLVING THE COMPLEXITIES OF RELIABLE WATER QUALITY MONITORING WITH PRE-FABRICATED PANEL SOLUTIONS Luc Turner - Endress+Hauser Australia

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CASE STUDY #1

GROUNDING AUSTRALIA’S WATER PROJECT: Identification of Groundwater Potential Recharge Zones

STARTED: 2016 LEADER: Dr Alaa Ahmed, University of South Australia

44

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By Cole Latimer here is little doubt that climate change will increase Australia’s water management challenges. Those in the country’s southern states face inconsistent rain coupled with strengthening droughts.

This means greater reliance on existing groundwater reserves to overcome unpredictable rainfalls (see infographic on page 45). But overuse

T

has led to a sharp decline in water levels, along with associated issues including increased groundwater salinity, higher pumping costs, and in some cases, complete loss of access.

With Australia’s water resources under stress, more importance needs to be placed on how and where these resources are replenished – namely groundwater recharge zones, where water flows into a groundwater or aquifer system from above, often coming from rainfall to percolate

Lead image by Krista Lundgren, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

REGION: Flinders Ranges, South Australia

A new, single platform, multi-data approach to mapping and evaluating groundwater recharge zones could put Australia on the front foot in securing water resources.

Environment

through soil to below plant roots before reaching the water table.

These zones can be both naturally occurring spaces or created by human-driven processes, known as artificial groundwater recharge, where either rainwater or reclaimed water is directed to the subsurface.

FINDING NE W RECHARGE ZONES Recharge zones are not only critical for refilling underground aquifers, but they also aid in reducing soil salinity.

As Australia relies more heavily on its existing groundwater sources, there is a rising need to identify and assess groundwater recharge zones – not only to ensure there is a continued supply of water into underground water tables, but also that these areas are protected.

Existing methodologies to identify these zones, which traditionally use hydrogeological, geological and geophysical investigations coupled with soil moisture modelling – can be expensive and time-consuming processes. These practices typically require skilled people on the ground, and simply aren’t feasible for evaluating recharge potential at the catchment scale. But research conducted in the Hawker Area of the Flinders Ranges by University of South Australia Drs Alaa Ahmed, Abdullah Alrajhi and Abdulaziz Alquwaizany found a new method.

Their approach – which uses an integration between remote sensing technology (RS), geographic information system (GIS) data from the government, historical data, and multi-influencing factors (MIF) technology – is effective in mapping, delineating and evaluating potential groundwater recharge zones.

The research also outlines the effectiveness of combining groundwater potential zone data and evaluation process into a single accessible platform.

“Mapping of groundwater resources and planning for future resources are urgently needed to overcome the problem of limited water supply and increasing demand for water,” Dr Ahmed said.

The focus of the work was about understanding the recharge of groundwater, he said, as these resources play such an important role in the economic, environmental and social processes.

“The main aim of this study was to identify the good recharge sites to do further study in the Flinders Ranges through the integrated use of the geospatial and MIF approaches, after which you can drill new water wells,” he said.

He added that the study was novel, as similar research had not been carried out in this location before, or in such a semi-arid region – nor had remote sensing data been integrated in this way previously.

FACT S AND FIGURES

THE ME THOD In the study, potential groundwater recharge zones were uncovered and evaluated through the integration of remote sensing technology and GIS data.

The research also considered several influencing factors using GIS to demonstrate and evaluate their impact on groundwater recharge potential.

This included the drainage and drainage density; lineament and lineament density; lithology and landcover; and rainfall over the area.

“Various thematic layers of these influencing factors were analysed using the GIS and MIF approach to assess the recharge zones,” Dr Ahmed said.

A knowledge base ranking from one to five was given to each thematic layer and its categories, depending upon the importance

17%

of water resources come from groundwater in Australia

30%

60%

of Australia’s total water consumption comes from groundwater

of the country has groundwater resources Most groundwater extraction occurs in the west, centre and south of Australia

Source: Identification of Groundwater Potential Recharge Zones in Flinders Ranges, South Australia Using Remote Sensing, GIS, and MIF Techniques

Australian Water Association

45

CASE STUDY #1

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of each layer to the groundwater recharge potential zones.

“All of the thematic layers were integrated to create a combined groundwater potential map of the study area using weighted analysis in ArcGIS 10.7 software,” he said.

These potential zones were categorised into three classes, either good, moderate or low, and the better classified potential zones were then verified using

“

As this process can be replicated in many areas around the world, we’re ready to do a similar study in three other locations.

Dr Alaa Ahmed, University of South Australia

available water, “showing a relative consistency with the interpretations”.

“The results indicated there were interrelationships between the groundwater recharge potential factors and the general hydrology characteristics scores of the catchment,” Dr Ahmed said.

“MIF analysis using GIS mapping techniques proved to be a very useful tool in the evaluation of hydrogeological systems, enabling decision-makers to evaluate, better manage, and protect a hydrogeological system using a single platform.”

MAPPING THE BEST ZONES Regions with high lineament density, low drainage density for greater water infiltration, and gentle slopes provided the most promising groundwater recharge zones, Dr Ahmed noted. Drainage density 46

The Flinders Ranges, South Australia.

Ozwater'22

was considered a significant factor in identifying recharge sites due to its influence on surface runoff and water permeability.

Dr Ahmed and his team identified that the least likely zones for groundwater recharge have underlying shale and siltstone geology, with low lineament density.

The study outlined that in the identification of potential recharge zones, lineament zones should be investigated in more detail, utilising drilling and field mapping to properly classify and categorise these areas. Dr Ahmed added that drilling data proved a challenge.

“We had to verify and reduce the number of recorded water wells as the data was out of date because there was no regular monitoring of water data in these sites,” he said.

The findings also demonstrated that the groundwater system of

arid regions is mainly controlled by the topography, geology, fracture systems, and climatic conditions.

However, even with all the data pointing to the delineation of a good recharge potential zone, it did not assure a 100% success rate.

“Even if the prospect appeared to be promising within the proposed approach to overcome the limitations encountered from the hypothetical interpolations of surface data, it is important to note that the delineation of the recharge potential map using the MIF method might not be a better reflection of the realities on the ground,” Dr Ahmed said.

He added that by building on these different applied approaches and models it could provide even greater results for future practical applications.

“After finishing the study, we have a final map that shows good potential recharge sites according to the modelling and data,” Dr Ahmed said.

“As this process can be replicated in many areas around the world, we’re ready to do a similar study in three other locations.”

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CASE STUDY #2

Reef stars grow in the UWA laboratory.

GETTING BACK TO NATURE PROJECT: Assessing novel solutions for coastal flooding and erosion REGION: Western Australia STARTED: January 2020 LEADER: Professor Ryan Lowe, University of Western Australia

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Ozwater'22

West Australian researchers are finding novel solutions to help reduce coastal flooding and erosion.

By Elle Hardy esearchers from the University of Western Australia (UWA) are exploring a range of nature-based flood defence approaches to protect coastlines and reduce erosion and flooding.

These include reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves, which also provide additional benefits – such as enhancing ecosystems, improving water quality and providing habitats for marine species.

R

COASTAL CHANGES Professor Ryan Lowe from UWA Oceans Institute said coastal hazards responsible for flooding and erosion have been increasing in frequency and severity along many parts of Australia’s coastlines. “These hazards are driven by a range of processes, such as extreme waves, storm surges and sea level rise,” he said.

The research investigated how different contributions to extreme sea level variability can trigger coastal flooding and erosion events.

“In WA, we’re seeing a substantial increase in the frequency of coastal

Environment

flooding that we can attribute to sea level rise,” Lowe said.

“The challenge for Australia is, how do we adapt and mitigate those changes without undermining our quality of life – with all the social and economic dependencies we have on the coastlines – including continuing to enjoy the present state of our beaches and preserving coastal ecosystems.”

Historically, coastal protections have been comprised of conventional “hard” or “grey” engineering structures, such as concrete seawalls and breakwaters. But a growing international movement recognises these methods are not sustainable to address the scale of the challenges.

“Many ecosystems that occur in coastal environments have the capacity to protect coastlines naturally,” he said. “A range of different ecosystems within that category, such as coral and shellfish reefs, can attenuate wave energy and reduce coastal hazard risk analogous to engineering structures like breakwaters.”

A priority of the research is testing the effectiveness of natural and artificial reef designs to attenuate waves. These experiments are conducted in a large 54-metre wave tank in UWA’s Coastal and Offshore Engineering Laboratory and through field trials along the WA coast.

The work also involves close collaboration with ecologists to incorporate coral and shellfish restoration into the projects.

While reefs can enhance coastal protection, they also have many other benefits such as enhancing water quality and fisheries.

“We’re looking at the protective function of other ecosystems like mangroves, sea grasses and kelp forests to enhance coastal protection and reduce coastal flooding and erosion,” Lowe said.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES The biggest challenge to engineering green structures is instilling confidence in those responsible for coastal management planning that the solutions can work.

“Hard structures have been used to protect coastlines around the world for thousands of years, so there can be uncertainty when you use natural organisms and features,” Lowe said.

He highlighted examples from the Philippines and Sri Lanka where groups attempted to use nature-based approaches for coastal protection which didn’t succeed.

Visible failures included attempting to plant mangroves in unsuitable or degraded environments that prevented seedlings establishing.

“These groups carry the risk, so a big challenge is reducing uncertainty

difficult to assign them a dollar value.

A cost-benefit analysis often helps these nature-based solutions become more appealing to coastal managers and planners.

“It’s exciting to see the growing acceptance of nature-based approaches around Australia and work towards finding win-win solutions to respond to impacts of climate change on our coastlines,” Lowe said.

“

Many ecosystems that occur in coastal environments have the capacity to protect coastlines naturally.

Professor Ryan Lowe, UWA Oceans Institute

UWA Professor Ryan Lowe.

and demonstrating successful trials to give people confidence to come up with alternative approaches,” he said.

Lowe’s team is now working with international collaborators to develop guidelines for schooling custodians on how nature-based features can be used to protect coastlines.

There is growing recognition that in order to make proper decisions around coastline protection, the costs and benefits of intangible issues such as social, cultural and ecological factors must be considered – even if it is

Sea grass in the wave tank.

Australian Water Association

49

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Culture, research and development

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64

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FUELLING THE FUTURE

RIDING THE 5G WAVE

ABSOLUTELY SUBLEEM

How viable is hydrogen production for water utilities?

5G capabilities that could transform the water sector.

Extracting raw materials from plant waste.

54 CHALLENGE TO TR ANSFORM In the face of major change, the water sector must futureproof its workforce to keep up to speed.

To discover more innovation news, visit awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news 53

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Digitisation, diversity and inclusion objectives, COVID-19 workforce disruptions and sustainability directives have placed water corporations under immense pressure to transform. How can the water sector meet these pressures through people and culture management?

By Elle Hardy

54

Ozwater'22

Innovation

ny modern business has change management as a key pillar of its operations. But recent challenges facing the water sector means applying these principles is easier said than done (see infographic on page 58).

Here, three key voices in the water community discuss the different transformation challenges business leaders are facing, the strategies harnessed to meet them, and the opportunities for further adaptation as this change journey continues.

A

DYNAMICS AT PL AY There are three main transformational dynamics occurring in water utilities and businesses around the world, said Anne-Marie Kirkman, Global Lead for Operations and Commercial Development in Future of Water at engineering consultancy GHD. Firstly, with climate action a must rather than an option, she believes decarbonisation is non-negotiable for water businesses.

“We need to respond to the challenge of climate-resilient water planning and operations,” Kirkman said.

Part of this includes the need to embody concepts such as regenerative design and circular economy into a full range of investment decisions and delivery practices.

“The shift to net zero carbon is also setting the platform for emerging opportunities at the nexus of water and energy consumption,” she added.

Data-driven decision making is another key factor, brought to the fore by COVID-19.

“We’re hearing from our clients that a key aspect to unlocking

the power of data is the ability to integrate point solutions, applications and platforms within their complex networked digital environment,” Kirkman said.

As the water sector explores how to harness a vast array of technologies and digital solutions, this will allow data to better support the derivation of meaningful insights, enabling quicker and better responses, she said.

Finally, Kirkman emphasised that investing in people to create the workforce of the future is paramount.

“We’re seeing a general trend of career water professionals retiring from the workforce, resulting in a ‘leakage’ of deep domain and organisational knowledge,” she said. “At the same time, many water businesses are finding it difficult to attract good people in the current buoyant employment market.”

Added to this is the need to cultivate and hire the skills required for the future, such as analytical thinking, innovation, complex problem-solving, creativity and originality.

Kirkman said traditional engineers, scientists and technicians need to be complemented with newer disciplines such as systems thinking, human-centred design and agile project delivery.

“

Approaches such as design thinking and human-centred design are key.

Anne-Marie Kirkman, Global Lead for Operations and Commercial Development, GHD

Australian Water Association

55

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Innovation

TURNING CRISIS INTO COLL ABOR ATION

The increasing complexity of problems the sector is facing means there needs to be a change to the way they are solved, she said. This includes relying on well-honed “soft skills” which will increasingly be considered a must-have business skillset.

“Approaches such as design thinking and human-centred design are key, as they enable us to harness a broad range of perspectives and

“

In hindsight, we spent far too much energy and resources chasing after projects in the municipal sector that were only ever going to go to the big guys.

Craig Dickson, Managing Director, AquaVoda

better understand what’s important to water customers, communities and the environment,” she said.

“This means promoting diversity and inclusion in all forms, including Indigenous perspectives, to identify different needs and challenge established norms.”

At a time when utilities have had to deal with so many immediate and drastic changes, Kirkman advised a return to long-term thinking – particularly around issues of sustainability. For water management to become truly customer-centric, she said it needs to think about end users – that is, everyone – in a holistic way.

“Water is a ubiquitous human resource and how we harness it to support our modern lifestyles has many implications for our communities and the environment,” she said.

Given the long lifetime of many water assets, how we design and build them can have consequences for generations of customers for decades into the future.

“By using technology and approaches such as systems thinking and human-centred design, we can better balance factors like affordability and reliability with long-term sustainability outcomes,” Kirkman added.

The pandemic has highlighted the real distinction between big corporations and utilities, and small and medium enterprises, said Craig Dickson, Managing Director of water advisory and technology specialists AquaVoda. His business has faced disruptions in terms of travel, project delays and not knowing what’s around the corner. But on the flip side, Dickson said it has given his firm the opportunity to rethink the business from the ground up.

“In order to survive, we had to cut overheads and make sure that we were running on the smell of an oily rag,” Perth-based Dickson said.

This entailed careful consideration before taking on projects and risks.

“We had to reconsider our product mix and agreements, and take a good look at our distribution and product networks,” he said.

Strategically, he found that the water utility sector is dominated by a few giant services firms.

“In hindsight, we spent far too much energy and resources chasing after projects in the municipal sector that were only ever going to go to the big guys,” Dickson said.

But while closed borders have created more than enough problems, they have presented new opportunities too.

“One of the things we’ve done is look around the world to find good technology that hasn’t yet made it to Australia,” he said. “Many overseas companies have crossed Australia off the list, which gave us the opportunity to talk to them and sign some key technology agreements that we might not have picked up without COVID-19, as I think these companies would have come here in their own right.”

One such agreement is with Cembrane, which manufactures a silicon carbide membrane that has been popular overseas as an alternative to polymeric membranes.

AquaVoda picked up the exclusive

Australian Water Association

57

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rights to that technology for all sectors in Australia and New Zealand, which has provided significant business opportunities for the firm, including a large project for Santos.

Business challenges aside, the real change that Dickson has noticed in the small and medium enterprise space is one for the better – a new era of collaboration.

He believes that small business owners have “recognised that we’re all in this together”.

“We’ve seen more collaboration over the last year than we have in the previous five,” he added.

MERGING DURING A PANDEMIC Merging two water companies is no small feat, let alone executing the lead up, planning and execution during a pandemic when all your people are working from home.

For Louise Meadows, Chief People Officer at Greater Western Water (GWW), that gives context for the amplification of the new utility’s recent challenges.

“In mergers and acquisitions, failure to integrate two cultures is often the reason why organisations fail to generate business or customer value,” she said. “Integration of systems and processes is in some ways easier.”

Taking a culture-led approach at GWW meant being clear from

K E Y TR ANSFORMATION CHALLENGES

Continued need to work remotely or in hybrid environments

58

Ozwater'22

The war for talent

Diversity and inclusion, particularly for Indigenous people and cultures

Increasing problems due to climate change

Working across borders and countries as the COVID-19 pandemic continues

New and disruptive technologies

Innovation

HOW T WO BECAME ONE

“

In mergers and acquisitions, failure to integrate two cultures is often the reason why organisations fail to generate business or customer value.

Louise Meadows, Chief People Officer, Greater Western Water

the start that success would largely boil down to incorporating the best of both cultures, finding out what they had in common to galvanise people and building a new vision for the utility, which services western suburbs of Melbourne and parts of the Macedon Ranges.

“The other key elements to our successful integration were the continued focus on employee engagement, ongoing communications and good change management,” she said. “One thing we noticed is that the ‘why’ around what was changing, and why we always needed to be clear, became a critical anchor point in all our communications.”

The ongoing pandemic has thrown many life and home curveballs, leaving employees with a limited capacity to absorb information and change.

“We therefore ensured we kept adapting the plan and the timeframes where we could, so that we could meet our people where they were at,” Meadows said.

Overcoming this hurdle was compounded by the fact that it was all being done online, bringing teams who had never met each other together remotely. In addition to making use of online forums and town halls, leadership was critical.

Meadows and her team employed a leader-led approach to communicate what they were doing and why they were doing it while making the case for change.

Furthermore, they tried to capitalise on research showing that people are looking for more meaningful experiences in their work and across their career. They helped staff orient their focus to aspects such as reimagined workspaces,

On 1 July 2021, Victoria’s Greater Western Water (GWW) was formed by bringing together Western Water and City West Water.

The key transformation insight gleaned from the integration of two water businesses is the important role that culture plays.

During the transition, the utility created a “culture house” with three foundational pillars that celebrated the culture each business had at the time, and what it wanted to take forward into GWW: • “We care deeply for each other and our customers, especially for the health, safety, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion of our workforce.”

• “We are resourceful. We are good at making the most of what we have got, fully utilising our resources to create value for our customers. We also recognise that we cannot do it alone, and we need to work together, and with our partners.”

• “We have pride and commitment. We are proud of the work we do and the customers we serve. We are committed to doing the best job we can every day.”

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“

We tried to help people see, feel and experience light at the end of the tunnel.

Louise Meadows, Chief People Officer, Greater Western Water

career pathways and different focuses in their lives.

“We tried to help people see, feel and experience light at the end of the tunnel, getting them excited about the things that they can control and influence,” she said. “One thing we underestimated was the impact of our people feeling under-resourced – not just in terms of the number of human beings doing the work, but people running on 60% capacity because they had home-schooling and other things to deal with.”

The importance of ensuring GWW’s leaders took care of the basics cannot be overstated, Meadows said.

“We encouraged people to take leave, continued to hold meetings as well as one-on-one check ins, so that there was lots of human interaction,” she said. “We also ensured that we continued to invest in training and development, because it’s easy to put everything on hold and wait for a better time.”

Meadows embraces the idea that crisis brings opportunity and thinks challenges can be used as disruptors.

“COVID-19 taught me that people can actually adapt really quickly, and that sometimes we can overcomplicate change and make it overly bureaucratic,” Meadows said.

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CASE STUDY #3

FUELLING THE FUTURE PROJECT: Assessing hydrogen production viability and scalability REGION: Australia-wide

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Hydrogen production can add significant value to water operations, but the risks are poorly defined.

By Dr Arash Zamyadi, Karen Rouse and Liam Vaughan ntegration of sustainable hydrogen production with the capture of associated greenhouse gases and carbon has the potential to facilitate an emerging circular economy.

This could help the water sector achieve net zero carbon emissions and supply chain security for water treatment chemicals.

Co-products such as oxygen, ozone and hydrogen peroxide are essential within a circular economy as sustainable fuels, chemical synthesis feedstocks, or as oxidising agents for advanced treatment processes.

I

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) produce large quantities of recycled water and biogas, providing co-location opportunities for hydrogen production and alternative reuse prospects. This mitigates water source concerns for sustainable hydrogen, while reinforcing circular economy principles of wastewater as a valuable resource.

The co-location of hydrogen production at existing WWTPs may reduce capital expenses by using existing infrastructure, land, and supply chains. Additionally, established recycled-water-based

Innovation

drought schemes may have potential for hydrogen production during non-drought periods.

While hydrogen production opportunities could add significant value to WWTP operations, the associated risks yet to be understood, along with the viability and scalability from both urban and regional perspectives.

Due to these uncertainties, the value proposition of a hydrogen circular economy remains ambiguous. Further studies are required to address concerns and provide site-specific guidance to prospective utilities – such as a current research project by Water Research Australia – which aims to address technical considerations of feasibility, scalability and viability to support utility decision-making and risk assessment.

K E Y CONSIDER ATIONS To understand the economic viability of hydrogen production, projected future demands for hydrogen and associated supply chain impacts must be defined. Capital costs present a significant barrier to entry, so a viability assessment must also consider the inherent value to prospective hydrogen producers of the secure water source, WWTP access to transport infrastructure, and land availability – including for renewable energy generation.

The technical viability of recycledwater-based hydrogen production also presents many research questions, such as the volumes of recycled water required, optimal operating conditions, and the impacts of contaminants contained in wastewater. While WWTP processes effectively remove most contaminants, some persist, such as organic compounds, metal ions, nutrients, and inorganic debris, which could affect the performance of

electrochemical reactions integral to hydrogen production.

Performance of electrolysers improves when contaminants cause extreme pH values. But the low pH conditions ideal for hydrogen reduction are inconsistent with the high pH conditions optimal for water oxidation. This mismatch introduces process challenges which are further complicated by the degradation of electrocatalysts induced by extreme pH conditions. Further efforts are therefore necessary to investigate corrosion resistant catalysts and the operation of electrochemical water splitting under neutral conditions.

SCAL ABILIT Y AND RISK The scalability of production processes is a key concern, particularly for regional utilities that have many smaller WWTPs distributed across a large geographic area. The risks of utility involvement in a hydrogen circular economy are also not defined.

From a sustainability perspective, a key risk is the allocation of water for hydrogen production in regions where water resource availability is variable due to climate change.

Despite these knowledge gaps, the gains of integrating hydrogen and oxidant production look promising, with adaptation of novel technologies for water reuse having the potential to facilitate a significant improvement in the sustainability and resilience of water treatment processes.

WHO ARE WE? Water Research Australia is an independent, leading hub for collaborative research that is member-driven and funded. We are dedicated to healthy communities and a healthy planet – delivering innovation and capability building that supports public health and safeguards the sustainability of our water resources. To view more information about our Whole Water – water/energy/ nutrient circular economy research, visit bit.ly/waterra_whole-water

“

The co-location of hydrogen production at existing wastewater treatment plants may reduce capital expenses by using existing infrastructure, land, and supply chains.

Water Research Australia Australian Water Association

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WAVE

The adoption of 5G by the water sector could usher in sweeping change to operations and management, particularly in regional and remote areas. But there are some barriers to uptake that need to be ironed out first.

By Cole Latimer

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ustralia’s water sector is evolving. A combination of new technologies that provides greater capabilities and insight into water management, along with challenges in water resource access and consumer demand, is changing the way Australia utilises and controls its water.

A key technological driver for this development is 5G. The fifth generation of wireless communication technology allows for greater data transfer speeds and bandwidth, more connection reliability, and better performance for digital devices.

5G has the potential to supercharge the Internet of Things (IoT) – the integration and connection of many different devices, sensors and applications, allowing them to talk to one

A

another and give users greater insight into how they operate.

While much of the 5G focus is on consumers and how it facilitates smart appliances, where it really changes the world is through industrial application. In terms of the water sector, it’s all about gaining insights and control.

INFORMATION FLOW When it comes to the impact of 5G, the possibilities are numerous, especially for regional and rural water networks (see infographic on page 66).

The technology allows for a more seamless big data approach, giving utilities the ability to see everything from water flow and temperature to turbidity and contaminants, and gain deeper insight into operations.

More importantly, 5G allows utilities to automate, monitor and centralise infrastructure over vast distances. Underlying all of this is the key aspect of 5G – low latency.

Innovation

This means communication happens in real time, with little to no lag or reduced response times.

An essential 5G development is supporting the connection of countless water resource management devices – potentially up to a million sensors per square kilometre – into a centralised management space.

This allows a large volume of information to become available to utilities so they can perform in-depth analyses, highlight changing usage patterns or potential risks, and then adapt accordingly.

The importance of accessing sensor data was recently highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Collaboration on Sewage Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 (ColoSSoS) program.

Sunwater’s Peter Faust Dam, Queensland.

“

We’re doing work with the Queensland Government, who are deploying video analytic processes at waterways’ crucial points.

ColoSSoS utilised sensor data from multiple locations to track and trace potential COVID-19 outbreaks, collaborating with state health departments to gather up-to-date information on the Warren Jennings, Industry Chief Technology Officer spread of the virus. for Agribusiness and Supply Chain, Telstra Enterprise For rural and regional water have ineffective security measures. resource management, But 5G provides protection through 5G provides remote assistance network slicing that isolates capabilities, which could allow networks, provides more robust experts with highly specialised encryptions, and edge computing knowledge from anywhere in that allows data to be processed Australia to fix onsite issues digitally. closer to the network for better This means the best, rather than the threat identification. nearest, person can fix a problem in Another bonus is the extended a timely fashion, reducing the need sensor life. The wireless network for travel. uses less energy, reducing battery Another bandwidth aspect consumption, meaning a more to consider is the potential for sustainable system that requires augmented or virtual reality. fewer repairs.

By recreating infrastructure or However, there are cons to 5G, workplaces in a virtual environment, including decreased broadcast known as a “digital twin”, people distance that requires more towers can train on any infrastructure to aid for coverage and a huge battery maintenance. Through augmented drain for older devices. reality, highly skilled, almost face-toface technical assistance could be provided to those on the ground in LE ADING THE E VOLUTION real time, for example, in the repair of What sets 5G apart from other specialised equipment. network technology is that Remote control of automated it was designed to benefit or robotic processes could allow industrial applications. drones to conduct inspections of “It’s fundamentally enabling remote pipelines or difficult to access game-changing technology in infrastructure, improving safety and industries and industrial uses cases,” preventative maintenance processes. explained Warren Jennings, the Security is also enhanced through Industry Chief Technology Officer for the shift to 5G. As the digitisation of Agribusiness and Supply Chain and utility infrastructure and number of Retail for Telstra Enterprise. devices on the network grows, so It is not just about access to too do the risks. Between 2019 greater bandwidth of data, but how and 2021, in the US alone, hackers 5G is allowing utilities to approach accessed water treatment and gathering that information. management facilities five “We’re doing work with the times, attempting to threaten or Queensland Government, who are contaminate water supplies. deploying video analytic processes An increased numbers of sensors at waterways’ crucial points to provides more potential entry points carry out waterflow measurements,” for hackers, while many IoT devices he said.

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“Typically, they’d have to do hydrographic analysis to understand the flow profile, but this can be a dangerous model as people have to get into the water to install sensors.”

It can also be expensive as the sensors are fragile, and as debris enters the water the sensor units get wiped out.

“By using video analytics at strategic points outside of the waterways, they can instead use the data and analyse the images to estimate waterflows, which is much safer,” Jennings said.

Different forms of analysis can even be conducted on the same images to get an understanding of debris loads following wet seasons, so the utility can understand where to look for potential bridge or culvert damage.

Another example of 5G in action is the work being conducted in the Burdekin Catchment, measuring waterways for turbidity, nitrogen, and sensing nutrients to monitor their potential impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

5G is being used to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Jennings said the ability of 5G to deploy more sensors at scale across a network allows for easier monitoring of nutrient flows, granting farmers deeper understanding of their behaviours, and giving regulators and researchers better data on where the nutrients flow into the reef.

5G SITES ACROSS AUSTR ALIA A report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found that most 5G sites across Australia in January 2021 were found in urban and regional locales.

Total 5G sites: Urban: Inner regional: Outer regional: Remote : Very remote :

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TELSTRA

OPTUS

TPG

2,695 2,252 346 92 5 0

1,010

163 161 2 0 0 0

975 35 0 0 0

Due to 5G’s network slicing capability, state and federal government agencies can measure water outtakes against rights and allocations, providing data visibility to different stakeholders while still preserving different rights to privacy.

Telstra sees its role as supporting the water sector to change the economics of instrumenting water assets, making it easier for participants to share data about these assets and develop insights into their best use.

Collaboration, however, is key to harnessing 5G’s full potential, said Jennings.

“Telstra has already deployed the widest ranging network in Australia; we have knowledge across a range of different sectors,” he said.

“But when it comes to the water industry, the industry themselves are the experts, so we are very keen to work closely with participants to develop and deploy 5G.”

L AYING THE GROUNDWORK For Sunwater, Queensland’s state-owned water corporation,

Innovation

“

Sunwater is progressively working towards large-scale adoption of 5G as it is time and cost intensive.

Sunwater spokesperson

the potential for 5G and its impact on improving automation and IoT network applications is already being explored.

“Sunwater’s previously non-telemetered technologies such as water meters and other water monitoring devices now utilise the 4G network and will transition to 5G where feasible,” a Sunwater spokesperson said.

“The integration of 5G will improve the speed of information, allowing for easier accessibility and visibility of water data for Sunwater and its customers.”

The spokesperson added that the integration of 5G is also expected to generate cost savings for the business and its customers. Due to Australia’s scale, total 5G integration

will probably be a piecemeal process for most utilities.

But Sunwater said it is prepared for an ever-evolving technological environment.

“Sunwater is progressively working towards large-scale adoption of 5G as it is time and cost intensive, but unlike metro areas, universal 5G coverage across the regional and remote areas in which Sunwater operates is still not confirmed,” the spokesperson said.

The possibilities of 5G are only beginning to be explored. As the technology continues to evolve – and the needs of consumers change – 5G’s technological edge will allow the water sector to adapt to address shifting demands and new environmental challenges.

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CASE STUDY #4

The biorefining process in the SUBLEEM plant.

ABSOLUTELY SUBLEEM PROJECT: SUBLEEM biorefinery LOCATION: Denmark

Denmark is one step closer to green change, with the development of a food-grade pilot scale biorefining plant. But is the nation’s industry equipped to embrace this transformation?

By Martin Kovacs

STARTED: 2016 LEADER: Dr Anne Christine Steenkjær Hastrup

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he Danish Technological Institute’s (DTI) SUBLEEM biorefinery project has been exploring the extraction of raw materials from plant waste, with the aim of harnessing existing resource streams to yield value-added products. The initiative is expected to create additional economic value for businesses, along with sustainability and climate benefits.

T

DTI Director, Bioresources and Biorefinery, Dr Anne Christine Steenkjær Hastrup noted that while green biomass processing continues to evolve at a broader level, she is confident it will become an increasingly standard procedure in the coming years. “It’s inevitable that we will be using all resources in the most optimal way,” she added.

With wastewater biogas extraction a long-established process in the water sector, Dr Hastrup pointed to

Innovation

a natural progression in the ongoing development of various other biomass optimisation processes aimed at the production of high-value products.

“I would say it sprang from the bioenergy and bioethanol sector initially, and it was a good stepping stone into looking at the whole process of how can we use biomasses in a cascading way for new applications,” she said.

“Where you have a waste stream or biomass residue that’s not being used to its full potential, and then fractionating it into multiple streams and creating more value.”

BACKGROUND AND CHALLENGES

Images supplied by the Danish Technological Institute

While biomass processing has attracted significant research interest at a university level in recent years, Dr Hastrup explained that local industry momentum had been comparatively lagging – with the independent and non-profit DTI seeking to bridge this gap, facilitating technology development and industrial maturing.

The goal of the SUBLEEM project was creating a pilot plant to act as a hub for industry, providing the infrastructure needed to ultimately substantiate the economic viability of biorefining processes.

“Our task was to identify obstacles preventing biomass processing

“

We found that industry was really in need of a place for the upscaling and validation of different processes.

Dr Anne Christine Steenkjær Hastrup

development, and we found that industry was really in need of a place for the upscaling and validation of different processes,” Dr Hastrup said.

“The idea was to create generic biorefining infrastructure where industry in collaboration with the DTI and universities could develop, test and validate potential processes.”

The pilot plant was structured to accommodate biorefining methods such as enzymatic hydrolysis, with Dr Hastrup advising that it has the capacity to handle pretty much any food grade compliant biomass.

While the plant’s flexibility is one of its strengths, its generic design has also presented challenges, with the facility striving to cater to the diverse requirements of industry.

“A key challenge has been meeting all the requests from different companies, because since the plant is generic, companies have multiple ideas about how they want to process different materials,” she said.

“Every time they have a request, we might be working with a new biomass, process development or unit of operations. That’s one of the reasons why it’s constantly evolving, because the needs are changing.”

THE TIMELINE 2016–2018: The SUBLEEM project commences. The plant initially encompasses mills and wet mills; two 800 L tanks and two 200 L tanks; enzymatic and chemical reactions; pasteurisation, shifting, decanter and separator; and spray drying.

JANUARY 2018: SUBLEEM 2.0 is launched, focusing on green biomasses, incorporating ultrafiltration and column chromatography.

JUNE 2020: SUBLEEM 2.0 project comes to an end.

2022: Two new projects projected to move to demonstration scale.

E VOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY The SUBLEEM pilot plant The potentials has transformed over the in biomasses are evaluated years with the integration by the of additional separation SUBLEEM team, along equipment. This has paved with side the way for an increasing stream for array of processing methods production. and the production of a wider range of products from green biomasses.

The project’s focus pivoted to food grade biorefining with a 2018 expansion – enabling production of purified proteins, dietary fibre and biologically active substances.

Replacing imported raw materials Australian Water Association

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CASE STUDY #4 FUTURE FOCUS

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Dr Anne Christine Steenkjaer Hastrup in the SUBLEEM pilot plant.

can bolster local industry and contribute to sustainable change, with green biomass derived from sources including brewers’ spent grain, alfalfa and grass, sugar beet tops, straw, seaweed and algae.

“Interest from the food sector changed operations in the pilot plant, as we added extra equipment to make the separation even more specific, and then we made some further adjustments to comply with food safety and food grade standards,” Dr Hastrup said.

“We’ve also focused on water uses in the processes. How can we either decrease use or reuse the water, and within the last year especially – how can we use the water streams and the soluble things in the water

streams, as they come out of the process.”

With the project becoming increasingly focused on the optimisation of its various streams, assessing how water is used and weighing up how it can be harnessed to deliver additional value was a logical next step.

“There may be soluble nutrients in the water, sugar-rich water streams, where we could potentially add a fermentation step, using the nutrients and the sugar as a feedstock, which can then be added after the biorefining process,” she said. “Another thing we have been looking at is how we can use waste streams for microalgae production, which can be used for animal feed.”

2020s THE FUTURE OF BIOENERGY IN AUSTR ALIA

There are two projects poised to move to demonstration scale, with the challenge now being to effectively transition from batch-scale pilot production to continuous production.

“The technology is there, but daring to take that next step sometimes prohibits the processes moving forward as quickly as they potentially could,” she said.

In seeking to make the technology more economically feasible, Dr Hastrup said SUBLEEM will continue to focus on adding extra value to process components, with the view of enabling multifaceted product development.

However, collaboration is critical to ensure processing technologies are effectively developed, drawing on the combined knowledge of a diverse range of sectors.

“The challenge is going to be bringing everybody together on this. There’s the water management and utilisation, the food and feed industry, and more,” she said.

“The biorefining sector needs knowledge from the water sector to optimise and make sure that they have sustainable processes which take water use into account, because that’s going to be one of the key factors for producing a sustainable product.”

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History, water rights and international aid

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PANDEMIC PARTNERSHIPS

Legal scholar Dr Virginia Marshall on securing water rights.

Strengthening ties between Australia and Vietnam.

76 WE’RE CELEBR ATING 60 YE ARS Here’s to six decades of connecting water professionals and organisations through our publications, programs, conferences, events and awards.

To discover more community news, visit awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news 75

CORINNE CHEESEMAN

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AWA CEO

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Australian Water Association (AWA).

While the national water sector of today is vastly different to that of 1962, the fundamental role AWA plays in connecting people and organisations remains as important as ever.

Here, past and present leaders share their thoughts on the Association’s origins and future.

By Martin Kovacs

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Ozwater'22

It is an honour to lead the Association in its 60th year, said AWA CEO Corinne Cheeseman, noting that it is “a great opportunity to reflect as we celebrate the milestone and recognise the contribution our members have made”.

“Our dedicated volunteers and team members provide a platform for sharing and celebrating members’ stories, case studies, ideas and innovations through our content and publications, conferences and events, and awards and programs,” she said.

Cheeseman also pointed to the key role AWA has played throughout its history in providing networking and development opportunities, facilitating business-to-business connections, and continuously sharing and inspiring sustainable water solutions.

“Our members can be proud of what we have collectively achieved, including managing the water cycle to provide safe access to water and sanitation, water for agriculture and industry, care for the environment, and creating healthy, liveable communities,” she said.

AWA will build on this strong foundation as the Association continues to extend its reach across the water cycle and attract a diverse range of people to careers in water, Cheeseman explained.

“We will work collaboratively and innovatively to solve current and future challenges, understand our members’ priorities, and provide a place where we can drive towards a sustainable water future together.”

Community

CARMEL KROGH OAM

PETER MOORE PSM

AWA PRESIDENT 2019 –2021

AWA PRESIDENT 2015 –2017

Drawing on over 40 years’ experience in water management, Carmel Krogh OAM, AWA Board Member, noted that “the last couple of years, with the multiple challenges of drought, fires, flood and COVID-19, have highlighted the importance of AWA’s role in the sector”.

“The proud tradition of sharing information and experience that was a cornerstone of the birth of AWA 60 years ago is absolutely essential in this era of uncertainty, where we have needed to reset a lot of our paradigms and aspirations,” she said.

Never before has it been so necessary to understand and respect the differences between states and regions within states, Krogh noted.

“But even more important has been the absolute need to come together as a national organisation and show leadership in sharing knowledge across the whole sector,” she added.

Krogh said the sector’s ethos of cooperation was exemplified by the way staff, volunteers and members responded in unprecedented times, delivering member services in a different way. While the pandemic has forced change upon us, Krogh said it also opened opportunities to accelerate initiatives that will serve us well into the future.

“Addressing challenges that lie in front of us, individually and collectively, will require us to share knowledge, connect to each other and inspire new ideas – and AWA can be at the heart of this,” she added.

The recipient of the 2020 AWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Peter Moore PSM, noted the basic mantra of the Association is knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration.

“The water industry is probably the most collaborative industry I know,” he added.

Since its origins as a utility and wastewater-focused association, Moore said AWA has navigated its fair share of challenges.

“As the Association started to grow its membership base away from the utilities, it also faced the challenge of refining its offerings to attract a new cohort of members, and I think that remains a big challenge today,” he said.

“Understanding what offerings will entice new members to join remains a focus.”

Moore noted that AWA will need to continue to broaden the scope of its interests, which are

“well beyond just utilities now”.

“One of the complexities for AWA is, we started off as a utility-based technical group,” he said.

These days, he said AWA is more involved in water resource management, water treatment, wastewater reuse, social awareness and a much broader range of areas.

Moore pointed to the success of AWA’s International Program, stating it served as a strong relationship builder with the Federal Government.

He also emphasised the importance of the annual Ozwater conference and exhibition.

Moving from a biannual to annual event had a level of risk but it has “paid off handsomely”.

“It’s been a rocky road, we’ve met challenges time and time again, but we’ve come through very well,” he said.

“Ozwater is an excellent place where you can meet and greet, talk to kindred souls and hear about advancements in the sector.”

“

We will work collaboratively and innovatively to solve current and future challenges, understand our members’ priorities, and provide a place where we can drive towards a sustainable water future together.

Corinne Cheeseman, AWA CEO

Australian Water Association

77

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Community

LUCIA CADE AWA PRESIDENT 2011–2013 South East Water Chair Lucia Cade said that throughout her involvement with AWA, it has stayed true to its purpose of bringing water professionals together to network, influence and share knowledge – benefiting not only the water community itself, but also Australian society, the environment and the economy.

“In my early professional years, it really helped to have a broader industry perspective outside of the organisation I worked for, and helped me understand what was happening around the country and internationally – not just in other water utilities, but in research, technology, engineering and construction,” she said.

Cade pointed to a range of challenges addressed by AWA throughout her involvement with the Association, including

the initiation of national reform, led by the National Water Commission, and the establishment of independent pricing regulation.

She also highlighted the critical focus on infrastructure, the environmental and social challenges of the Millennium Drought, climate change, and the ongoing evolution of how the sector engages with customers and the community.

“AWA has been at the forefront of knowledge sharing about the solutions to those challenges: innovation in communication and education, bringing recycled water into mainstream use and the adoption of new technology – especially digital tech,” she said.

Looking ahead, Cade said the breadth of solutions needed, underpinned by contributions from all elements of the water sector, will be “key to addressing the climate change challenge”.

“That is where AWA will continue to have an impact – in networking, influencing and sharing knowledge,” she said.

“It is only by doing this that we will meet the challenge of climate change and continue to have a sustainable water system in Australia that supports the community, the environment and the economy.”

“

AWA remains unique as a networking facilitator and knowledge broker that brings together the public, corporate, research and private sectors.

Darryl Day, AWA President 2005–2007

DARRYL DAY AWA PRESIDENT 2005 –2007 AWA’s genesis 60 years ago was to empower a network of professionals spanning the many disciplines of water, said Darryl Day, Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust CEO. Today, it recognises the value of innovation and the power of transdisciplinary research, policy and practice.

“AWA has been at the centre of this transformation, attracting emerging leaders to thought leaders across the water sector,” he said. “It remains unique as a networking facilitator and knowledge broker that brings together the public, corporate, research and private sectors.”

Day, the 2019 AWA Water Professional of the Year, highlighted the role AWA played in his professional career, pointing to both its strength as a forum to share information, and its ability to facilitate networking for like-minded professionals.

“Joining as an emerging leader, AWA opened up access to a world of new thinking and ideas, but most importantly an introduction to colleagues and friends faced with similar challenges, and a passion to leave the world we inherited in a better place for our children,” he said.

Australian Water Association

79

EMMA PRYOR AWA NSW BR ANCH PRESIDENT 2017–2019

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Sydney Water Head of Major Projects, Emma Pryor, highlighted the important role AWA plays in supporting young water professionals (YWPs), acting as a conduit for up-to-date local and international information.

As the “leading association for water professionals”, Pryor said AWA produces content and oversees events that enable water professionals to “stay on top of current issues, hot topics, solutions and trends in the sector”.

“The quality events AWA holds are a great networking opportunity,” she said. “Young members are facilitated through special sessions, to meet each

other, and to attend broader ‘all ages’ networking functions like award nights and gala dinners.”

AWA also has plenty of opportunities for YWPs to volunteer, be it on a committee or reviewing papers. This is a great way to grow your skills and to give back to the sector, Pryor said.

She emphasised that insights and contributions from water professionals both young and old, from all backgrounds and levels of experience, are valuable.

“We solve complex problems that are technical and social,” she said. “The variety of perspectives leads to better quality decisions. You don’t need 100 years of experience to be able to add a perspective of value to a conversation, you just need to show up as you!”

THE HISTORY OF AWA 1960s

in June 1962, with four branches created in QLD, NSW, VIC and SA. The first Federal Convention was held in Canberra in 1964. By 1967, AWWA’s membership had grown to 525, while an ACT branch was formed in 1969.

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Ozwater'22

1970s Three new AWWA branches were formed in the first half of the decade in WA, TAS and the NT. The first issue of the quarterly journal Water was published in 1974.

1980s

agreed it would be open to anyone interested in water. In 1988, the AWWA Water Industry Services Directory y was first published, evolving into the AWWA Handbook in 1989, along with the introduction of the Crosscurrent newsletter.

1990s In 1993, the 15th Federal Convention on the Gold Coast introduced a formal exhibition, Ozwater.

AWWA dropped Wastewater from its name in 1999, becoming the Australian Water Association (AWA).

2000s

2010s

The IWA Australia Committee became a branch of AWA in 2005, while the national focus on water issues due to continuing drought saw awareness of AWA reach an all-time high. In 2008, Ozwater became an annual event.

AWA increased its role in the policy and advocacy space in 2011, and marked its 50th anniversary in 2012. Current magazine was launched in 2016 along with a new online Water e-journal. In 2018, total membership grew to 5,493, and the online information hub Water Source was launched as part of AWA’s evolving digital strategy.

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Q &A THE PUSH FOR INDIGENOUS WATER REFORM Indigenous Australians have historically been excluded from full access to water rights. But lawyer, legal scholar and Wiradjiri Nyemba woman Dr Virginia Marshall is working on a legal framework to restore balance.

Discover more. awa.asn.au

By Cole Latimer

Can you outline the push behind your 2017 book, Overturning Aqua Nullius: Securing Indigenous Water Rights ?

HIGHLIGHTS TARGET: Secure Indigenous water rights through the legal restoration of Indigenous decision-making in water policy METHOD: Activism and increased agency of Aboriginal peoples, peak bodies and government agencies

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I did my PhD in law at Macquarie University examining the failure of the Australian legal system to formalise Aboriginal peoples’ ownership of water as a property right, and why this in turn marginalises Aboriginal peoples, compounds intergenerational poverty and limits access to water.

When I began my PhD in 2005, Australia was in the middle of a serious national drought, and rural and remote communities felt the brunt of water scarcity. National discussions on water security were hot daily topics throughout the media; however, the impact on Indigenous Australians hardly got a mention.

There was surprisingly little interest in Indigenous water knowledge, science or water management systems. The commodification of Australia’s water and the legal separation of water from land also created a tiered system of water ownership and entitlements through the introduction of the National Water Initiative (NWI) and National Water Commission in 2004.

The book aimed to develop a new national understanding of Indigenous water rights, focusing on First

Nations water concepts and water policy development in the country.

Can you describe Indigenous water rights in Australia today?

Australian legislation treats Indigenous water as “aqua nullius” – akin to terra nullius in terms of land – which underpins the NWI and the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).

The commodification of water, like land rights, has not regarded the restoration of Indigenous Australians’ inherent role and cultural obligation to care for and manage the environment as a priority.

Australia’s legislation on water resources has failed to manifest and deliver legal certainty to restore Indigenous Australians’ use and access to water, or self-determination for Indigenous decision-making in water policy. Only three clauses for the NWI were included in the IGA by the Australian jurisdictions as a last minute “placeholder”.

The late water scientist Peter Cullen recognised the lack of progress across the jurisdictions in ensuring Indigenous peoples have long-term certainty in their access, use and management of water.

Combined with the historic failed legal actions by the Commonwealth and the states to extinguish native

Community

title after the landmark High Court decision in Mabo v Queensland, and the Australian Government’s response to the High Court decision in Wik Peoples v Queensland, the land and water rights of Indigenous Australians have been further narrowed.

Why have Indigenous water rights been ignored?

Australia’s colonial history, up until the Mabo decision, was based on the fictional notion that the Indigenous population was small, primitive and without laws.

This history of Australia’s colonial and contemporary nation-building is couched in the pre-Mabo lens. Up until 1992, Australian society was content accepting that the nation was “settled”. Extinguishment of Indigenous lands and waters was put to rest by “discovery” and there was little value Indigenous peoples could provide in nation-building.

Around the late 1990s, there was a Cabinet discussion on restructuring the water system and unbundling water property rights from the land.

Indigenous Australians were ignored, especially in terms of the indirect and direct impact of the NWI system, and the knowledge that this would embed disempowerment.

Where does Australia rank in terms of Indigenous water rights compared to other countries?

The notion of ranking is complex. Nations such as Australia, Canada, the US and Latin America have experienced the traumatic process of colonisation as a result of the doctrine of discovery and the papal bull system. The

United Nations Human Rights Council conducts a general review of each country’s human rights records, called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The 2021 UPR report on Australia found that the government has failed to incorporate its international obligations into Australian domestic law, such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Nagoya Protocol, which should be included in the Commonwealth Water Act Schedule.

What are some examples of current work underway in Australia to secure Indigenous water rights?

There is an active body of work undertaken by the Committee on Aboriginal Water Interests, Aboriginal Land Councils, Indigenous-led organisations, Indigenous-led research, and Aboriginal landcare across Australia. The goal is to improve, restore and recognise the rights of Indigenous peoples to heal the lands and waters of Country.

Climate change provides an imperative for this healing. My attendance as the UN Pacific representative at the 26th Climate Change Conference held in Scotland last year strengthened the camaraderie of Indigenous representatives on many shared

INDIGENOUS WATER HOLDINGS IN THE MURRAYDARLING BASIN A 2021 study, Benchmarking Indigenous water holdings in the Murray-Darling Basin: a crucial step towards developing water rights targets for Australia, aimed to quantify Indigenous water holdings to increase water rights.

The researchers estimate: Indigenous surface water holdings: of the equivalent permitted take

0.17 %

Indigenous groundwater entitlements: of all available groundwater

0.02%

Market value: of the $16.5 billion market value (2015–16 terms)

0.12%

Population: of the MurrayDarling Basin population is Indigenous

5.3%

The Mulwala Bridge across the Murray River.

Australian Water Association

83

Q &A issues directly related to water. This included Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and sustainable living, addressing climate change and renewable energy with Indigenous peoples, and Indigenous-led cultural protocol and heritage across the nation-states.

Looking beyond consultation or engagement, can you discuss the importance of Indigenous-led research in relation to water governance and management practices?

Barron Falls in Far North Queensland.

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Can you describe the legal mechanisms involved in the current Indigenous water rights landscape?

The NWI, which outlines the need for reform in terms of engaging Indigenous peoples in water

“

The goal is to improve, restore and formally recognise the rights of Indigenous peoples to heal the lands and waters of Country.

Dr Virginia Marshall, lawyer and legal scholar

management, is fairly limited.

The legal mechanisms impacting Indigenous Australians include water given away to industry and business; where water is defined as over-allocated and put out of reach of Indigenous Australians; and when there is limited or no healthy drinking water for Indigenous communities. This is especially so when droughtstricken regions with impoverished Indigenous Australians have their traditional water areas on Country cleared for stock feeding and feedlot watering.

What should this reform look like and how might it be achieved?

National water reform has a duty to further consult with Indigenous-led 84

Ozwater'22

researchers and communities.

Previous consultation led to the government acknowledging the concepts of Aboriginal cultural values in water.

I believe this shift developed due to the activism and increased agency of Aboriginal peoples, and their peak bodies and government agencies, who have expanded their thinking on Indigenous water. The Native Title Bill 1993 says that all jurisdictions must recognise the fiction of aqua nullius and formally include Indigenous water in policies and laws that reflect Australia’s international human rights obligations, as noted in the Commonwealth Water Act’s schedule, UNDRIP and the Nagoya Protocol.

Indigenous-led research is critical. Subject matters must be understood and filtered through Indigenous ways of knowing and being that apply a decolonised process of critical analysis existing in multi-paradigm knowledge.

Gendered analysis in Indigenousled research is also crucial to connect the Indigenous tangible and intangible knowledge held by senior men and women.

What does the future look like for Indigenous water rights in Australia?

Commissioner Bret Walker SC for the Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin in South Australia acknowledged that Overturning Aqua Nullius: Securing Aboriginal Water Rights is a seminal work on Australia’s water policy.

Commissioner Walker said the book can build the understanding needed to bridge the gap between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal participation in the legal and administrative scheme for water use and management in the basin – and beyond. The water sector can play a role by recognising these rights and supporting the legal validation.

My work with the Committee on Aboriginal Water Interests and the priorities we believe will embed a range of Indigenous water needs into the NWI will somewhat address the policy gaps, and finally recognise Indigenous Australians’ requirements in water as jurisdictions align their laws and policies to international human rights.

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CASE STUDY #5

PANDEMIC PARTNERSHIPS PROJECTS: Vietnam-Australia Water Utility Improvement Program (WUIP); and SARS-CoV-2 Environmental Wastewater Surveillance Program REGION: Vietnam STARTED: 2016

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The water management lessons Australia learnt during COVID-19 were used to help Vietnam respond to the pandemic.

By Cole Latimer

rior to COVID-19, Vietnam was facing a problem common to many developing nations looking to modernise their infrastructure to support a growing population and burgeoning middle class: access to clean drinking water and the safe management of wastewater.

Achieving this objective is a key driver of the partnership established between the Australian Water

P

Association (AWA) and the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA) in 2015.

Developed in 2016, the Water Utility Improvement Program (WUIP), supported by the Australian Government through Australian Water Partnership, aimed to deliver improvements in performance to participating Vietnamese water utilities through knowledge and experience exchanges between the two countries. Key aspects included sharing approaches to support

Community

asset management capabilities, and assisting in the development and operation of water safety plans.

Other factors included the introduction and assessment of water quality treatment technology to improve water quality standards, and the trialing of technologies to reduce non-revenue water.

Advice for enhancing customer service and community engagement was also provided, along with the introduction of business management models and support for the expansion of water supply services.

PROJECT E X PANSION In 2019, the WUIP expanded to include a new partnership with Vietnam’s National Center for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation (NCERWASS) to help rural Vietnamese water utilities develop practical solutions for improving access to safe and reliable drinking water.

Three Australian and three Vietnamese water utilities participated in the two-year program, designed to support rural Vietnamese water operators to improve water service delivery by sharing the highquality technology and management practices of Australian water utilities.

This included workshops, practical guidance videos, and site tours to facilitate learning – such as visits to Vietnam’s Nghe An province and Singleton, New South Wales.

OVERCOMING COVID-19 When the pandemic first hit in 2020, the WUIP project shifted gears to help Vietnamese water utility operators respond to the impacts of COVID-19.

Vietnam Deputy Director of Nghe An Rural Water Supply and Environment Joint Stock Company, Phan Bui My, said the strong foundation of the partnership between the two countries was crucial following the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Vietnam has made significant progress on increasing access to safe drinking water in the last 12 years,” he said. “But much remains to be done to deliver water quality requirements, equal access to safe drinking water between richer and poorer segments of the population, access to technological advances, and gaps in human capacity to ensure water sector sustainability.”

The pandemic created additional challenges which a still nascent Vietnamese utility infrastructure was not prepared to tackle.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam in early 2020, most water utility operators did not fully understand the fate and survival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in water environments,” Phan said.

“A large number of water utility operators were not fully equipped with the required skills and tools to respond to the impacts of COVID-19.”

DE VELOPING SOLUTIONS With travel restrictions in place in both Australia and Vietnam, WUIP knowledge-sharing programs were conducted online to go through tried-and-tested tools that were developed in Australia. This included sharing regionally specific COVID-19 fact sheets and frequently asked question pages; safe operational

The Nghe An water supply team visit Singleton, NSW.

THE TIMELINE 2016: With support from the Australian Government through Australian Water Partnership, the Australian Water Association (AWA) established the Australia-Vietnam Water Utility Improvement Program (WUIP).

2016-2019: The initial threeyear WUIP program delivered

by AWA in partnership with the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA) facilitated twinning relationships between five Vietnamese and five Australian water utilities.

2019-2021: Together with Vietnam’s National Center for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation, AWA expanded the WUIP program to include three new rural Vietnamese utilities partnered with three new regional Australian utilities.

2020-2021:The WUIP program pivoted during the pandemic, allowing the Australian twins to share the experiences and key tools they used to respond to COVID-19. This included support to ensure the continued delivery of water supply services while protecting essential workers’ health and safety.

2020-2022: In partnership with WaterRA and through support from the Australian Water Partnership, AWA delivered a new project to transfer Australian innovation in the environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 to support the governments of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand to prepare, respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australian Water Association

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CASE STUDY #5

BY THE NUMBERS

OVER

50

%

of Vietnamese utilities surveyed reported supply chain impacts due to COVID-19

Discover more. awa.asn.au

ALMOST

1 3

said they were struggling to manage operational risk

“

OVER

60 %

requested support from AWA in supply chain risk management and business impact assessments

“

guidance for water utilities during the outbreak around hygiene and working in environments with COVID-19; risk assessment plans and essential worker guidelines; and new occupational health and safety handbooks translated into Vietnamese. Virtual forums were also held with VWSA in 2021 to share approaches and experiences gained by Vietnamese utilities during COVID-19, with over 150 people attending the sessions.

Feedback from the sessions was taken on board to develop future solutions to meet the challenges faced

by Vietnamese utilities. AWA’s support helped Vietnam’s water utilities navigate the outbreak while keeping their operations safe, Phan said.

“It not only helps to improve their capability in normal operations but also supports them to respond to incidents and emergent circumstances, like the outbreak of COVID-19, and emerging viruses in the future,” he said.

The program leveraged sampling and analysis lessons learnt from the Australian experience, particularly the Collaboration of Sewage Surveillance for SARS-CoV2, which used sensors in wastewater management facilities to track and monitor the presence of the virus in the sewerage network to assess public health risks and identify regional hotspots.

Supporting our regional neighbours’ water management and health capabilities, particularly during COVID-19, is paramount, said AWA Chief Executive Corinne Cheeseman.

“This project enhanced the capacity of environmental surveillance systems for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in the communities of Mekong countries,” Cheeseman said. “This was a great opportunity for the Australian water sector and South East Asian nations to connect and share innovation that will support over 250 million people across the Mekong, as they respond and recover from COVID-19.”

SURVEILL ANCE ACTIVITIES

A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE

Along with the WUIP, AWA and Water Research Australia facilitated another project – the SARS-CoV-2 Environmental Wastewater Surveillance Program – to help South East Asian nations develop a surveillance system to track COVID-19 prevalence in wastewater. Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand participated in the program, which is part of the broader Australian Government’s Partnerships for Recovery: Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response.

The COVID-19 response has been a major success, with utilities in both Australia and Vietnam keen to continue their partnership beyond the pandemic.

Phan said many of the pandemic learnings will be used as a foundation to continue developing the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

“Post COVID-19, Vietnamese water utilities are planning to apply the knowledge and skills into their operations,” he said. “Partnerships established between Australian and Vietnamese water utilities remain tight and strong after the conclusion of the WUIP program for future support and knowledge exchange.”

Even in the midst of a pandemic, the partnership between Australia and Vietnam continues to put the country on track to achieve its clean water goals and build better water infrastructure for all.

Post COVID-19, Vietnamese water utilities are planning to apply the knowledge and skills into their operations.

Phan Bui My, Deputy Director, Nghe An Rural Water Supply and Environment Joint Stock Company 88

Ozwater'22

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92 BUILDING CYBER RESILIENCE Utilities are more vulnerable than ever to cyber attack.

Protecting operations and the community requires an organisation-wide approach to cyber security.

To discover more business news, visit awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news 91

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With digitisation, remote management and automation comes an increased risk of cyber attack.

How do water utilities best adopt a posture against this ever-present threat?

By Chris Sheedy

92

Ozwater'22

Business

The control room inside a water treatment plant.

system breach in Oldsmar, Florida, last year served as a powerful warning of the stakes involved in cyber security around water utilities.

Hackers accessed the water treatment plant and enabled a system change that pumped dangerous amounts of sodium hydroxide into the water – essentially poisoning the city’s water supply.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only increased risk profiles for utilities. With working from home the new norm, remote access points into operational systems have multiplied, leading the surface area for cyber attacks to dramatically increase.

“There are a couple of reasons why the threat landscape is changing for water utilities,” said Angela Pak, National Lead for Cyber Security in Operational Technology at KPMG. “One is the need for greater automation and the use of IoT devices for the purpose of efficiency in water management. The use of these smart devices has increased because organisations want realtime data and have remote control over their operating environments.”

The greater need for efficiency and access to real-time data means utilities have had to open what is traditionally an “air-gapped environment”, Pak said.

A

“In the past, IT and OT were separated. But with the use of automation and IoT devices, that barrier is breaking down, thus increasing the threat landscape.”

COVID-19 has also played a role.

“Remote management increases the operational footprint and therefore increases the threat landscape,” Pak said.

“Plus, when you have workforces offline due to COVID-19 or isolation requirements, that creates a situation where you can’t provide the same level of cybersecurity service quality compared to

“

In the past, IT and OT were separated.

But with the use of automation and IoT devices, that barrier is breaking down, thus increasing the threat landscape.

Angela Pak, National Lead for Cyber Security in Operational Technology, KPMG

when you had a fully functioning workforce.”

As water utilities continue to digitise, the benefits of data connectivity and online operations management are countered with the very real risk of cyber attack, said Dominic Hatfield, CIO and General Manager Digital at Sydney Water.

“As technology changes and people and businesses become more innovative, systems to solve business, customer, community and industry problems are becoming more innovative and accessible,” Hatfield said. “We’re also becoming more reliant on them.”

This reliance means the potential impact of malicious activity becomes greater. At the same time, those who seek to do damage are also becoming more innovative.

As a result, water utilities must constantly transform and improve their cyber threat protections.

“If I ask somebody when their cyber program will be completed and they give me a date, I know they’re in trouble,” Hatfield said. “It can never finish. Success is about

Australian Water Association

93

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Business

“

Ensure core access points into your internal networks are constantly monitored, understood and kept up to date.

Dominic Hatfield, Chief Information Officer, Sydney Water

constant awareness, alert and iterative development of maturity.”

CYBER SECURIT Y’S LONG GAME Long-term management of the cyber challenge doesn’t just change the conversation from security compliance to risk management. It also demands a skillset many water utilities simply don’t have, said Laith Shahin, founder and CEO of OTfocused cyber security firm Secolve.

Traditionally, engineers have managed the operational technology for water utilities, he said. Cyber security has not been

a focus, key performance indicator, or area of speciality for engineers.

Where CIO roles exist, the focus should be on hiring people with the right skillsets to look after cyber security across IT and OT. “A major threat for water utilities is remote access to the OT environment,” Shahin said.

In the Oldsmar attack, for example, third-party software was used to breach the network.

“Third-party softwares create a new attack vector. If not configured properly, these systems might not have the same level of security control, and they can open a major can of worms.”

WHAT CAN UTILITIES DO? As the ever-present threat of cyber attack grows, water utilities must be proactive in protecting themselves.

A good starting point is meeting basic security controls, Shahin said.

“Ensure you have multi-factor authentication enabled everywhere possible, along with regular user training, system backups and good password management,” he said.

“It’s good to go back to your most basic security controls and check they’re enabled within the utility.”

Regular and rigorous auditing of third-party contractors is also

BACK TO BASICS According to Angela Pak, National Lead for Cyber Security in Operational Technology at KPMG, there are several basics a water utility must focus on:

1

Be clear on the risks and threats applicable to your organisation. No two water utilities are the same and some can make the mistake of focusing on what they read about in the media, rather than what could realistically affect them.

2

Develop great clarity around what exactly you are protecting.

It is essential to have absolute clarity on the assets that you operate – in essence, an “asset inventory” – and the vulnerability types and levels of those assets.

3

Clearly define what your systems look like right now in terms of both IT and OT convergence.

Where are the boundaries? Who is responsible for what? How much of the infrastructure and applications are integrated?

4

Using all of this information, develop a practical and fit-for-purpose plan around how to close the current gaps. Once again, this process will be unique to your own organisation and its risk appetite.

5

Finally, it is crucial to conduct a cyber culture analysis across your organisation.

One of the biggest risks to cyber security is people, so it is essential to know just how cyber aware they are and to set up a continuous training program.

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crucial. “That’s no silver bullet, but it will eliminate a lot of the risk,” Shahin added.

According to Hatfield, utilities shouldn’t attempt to predict or plan for everything, which will only lead to failure. Instead, he suggests figuring out the major areas of risk and concentrating on those first.

“It might be phishing attacks,” Hatfield said. “That’s a nuisance area that comes into the organisation via employees.”

To combat this threat, he recommends conducting an analysis on employee education and awareness to ensure people know what to look out for.

“Then there’s network exposure,” Hatfield said. “Ensure core access points into your internal networks are constantly monitored, understood and kept up to date.”

A third area of focus – when a malicious organisation slowly settles into the utility’s system over a long period of time – is also the most difficult

“

FILLING CYBER-SECURIT Y GAPS The cyber-security outlook for regional water managers is “pretty scary” said Laith Shahin, founder and CEO of Secolve.

One problem in smaller organisations is the cultural gap, he said, with management typically falling to engineers.

“IT teams are hired to look after corporate security, but they’ve got no idea what’s happening around the industrial control systems,” Shahin said.

“In many instances they don’t have a cyber-security team, chief information officer (CIO) or chief information security officer who is accountable for overall security.”

While they might seem a smaller target, Sydney Water CIO Dominic Hatfield said the risk is the same – any cyber incident can have a public health outcome.

Third-party softwares create a new attack vector. If not configured properly, these systems might not have the same level of security control, and they can open a major can of worms.

Laith Shahin, founder and CEO, Secolve

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“It’s possible that a small utility has less automation, but a lot may have a high amount, because that’s how they become cost effective and stay in business.”

The beauty of the water industry is that utilities don’t compete against each other, he added. The power of collaboration, learning from each other and sharing can’t be underestimated.

“We partake in joint industry exercises, and there’s no reason why regional utilities can’t get involved, start a conversation and ask questions,” he said.

A key area of focus for regional utilities should be mission critical systems.

“Don’t try to do everything at once, you need to prioritise your cyber program,” Hatfield said. “If you didn’t secure your less critical systems and you experienced a cyber event, it might be disruptive to your organisation, but it’s not going to be as disruptive to your customers or put public health at risk.”

In cyber security, it’s crucial to consider the sequence of things. “There has to be a very strict scope that focuses on what’s important,” Hatfield said. “That will likely be public health, water quality and wastewater.”

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to detect or defend against, Hatfield said.

“Because it’s not a one-off event, there’s not a big change,” he said.

“It happens over time – it might take months or even years.”

Once again, it is vital that the organisation’s layers of defence are sophisticated, up to date, and constantly monitored, developed and adapted to new types of threats.

Shahin added that every organisation, large and small, needs a “security champion” who is responsible for the wider cyber security of the industrial control systems network.

“Put someone in charge who’s going to lead this practice, so you don’t have to rely on two or three people managing separate areas in the organisation to come up with a security strategy,” Shahin said.

Finally, share as much cyber security information as possible between utilities.

“This is critical, so you understand the common risks the sector is facing, as well as the potential solutions,” he said.

Once these mechanisms are in place, Shahin advises obtaining full network visibility as quickly as possible. With visibility comes the

capacity to see who is connected to the network and what they are doing.

“From the get-go, aim to take a risk-based approach,” Shahin said.

“Identify your biggest risks and, to avoid being overwhelmed, focus on the four or five biggest ones in the first year or two. That will help improve your security posture as quickly as possible.”

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Each jurisdiction across the nation is facing its own unique water security challenges. But climate change is the one common denominator every region needs to prepare for.

By Chloe Hava

VICTORIA

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Victoria is facing a drier climate, with river system stream flows in northern and western parts of the state predicted to reduce by 25–40% in under a decade.

“That’s why we are investing in projects that increase the use of recycled water, stormwater and desalination,” said Minister for Water Lisa Neville.

The National Water Reform report highlighted Victoria’s performance in meeting its 2004 National Water Initiative commitments, including the state’s position that new dams are “not the answer”, as they come with ongoing environmental, social and economic costs.

Since the Water for Victoria strategy was launched in August 2016, the State Government is now preparing the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy, which outlines policy actions to ensure water availability over the next 50 years. Approaches include strengthening the water grid through increasing capacity of the Melbourne Geelong interconnector; a regionalscale stormwater harvesting system at Sunbury; using more recycled water for irrigation to free up water for rivers and drinking supplies; and changing the maximum daily water use target of 155 litres per person to 150 litres.

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The Northern Territory’s freshwater supplies are under increasing pressure. River flows fluctuate annually, there are few viable dam sites and smaller aquifers struggle to retain water. In southern areas of the state, groundwater recharge is unpredictable.

Unlike some other jurisdictions, the region hasn’t experienced water restrictions due to drought, so water efficiency and productivity have not been front of mind. But, as the 2021 Northern Territory Strategic Water Plan Directions Paper states, climate change will push long-term water security issues to the fore.

With water resources now reaching full allocation in some areas, there are several pathways forward, including working with industry to improve water efficiency, recycling and reuse. From a community perspective, incentive programs that champion water efficiency, leak minimisation and water literacy could be implemented.

Water trading is also being supported, along with ongoing water licensing reforms that encourage efficient water use, including a review of the guidelines for calculating crop water requirements.

QUEENSL AND

A combination of rapid population growth, climate change and expanding industries for economic growth has led to pressure on Queensland’s water resources.

Areas of focus for long-term water security include best-practice water planning, facilitating efficient water markets, dam infrastructure safety and ensuring transparency and accountability of water systems through high-quality data collection.

To support economic growth, the government facilitated the release of 238,000 megalitres of water, from unallocated water reserves, in regional and rural areas.

“This water is made available without compromising supplies to existing customers or the environment,” added Minister for Water Glenn Butcher.

Queensland’s key water sources are dams, weirs and barges; rivers, streams and overland flow; groundwater; recycled water; and desalination. In response to the Millennium Drought, the government invested in water security by building the SEQ Water Grid – one of Australia’s largest urban water grids, servicing around 70% of the state’s population.

Post Millennium Drought, the nation’s capital faced new challenges, including declining water quality due to urban development, upkeep on an expanding stormwater infrastructure network, and ensuring a balance in stewardship between the community and government in water resource and catchment management.

The second of two implementation plans, released in 2019, included a key strategy area aimed to establish a sustainable water supply used efficiently, with a 2021 report card revealing the ACT is on track to reach its targets. Projections include

a 25% reduction in water use per person by 2023, and a 40% reduction in water use for new developments, extensions or refurbishments.

Water trading plans with NSW, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment have also been advanced. With drought conditions worsening, Icon Water developed a plan based on the intensity, timing and length of future droughts, with a focus on source water management, demand and supply options.

Image supplied by Seqwater

NOR THERN TERRITORY

AUSTR ALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

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SOUTH AUSTR ALIA

South Australia is the driest state on the driest continent.

In regional areas, water is primarily sourced from groundwater and surface water resources, which are vulnerable to higher temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns.

Adelaide is facing a warmer and drier climate, impacting traditional water sources while heightening demand in the form of greening and cooling initiatives.

In its 2022 Water Security Statement, the government revealed plans for desalination plants on Kangaroo Island and the Eyre Peninsula to service residents and

businesses. Water recycling projects, including the Northern Adelaide and McLaren Vale irrigation systems, will expand recycled water use for horticulture.

Business cases for the supply of recycled water from Bolivar to the Barossa region, coupled with raw water to Eden Valley, are in the works – along with new water infrastructure in the Clare Valley region. The government also established a $5.6 million Water and Infrastructure Corridors initiative, joining forces with both the mining and energy industries to identify groundwater knowledge gaps.

WESTERN AUSTR ALIA

Climate change is the biggest challenge to water security across Western Australia – particularly in the southern part of the state, where reduced rainfall coupled with longer, hotter summers has seen an 80% reduction in streamflow into Perth’s dams. Groundwater has also been impacted. The Gnangara Mound, which supplies 70% of water in Perth and Peel, has lost about 1,000 gigalitres of aquifer storage since 1980. To ensure water is used efficiently, the Waterwise Perth Action Plan, launched in 2019, is helping Perth transition to a waterwise city by 2030. The plan has

saved over half a billion litres of water through initiatives such as rebates to fix leaks, free water-efficient showerheads and suburban greening programs. Supply wise, Perth has two large-scale desalination plants, producing around 145 gigalitres of drinking water a year. WA also uses purified recycled water to replenish underground aquifers.

“Over 45% of water supplied to Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme comes from desalinated seawater and through Groundwater Replenishment,” added WA Minister for Water, Forestry and Youth Dave Kelly.

TASMANIA

There are several challenges impacting Tasmania’s freshwater resources. In agricultural catchments, for example, surface water resources are almost at full allocation.

Climate change is anticipated to further affect catchment yields, along with the timing of water demand and reliability of supply.

As in WA, the demand for groundwater may therefore increase, but there is limited knowledge of the level of groundwater resources, or if they can successfully recharge.

In the 2021 Rural Water Use Strategy document, the state

outlined plans for sustainable management of water resources.

These include policies to improve understanding of freshwater resources and future impacts of climate change, and the identification of knowledge gaps and actions in groundwater management through the Groundwater Risk Assessment and Management Framework project.

Also on the agenda is an improvement in surface water data and modelling, inclusive of climate scenarios, by collaborating with the Bureau of Meteorology and clean energy organisation Hydro Tasmania.

Ozwater'22

Business

NE W SOUTH WALES

New South Wales will face higher demand for water in the next 20 years, with the population projected to grow by more than a third to reach 10.6 million.

Coupled with reductions in supply due to a drier, more variable climate, resources will become scarcer, putting pressure on all water users.

The NSW Water Strategy, together with 12 regional and two metropolitan strategies, aims to improve the resilience of the state’s water services and resources by identifying the right mix of infrastructure, policy and operational solutions to inform decisions over the next 20–40 years.

“The strategies aim to balance changing water needs and make sure that households, businesses, towns and cities, communities and the environment have access to the right amount of water for the

right purpose at the right times,” a spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said.

A key ethos underpinning the strategies is doing “more with less” to ensure water resources go further.

“That means being more water efficient and investing in appropriate and affordable water infrastructure,” the spokesperson added.

Projects include increasing storage capacity through new dams, progressing rainfall-independent supplies such as desalination, exploring new and innovative technologies that help improve the quality and efficient use of water, and investment in infrastructure that will deliver environmental benefits.

“We have already launched the Town Water Risk Reduction Program and continue to deliver the $1 billion Safe and Secure Water Program,” the spokesperson said.

Makes gravity filter builds or upgrades easy

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CASE STUDY #6

Construction at Bryn Estyn water treatment plant.

COVER YOUR ASSETS PROJECT: TasWater asset management REGION: Tasmania

A merger of three utilities almost a decade ago left TasWater with a diverse array of assets across the state. A whole-of-business approach, coupled with new technology, helped the utility align its goals.

By Martin Kovacs

STARTED: 2021

ith its diverse and geographically dispersed asset portfolio, TasWater continues to face unique infrastructure management challenges.

In recent years, the utility has been transitioning to a whole-of-business asset lifecycle management (ALM) approach, with new digital technologies

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enabling integrated planning. As explained by TasWater General Manager Asset Management Services, Matt Derbyshire, TasWater’s asset base spans the largest number of water and sewage treatment plants in Australia, servicing over 214,000 connections across Tasmania (see infographic on page 105).

While the New South Wales utility Hunter Water oversees similar lengths of water and sewer mains, TasWater has five times the number of sewage

Business

6,501 KM water mains

treatment plants, and 10 times as many water treatment plants.

“The diversity and age of the infrastructure, along with the cost of capital, means we must be innovative in how we manage our infrastructure to achieve our business outcomes,” he said. “The largest challenge we have is the sheer number of plants we operate and maintain, with a limited revenue base to support an upgrade to modern standards.”

A WHOLE-OF-BUSINESS APPROACH Against a backdrop of ALM digitalisation and increasingly proactive long-term planning, Derbyshire said TasWater’s shift to a whole-of-business approach has helped provide further clarity on investment benefits and priorities.

Additional emphasis was placed on the diversity of decision-making, spanning both internal and external stakeholders, allowing TasWater to holistically address its respective investment drivers.

“The whole-of-business approach ensures our interventions are integrated and aligned, and provides a clear line of sight between assetlevel interventions and customer outcomes,” Derbyshire explained.

Meanwhile, the ongoing deployment of digital tools not only provides critical real-time operations insight, but also contributes longterm strategic planning.

TasWater has strategically invested in technologies which provide an enhanced understanding of asset data and support feedback on infrastructure performance.

“With respect to updating our plans, digital transformation is driving the ability to be more agile with planning,” he said.

“Reflecting changes in short periods of time allows TasWater to better understand investment

215,419

187,610

water connections

sewerage connections

TASWATER:

CONNECTING TASMANIA

957 water and

60

drinking water systems

sewage pump stations

4,847

sewer mains

triggers and act before an event occurs, which results in a reduction in service to our customers.”

HARNESSING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY With ALM flexibility critical in balancing evolving priorities – including customer preferences, regulatory, environmental and climate considerations – TasWater adopted an increasingly proactive approach, harnessing digital technologies to better understand asset risk at a macro and micro level.

Digital asset class management plans (ACMPs) – drawing on data from TasWater’s Maximo Enterprise Asset Management system, along with financial and key attribute data – enable TasWater to develop lifecycle management strategies across its assets.

“The implementation of digital ACMPs has allowed us to better

Source: TasWater 2020-21 Annual Report

understand our required renewal investment and compare this to our existing plans,” said Derbyshire.

“We are also able to identify criticality at the asset level, and understand variations in risk, criticality and probability of failure across several different classifications – including by asset class, region, asset classification or asset subtype.”

TasWater plans to directly link its digital ACMPs to Maximo and other corporate systems to provide live insights, allowing it to update and capture changes as its capital program delivers new infrastructure.

Derbyshire also highlighted the key role online growth and capacity planning plays in TasWater’s broader ALM approach.

“Our online growth and capacity plans allow us to utilise planning and Australian Bureau of Statistics data to understand where and when Australian Water Association

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Longford Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade.

“

Soon, TasWater will incorporate criticality along with likelihood of a functional failure being observed to allow risk assessment of the program to take place.

Matt Derbyshire, General Manager Asset Management Services, TasWater

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development will occur, and how it will impact the future capacity of both hydraulic and organic loads on our infrastructure,” he said.

service requirement levels from sewerage network infrastructure.

Other tools include PI Historian, which allows TasWater to collect time series data and set dashboards on the performance of its assets from its supervisory control and data acquisition, IoT devices and third-party information.

Nexus Global’s Strategy Optimiser is also used to develop corporate maintenance strategies, which aligns tasks to failure modes and justifies every activity in the program.

“Soon, TasWater will incorporate criticality along with likelihood of a functional failure being observed to allow risk assessment of the program to take place,” he said.

“This will ensure we can moderate our maintenance program when our risk profile changes, when capital interventions don’t deliver the lowest lifecycle risk reduction, or the business requires us to seek operational efficiencies.”

NE T WORK DECISION SUPPOR T TOOLS

FUTURE FOCUS

As part of its digital transformation, TasWater deployed a host of water and sewer network decision support tools across its operations, facilitating more complex risk assessments and scenario planning.

Tools such as the Pipeline Asset Risk Management System (PARMS) and Arcadis Gen’s Water Asset Optimiser assist with investment decisions and the delivery of network-based corporate objectives.

“PARMS allows TasWater to set levels of service and understand the impact on our water network infrastructure risk profile, as well as understand investment requirements to deliver on our regulatory customer metrics,” he said.

Similarly, the Water Asset Optimiser allows TasWater to set

TasWater’s next goal is better integration of its evolving technology suite across the respective processes in the coming years, with a view to improve ALM decision-making efficiency and effectiveness.

The utility plans to integrate real-time SCADA data from its PI Historian, paving the way for intuitive asset management.

“This will allow setting and automation of service levels against specific asset types, enabling assets to indicate when they are unable to deliver a service,” Derbyshire said.

“Machine learning can also be investigated, with data structures and information supporting analysis for common defects or indicators that an asset is beginning to move along the failure curve, reducing its ability to deliver its function.”

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The latest technologies and insights for water professionals

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A WATER SENSITIVE CITY

SLUDGE MANAGEMENT

WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT

BEYOND ZERO CARBON

A collaborative approach to transforming Perth’s water management.

A new bacteria could provide an effective solution for wastewater.

The benefits of using a Rapid Assessment Tool to monitor water quality.

This utility is expected to exceed its emissions reduction goals.

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DESALINATION COSTS

NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS

DIGITAL FRAMEWORK

SMART WATER METERING RISKS

AVERAGE DRY WEATHER FLOW

A self-cleaning screen could reduce operating costs for water utilities.

Why greenhouse gas reporting should look beyond fixed emissions factors.

A new communication tool to help utilities meet business goals.

Measuring the viability of implementing smart water meters.

Alternative approaches for estimating average dry weather flow.

BRISBANE FLOOD Class action decision overturned by New South Wales Supreme Court following 2021 appeal.

To discover more technical papers, visit www.awa.asn.au/resources/water-e-journal 109

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Wivenhoe Dam during flood discharge on 11th January 2011.

“

Water was released from Wivenhoe Dam at the same time as flows from downstream tributaries approached their peak rate, resulting in a higher flood peak than what would have otherwise occurred had the releases been made earlier.

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Technical Papers

NSW Supreme Court overturns initial Brisbane Flood class action decision Bob Ford and Ted Gardner

Despite being found culpable for the 2011 Brisbane floods, Seqwater was cleared of responsibility following an appeal in September last year.

n early January 2011, South East Queensland was subjected to a major storm event which caused significant flooding in the cities of Brisbane and Ipswich. That storm followed an earlier event in late December 2010, resulting in saturated catchments and storage dams at their full water supply capacity – although with virtually empty flood storage capacity.

As the largest dam in the Brisbane River catchment, Wivenhoe has two conflicting functions: to maximise the supply of urban water to South East Queensland and to mitigate flooding.

Specific storage volumes are allocated to these two functions.

During the January event, water was released from Wivenhoe Dam at the same time as flows from downstream tributaries approached their peak rate, resulting in a higher flood peak than what would have otherwise occurred had the releases been made earlier.

I

Photo by Dean Saffron, Queensland State Library

The class action lawsuit In 2014, a business which had suffered damage during the flood, Rodriguez and Sons Pty Ltd, commenced a class action on behalf of some 6,500 other members claiming damages due to alleged negligence on the part of the dams’ operators.

The hearing was held before the Common Law Division of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, as the Queensland legal system did not have provision for class actions at that time. The judgement, delivered in November 2019, held that the state of Queensland, and the two statutory organisations responsible for operating the dam – Seqwater and SunWater – were negligent.

An additional judgement allocated the liability as 50% to Seqwater, 30% to SunWater and 20% to the state of Queensland.

Appealing the decision SunWater and the State settled their claims with Rodriguez, but Seqwater lodged an appeal with the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of NSW, which was heard during May 2021.

A judgement delivered in September 2021 reversed the decision of the initial hearing and determined that the earlier decision be set aside.

To unearth the reasons behind the reversal, this paper outlines the sequence of events and summarises the main arguments in the decision to reverse the ruling of the earlier court.

The class action lawyers have now applied for leave to appeal to the High Court, with a decision on whether the High Court will agree to hear the appeal not expected until 2022.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

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29-30 June 2022 ICC Sydney

Leave Your Mark on our Water Future

Technical Papers

Ensuring Perth, Western Australia, transitions to a leading water sensitive city Nadine Riethmuller, Antonietta Torre, Shelley Shepherd, Winsome MacLaurin, Briony Rogers, Chris Chesterfield

Key changes in culture, governance, planning and practice have helped to transform urban development and water system management in the city.

erth has seen climate change happen faster and earlier than almost anywhere else on the planet. The city’s rainfall levels have decreased by more than 20% since 1970, with climate models predicting a further 6% reduction over the state’s south west by 2030. This decrease in rainfall has resulted in an 80% decline in streamflow into Perth’s dams over the last decade compared to the flow received pre-1975.

At the same time, Greater Perth’s population grew by 150% between 1975 and 2020. The city has also continued to warm, increasing the demand for water.

By 2030, the average annual number of days above 35 degrees Celsius in Perth is predicted to increase from 28 to 36.

To adapt to the impacts of climate change, Perth has developed several climate-resilient water sources, such as seawater desalination and groundwater replenishment, which now make up approximately half of the city’s drinking water. There has also been great success in working with the community to reduce water use, with more than a 30% reduction in water supplied per capita since 2001.

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Processes and achievements A key challenge for Perth is how to create and maintain highly liveable communities when natural fresh water sources continue to decline. Through a partnership with the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRCWSC), Perth stakeholders trialled novel tools to identify the transformative changes required to achieve the vision for the city’s water future.

The application of these three novel tools developed by the CRCWSC has enabled and accelerated progress: 1. use of an “Envisaging” process to develop a shared vision across the diverse stakeholders who shape a city and foster commitment to a strategic transition framework; 2. the Water Sensitive Cities Index to benchmark Perth’s urban water management performance 3. the Transition Dynamics Framework to diagnose the presence and maturity of enabling factors required for a city’s shift to water sensitive practices.

Through increased collaboration and collective action across many stakeholders, Perth is well on its way towards its vision of being a leading water sensitive city. Key achievements include: • being the first city to trial the Water Sensitive Cities Index benchmarking tool in 2016 and the first to re-benchmark in 2021 • working with the CRCWSC to establish a community of practice called the Water Sensitive Transition Network, with the goal of Perth becoming a water sensitive city by 2065 • coordinated action leading to multiagency commitment demonstrated by publication of the Western Australian Government’s Waterwise Perth Action Plan in 2019 • an overall improvement in urban water management performance of 26% over five years, as measured by the Water Sensitive Cities Index.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

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Technical Papers

Using a new acid-tolerant bacteria to improve sludge management

Discover more. awa.asn.au

Zhiyao Wang is a postdoctoral research fellow in The University of Queensland

How a new bacteria could transform pollutant removal, and resource and energy recovery in wastewater treatment plants.

T

he role of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is evolving. Once strictly pollutant removal facilities, they are increasingly becoming energyand resource-recovery factories.

The most valuable resources in sewage include water, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and chemical energy embedded in organic carbon. However, in most WWTPs, the organic carbon is usually oxidised to carbon dioxide, which not only wastes the embedded energy but also consumes huge amounts of electricity for aeration.

Upfront organics capture units – for example fine screens, high-rate activated sludge, or chemically-enhanced primary treatment – significantly enhance the potential for energy recovery. But removing large amounts of organics impacts the ability of the downstream activated sludge process to effectively reduce nitrogen levels in the wastewater through the traditional nitrificationdenitrification process.

This limitation is typically negated with an autotrophic nitrogen removal process called partial nitritation and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), or ‘PN/A’. But the implementation of this process in the low-strength sewage treatment is still in the early stages.

The problem with AD sludge Sludge handling presents high costs for WWTPs, with sludge transport and disposal accounting for up to 60% of a WWTP’s overall costs. Savings can be achieved through reducing sludge volume and improving sludge quality. But sludge

treatment technology through the anaerobic digestor process can only achieve around 30% volatile solids reduction.

Without thermal treatment, anaerobically digested sludge is normally graded as Class B. While biologically stable, there is odour potential and pathogens present, and – in accordance with Australian Biosolids guidelines – unrestricted public contact is prohibited.

AD sludge also contains metal contaminants such as zinc and copper, which are tightly regulated by environmental authorities. These limit biosolids use in terms of the application rate, crop types, operator competence and application zones.

A new bacteria To ensure cost-effective use of biosolids, further treatment of AD sludge is beneficial. An acidic activated-sludge process, which expands the operational pH from a neutral to acidic range using a new ammonia-oxidising bacterium, enables nitrogen removal via anammox.

The acidic activated-sludge process also reduces solids concentration, inactivates pathogens, and removes metals from sludge – generating Class A biosolids.

This process opens up new opportunities to address the main challenges confronted by WWTPs – satisfactory pollutant removal while maximising energy and resource recovery from sewage.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

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Real-time monitoring f water quality stralian-made, the TracWater TWIG in-ground WHU TXDOLW\ DQDO\VHU LV WKH ZRUOGȇV ȴUVW LQ JURXQG ud-based water quality robot.

Water water quality analysers never sleep communicating up to ten ZDWHU TXDOLW\ SDUDPHWHUV LQFOXGLQJ WUDQVLHQW SUHVVXUH DQG ȴYH rational heartbeat indicators constantly 24/7/365. Since 2016 TracWater ots have operated non-stop providing key water quality information on ter network of 3,250 km's for the 6th largest city in Australia. :DWHU 7:Ζ* XQLWV DUH SRUWDEOH YDQGDO SURRI DQG ȴW XQQRWLFHG LQWR DQ\ an landscape. They provide a constant real-time stream of key water LW\ GDWD DW D UHDOO\ D΍RUGDEOH FRVW 7UDGLWLRQDO JUDE VDPSOLQJ FDQ QHYHU FK WKHP IRU WKHLU H΍HFWLYHQHVV HDVH RI XVH UREXVWQHVV GDWD TXDOLW\ 24/7 measurement accuracy.

Water TWIG units communicate on the cloud in real-time with the rd-winning TracWater IaaS for user-interactive high-speed visual information - so simple and easy to use. If you are interested to w more about our cloud-based solutions for water, trade waste and sewerage monitoring call or email us and we’ll be happy to help.

NOTE: Product protected by Patents 020/050073, 020219865 and Patents Pending

Contact us: 1300 563 219

info@tracwater.com.au www.tracwater.com.au

Technical Papers

Using a Rapid Assessment Tool to improve water quality testing results Dr Sarah Schroeder, Audrey Killeen, Sanjay Kumarasingham, Dr Annette Davison

This multi-utility demonstrates how a Rapid Assessment Tool can be used to assess risk and provide guidance in monitoring water quality.

or modern water utilities, monitoring is fundamental to the successful implementation of the risk framework.

It allows for meaningful data interpretation to identify and implement timely risk management to protect public health.

Different types of monitoring are required, each with its own purpose relative to where it fits within an overarching source to endpoint water product supply chain, management system and operating context.

To assess risk and provide guidance in monitoring water quality, Altogether Group, an Australian multi-utility operating along the east coast, developed a Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT).

F

Altogether identified a need to improve the understanding of the materiality and reliability of exceedances reported by its laboratory provider to guide an appropriate incident management response.

Choosing the right RAT The RAT that Altogether developed fits into the existing incident management framework and is activated upon receipt of out-of-specification water quality results from the laboratory.

The tool involves: • a risk-based investigation component – location of sample, significance of parameter and critical control point performance • overall risk category assignment – low, medium or high risk • direction for further actions to fit within the incident management framework.

Validation via team review and past results demonstrated that the RAT tool is reproducible, reliable, easy to use and met design objectives. Benefits include access to a systematic tool for consistency and increased confidence in decision-making, leading to a reduction in public health risk by ensuring incidents are managed promptly and appropriately, and that subsequent corrective actions fit the risk profile.

Due to the RAT’s successful use following out-of-specification water quality results, Altogether plans to continue using and refining the tool during incident management.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

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Technical Papers

A strategy to go beyond zero carbon Simon Prunster, Francis Pamminger, Glenn Wilson

Discover more. awa.asn.au

Why one utility has taken a “beyond zero carbon” approach to reducing direct and indirect emissions.

n the words of Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, “climate change is the defining issue of our time”.

This was globally recognised in the 2015 Paris Agreement, whereby 195 countries committed to keep temperature increases below two degrees Celsius.

The 2021 United Nations Environment Program forecasts that we are going in the other direction, however, with our present trajectory indicating the planet will warm by three degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

Nationally speaking, approximately 0.5–1% of Victoria’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relate to water supply and sewerage treatment by the state’s water utilities. A further 7.5% are related to the use of water in residential, industrial and commercial premises, largely for water heating.

In Melbourne, significant adverse impacts from climate change could include losing half of the catchments’ water yield within 50 years, when the population is forecast to nearly double.

I

Greater than zero The need for urgent change is understood by the Victorian Government. Given that it is responsible for the largest proportion of government emissions, the water industry also has an important role to play.

A framework for change was created by the government, which includes adding emission reduction targets into each water company’s statement of

TO GO BEYOND CARBON ZERO, YARRA VALLEY WATER WILL:

1

Target energy productivity to directly reduce emissions

2

Use renewable energy to avoid indirect grid emissions

3

Use carbon abatement to offset any remaining emissions

obligations, requiring metropolitan utilities to be at least net carbon neutral by 2030.

To this end, utilities are accelerating their emissions reduction ambitions, with the aim of reaching the net zero target by 2025.

Given the water sector has a large direct and indirect impact on energy use and GHG emissions, it is suggested that public utilities think beyond zero.

Take Yarra Valley Water, for example.

The utility purposely chose the term “beyond zero carbon” to emphasise their intent to reduce the creation of GHG molecules as much as possible.

This strategy is particularly important to the water industry because of the large adverse impact climate change will have on the ability of utilities to provide water and sanitation services to their customers in an affordable way – hence it is both a visionary goal and directly in the general interest of utilities.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

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FROM WATER TO POWER NETWORKS, ALL MANAGED BY A SINGLE SOFTWARE SOLUTION. THAT’S THE POWER OF ONE. TechnologyOne has established a firm foothold in Australasian infrastructure, developing proven software that is applicable to a wide variety of asset-intensive sectors, and is easily accessible from any device. Simple, effective solutions. Exactly why TechnologyOne has experienced 30 years of success and 99% customer retention.

TechnologyOneCorp.com

Self-cleaning screen reduces desalination plant operating costs

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Miyan Mears Dagan, Ben Gido, Jamie Pickford, Ravid Levy

A screen flushing mechanism provides an economical and effective alternative to disposable cartridge filters for reverse osmosis.

everse Osmosis (RO) membranes are traditionally used in the separation of salts and other dissolved materials when desalinating seawater, brackish water and treated wastewater.

But RO membranes can be easily contaminated by organic and inorganic particles naturally present in the intake water. These contaminants can gradually accumulate in the RO membrane’s feed spacers and surface, leading to clogging and reduced performance.

Fouling of RO membranes is a major consideration in the design and operation of desalination plants, with much effort devoted to protecting the membranes and pre-treatment of the RO feed water.

An alternative pre-treatment process via ultrafiltration or microfiltration membranes has become more common in recent years.

R

FILTRATION DEVICES CARTRIDGE FILTER: biofilm grows on the filter for weeks, fouling the RO membrane downstream

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Ozwater'22

SCREEN FILTER: rejects any biofilm from accumulating on the system as it is automatically flushed every six hours

Both processes can remove most suspended solids and produce the desired silt density index level. But additional membrane protection is required.

Filtration problems Finer media from multimedia filters may break through into the RO feedwater.

Detachment of mineral scaling or biofilm from pipelines and tanks is another possible source of coarse particles in both processes.

While coarse solids may have very little effect on measured SDI, they can physically block the flow channels in the lead-end membrane elements, leading to high differential pressure and mechanical damage.

Energy recovery devices in seawater reverse osmosis systems are also sensitive to solids in feed water that may damage their moving parts.

The pre-treatment scheme of the RO feed will therefore often include a final filtration stage, typically a disposable cartridge filter.

In most plants, the main pretreatment processes are automatically cleaned using backwash techniques. But the cartridge filters used as final protection are disposable and must be replaced manually when clogged.

This process is labour-intensive and adds to the plant’s overall operational expenditure and environmental footprint.

In large desalination plants, the cartridge replacement process may include hundreds of cartridge units,

Technical Papers

with each required to properly fit into place. Along with protecting RO membranes from coarse particles, cartridge filters also play a role in final pre-treatment and SDI reduction. When providing final filtration and improving RO feed quality, cartridge filters are subject to increased likelihood of clogging and, therefore, more frequent replacement.

Always flush Besides being made of non-degradable polymers, another environmental issue related to disposable cartridges is the solid waste from used filters, which requires proper disposal.

But a unique screen flushing mechanism enables reliable, continuous operation of a very fine screen, providing an interesting alternative to the conventional use of disposable cartridge filters. Pilot results

“

In large desalination plants, the cartridge replacement process may include hundreds of cartridge units, with each required to properly fit into place. from an Israeli seawater desalination plant show that the desired filtrate quality can be obtained, while the automatic self-cleaning screen can achieve a significant saving in the operating costs of energy, manpower and consumables.

For a medium-size desalination plant, these savings can add up to US$94,000 annually. Protecting RO membranes by a fine automatic screen therefore appears to be a feasible and sustainable alternative.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

121

how can you help address the global sanitation crisis?

Engineers Without Borders Australia develops innovative technologies & practices that can transform access to water & sanitation for millions living in remote and challenging environments.

Partner with us and join the leading edge of humanitarian engineering.

To discuss partnership opportunities contact: Heidi Michael, EWB International Programs: h.michael@ewb.org.au Jacqui Bell, EWB Australia Programs: j.bell@ewb.org.au

www.ewb.org.au

Technical Papers

Better understanding wastewater treatment’s nitrous oxide emissions Dr David de Haas is a Senior Technical Director at GHD Dr Liu Ye is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland

Greenhouse gas reporting protocols usually rely on fixed emission factors for nitrous oxide. But emission factors based on nitrogen removal could be the way forward.

itrous oxide is a major contributor to direct Scope 1 emissions from wastewater treatment plants.

While nitrous oxide has been measured in the off-gases from these plants in many different locations, the underlying bio-chemical mechanisms are complex. The measured actual emission rates show high variability in nitrous oxide emissions, both in time and space, and between different bioreactors across a range of wastewater treatment plant configurations.

Under greenhouse gas reporting protocols, fixed emission factors for nitrous oxide are common. But in the calculations underlying the emissions reported under different protocols, how these factors are defined and applied can be different.

N

Reporting confusion Aside from the complexity and variability of the biochemical mechanisms at play, emission factor definition and calculation methodology is one potential source of confusion

when reporting nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment plants.

Another stems from the use of fixed emission factors, without reference to type of treatment plant or its performance, for example, nitrogen removal.

A third source of confusion concerns the boundary of the wastewater treatment plant and the distinction between nitrous oxide emissions from the plant’s treatment processes, versus those from the discharge of effluent to a receiving water body, land, and the disposal of biosolids.

Actual emissions data from mainstream processes of wastewater treatment plants suggests that nitrous oxide emissions increase as the degree of total nitrogen removal across the plant decreases.

Linking the nitrous oxide emission factor to the degree of total nitrogen removal across a wastewater treatment plant is therefore recommended as a better approach for greenhouse gas accounting than the use of fixed emission factors in current reporting protocols.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

123

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Technical Papers

Digital Reference Framework clarifies communication in water sector Nam Nguyen, Dr Paul Siemers, Simon Harrington, Dr Greg Ryan

This Framework cuts through jargon to allow for a clear-cut discussion about technology needs, and how they can deliver against organisational needs.

ater utilities across Australia are adopting digital technologies and innovative solutions to drive transformation across many areas of their operations. This includes digital metering; sensor networks for water leakage detection and asset condition monitoring; workforce automation; Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for training and operation support; and drones and robots for asset inspection and maintenance.

Despite their advantages, these digital solutions are complex and often involve a vast range of stakeholders and enabling technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT platforms, analytics, digital connectivity, sensors and actuators, edge computing, and field devices such as IoT endpoints.

A critical aspect of these solutions is the large volume of data collected, processed, stored, analysed and shared for business consumption.

W

Simplified representation Adopting new technologies and solutions comes with many challenges.

One of the biggest issues for the sector is the lack of a standardised, water industry-specific reference framework,

which makes communications and understanding of different solutions confusing.

A Digital Reference Framework, however, is a simplified representation of the key components of a digital system developed to address the lack of a common approach to digital and IoT solutions in the water sector.

The Framework: • uses clear and simple and words with no jargon or ambiguous language • uses water-relevant terms • enables clear and unambiguous communication between vendors and utilities • provides a repeatable method for different utilities and business units • helps utilities scale solutions quickly • facilitates the selection of standardised solutions.

The Digital Reference Framework can be applied in many situations, depending on an organisation’s need. One of the key benefits is using the framework as an initial construct to facilitate discussion and decision making. It has also been used to assist with describing digital journey maps demonstrating product value and key business touch points.

All stakeholders in the water sector, both from suppliers and water utilities, can benefit from using the Digital Reference Framework.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

125

WAT E R

SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY

Technical Papers

Containing smart water metering risks Edgar Johnson is the Senior Technical Director, Water Efficiency at GHD

Managing the risk of implementing smart water meters allows utilities to reap the benefits of these systems in line with their business goals.

mart water metering systems have multiple benefits compared to manually read meter fleets. The adoption of smart metering is typically driven by water utilities’ corporate objectives, which might be to modernise the meter fleet, solve an operational problem or introduce universal metering.

But business objectives linked to the benefits of smart water metering systems have a degree of risk. Asset and data risks have to be assessed through identification, analysis and evaluation in order to guide the decision-making process for selecting technologies most suitable for meeting business objectives.

S

Risk identification and analysis Recognition of risks is the first step towards achieving the corporate objectives associated with selecting, implementing and operating smart water metering technologies. The focus should be on system anomalies that generate, transmit and apply the data, which could prevent the achievement of objectives.

Water metering and associated systems are complex, and technological advances in digital electronics have only increased these complexities, which can hide potential sources of asset and data anomalies. Qualitative and quantitative techniques are employed in assessing potential risks together with the nature and magnitude of the consequences. The interconnectivity of the data pathway requires careful consideration when assessing risks, because an anomaly during the capture of data will impact the results achieved at the end of the chain.

The final steps Risk evaluation facilitates decision making by emphasising the requirements for additional action, further risk-mitigation measures, or whether the original objectives should be revised.

The “bottom-up” approach to risk management for smart water meters includes: • Step 1: Apply the risk assessment process for the first segment of the data pathway that involves risk identification, analysis and evaluation.

• Step 2: Undertake a risk identification for the specific segment of the data pathway through an application of previously acquired knowledge or a focussed literature review.

• Step 3: Undertake analysis of the identified risks employing qualitative or quantitative techniques, including consideration of previously published findings relevant to each identified risk.

• Step 4: Identify general risk mitigation strategies from the perspective of internal and external stakeholders.

• Step 5: Apply the risk assessment process to the next segment of the data pathway and then repeat for all segments.

Identifying and assessing risks associated with metering, communication and software technologies emphasises their capabilities, which ultimately informs the choice of the solution that best meets the utility’s objectives.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

127

Technical Papers

Estimating ADWF at sewage treatment plants

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David de Haas, Stuart Ng, Nick Dahl, Dean Baulch

With the lack of a standardised approach to estimate average dry weather flow, sewage treatment plants are encouraged to look beyond “best practice”.

ngineers and managers of water utilities have historically applied various methods to determine the average dry weather flow (ADWF) for sewage treatment plants (STP).

However, in Australia, there appears to be no single industry standard method to define or determine ADWF. Common methods often apply a numerical “filter” to the totalised daily data for STP inflow, based on concurrent rainfall records. But these methods vary in detail, for example, the number of days or rainfall amount applied to the numerical filter.

They are also constrained by the issue of representative rainfall data to apply for STP catchments and the variable degree to which rainfall affects STP inflows.

E

Alternative methods “Best practice” methods for estimating ADWF at sewage treatment plants fall into three groups: Rainfall-based, equivalent person based, and Basic Statistical (percentile).

There are several novel methods, however, including: • Histogram/Mode (a basic statistical method) • Antecedent Precipitation Index • Ratio of Short-Term and Long-Term Moving Averages • K-means Clustering • Diurnal Profile Smoothing • Kernel Density Estimation.

On balance of simplicity and performance against more complex methods, the following methods for routine estimation of ADWF at sewage treatment plants are recommended: • Histogram/Mode method: Plotting histogram or calculating mode for datasets that are reasonably large. Some user discretionary checking of data is recommended to identify false zeroes and potential outliers, from which data filtering or outlier tests might be required.

• Percentile method: Adopt 20th percentile as a default, but with user discretion to check data, followed by minor sensitivity checks.

For larger and more complex assignments, including design projects and planning studies, it is recommended that high-performing methods, such as ratio of moving averages or Kernel Density Estimation be employed for ADWF checks. Relatively large datasets should be used and the results compared against the estimates from simpler methods, such as the Histogram or Percentile methods.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_e_journal or scan the QR code

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Raise a glass to the world's FASTEST DRINKING WATER TEST SYSTEM

UP TO 9 TESTS IN 60 SECONDS!

Vendart Diagnostics Pty Ltd P (02) 9139 2850 E sales@vendart.com.au www.vendart.com.au

Primus Line® on the advance in Australia Since its first installation in Australia more than five years ago, Primus Line® – a technology for the trenchless rehabilitation of pressure pipes – has turned into the preferred solution for pipe rehabilitations in sensitive and difficult-to-access areas.

It goes without saying that our infrastructure for water supply is relevant. This infrastructure, however, is ageing. Leaking or even shut down pipes underline the necessity for renovation. Usually, these pipes are renewed or revitalised by digand-replace. But over the past years, utilities worldwide are looking more and more for trenchless solutions. Their advantages are clear: Shorter installation times, fewer impacts on the environment and reduced costs. ®

Primus Line – engineered and manufactured in Germany – is one of these solutions, consisting of a flexible, aramidreinforced liner and special developed end fittings. Sydney Water realised its first Primus Line® project four years ago, nearly a dozen has followed. And so have projects for other utilities, councils and mining companies throughout Australia: Urban Utilities, Hunter Water, Unity Water, Shoalhaven City Council, to name just a few. Primus Line® technology is currently the sole solution for the rehabilitation of pressure pipelines on Sydney Water’s “List of Deemed to Comply Products for Pipeline Rehabilitation”.

In case of water spilling out of damaged drinking water pipelines or also sewage pressure lines that are in an hard to access areas or, for example, beneath a creek, rapid response is essential. This is why some Australian pipeline operators already have Primus Line® material on stock to present fast remedy in emergency cases.

Primus Line® has also made it to the most remote corners of Australia. In Cape Lambert in Western Australia, more than 1.5 kilometres of drinking water pipeline have been rehabilitated for Rio Tinto at a site of cultural heritage sensitivity.

Trenchless rehabilitation requires only small construction pits

And also other private customers, such as Melbourne Airport, have already profited from the German trenchless renewal system.

But Primus Line® is not only used for the rehabilitation of potable water mains.

The range of realised projects extends to sewage pressure pipes, recycled water or raw water mains as well. Moreover, Primus Line does not even stop at almost impossible projects: They cover amongst others a 3-in-1 solution for Hunter Water (three Primus Liners DN 450 have been installed in a DN 900 pipe) and a vertical pipeline with over 100 metres for Sydney Water.

The 3-in-1 solution for Hunter Water was the first of its kind in Australia

The newly developed Primus Line overland piping system even serves as a reusable temporary above-ground pipeline.

The highly flexible liner can be applied for different terrains and also traverse around multiple bends.

To plan and calculate the projects, Primus Line relies on its in-house engineering team that is aboard right from project start. In this way, it is granted that this technology is the right product for the intended purpose and that also special solutions can be brought to life.

Primus Line® is even suitable for vertical applications

About Primus Line® Primus Line® is a flexible sliplining solution for the trenchless rehabilitation of pressure pipelines referenced in EN ISO 11295:2018-06. The system consists of a flexible aramid-reinforced liner and specially developed end fittings. The liner is self-supporting and not attached to the host pipe – an annular space remains. Developed by experienced engineers, the system is suitable for different media such as oil, gas and water.

The Primus Line® system is certified in many countries – for example Australia, the USA, Germany, Canada and Israel – and meets the highly demanding standards for the transportation of drinking water worldwide, such as NSF/ANSI 61, AS/NZS 4020:2018, SS375:2015 or BS 6920.

Primus Line® is available in nominal diameters from DN 150 to DN 500.

Successful projects are based on close cooperation and accurate coordination between the customer and Primus Line

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Final concentration

Input

Frequency

Microcystis inoculation

10,000 cells/mL

Once at start

Nitrate dose (KNO3 solution)

0.11 mg/L NO3-N

4x

Phosphate dose (K2HPO4)

0.016 mg/L P04-P

4x

Barley straw

52 g / m2 (dry weight)

Once at start

TWC block

105g / m2

Once at start

Aqua-Cal

0.005 mL/L

Every 4 days

Diatomix

0.0005 mL/L

3 x week

Alternative cyanobacteria management approaches

Experimental dosing schedule

While aeration is typically used to prevent cyanobacteria blooms in source water storages, high cost often puts it out of reach. There are several treatment products on the market, however, that may offer an alternative approach by manipulating the microbial ecology of a lake. WaterNSW recently tested selected treatment products, assessing how well the products controlled cyanobacterial growth, and their potential for adverse effects on water quality, treatability and ecological health. The laboratory trials provided some evidence to support the effectiveness and mode of action for specific treatments. While destratification still had the strongest influence on cyanobacterial growth, there were many useful learnings regarding the effectiveness and safety of the treatment products, the circumstances where specific treatments might best be suited for deployment, and the design of any future trials.

A Rohlfs, A Davie, J Pera

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Recycled water for a greener Parkes

In 2019, Parkes Shire Council in regional NSW commissioned its Recycled Water Scheme (RWS) in light of community expectations around responsible water resource management. The alternative water source is predicted to shore up water security by providing a local, climate-resilient water source that can maintain green spaces in times of drought. The scheme comprises an advanced water recycling facility, 12 km recycled water rising main, three stateof-the-art pump stations and a 2 mL distribution reservoir. Sixteen end-user sites are connected to the scheme via smart meter stands linked to a unique IoT-enabled web-based end user control system, designed to encourage water conservation, manage water allocations and provide non-treatment barriers for further protection of public health.

Parkes Recycled Water Scheme components.

J Fyfe, C Li, G Oliveira, H Al Kabanchi, S Trad, A Francis

MBR technology used to increase capacity of the Yeppoon Sewage Treatment Plant

Yeppoon Sewage Treatment Plant during construction work.

In 2016, the Yeppoon Sewage Treatment Plant on Queensland’s central coast reached 93% of its treatment capacity. Rapid population growth meant an upgrade of both the hydraulic and nutrient treatment capacity of the plant was required in order to continually supply recycled water to various local users.

The existing Yeppoon plant consisted of a biological nutrient removal activated sludge process with gravity clarification, media filtration, chlorine disinfection and a belt filter press for dewatering. Membrane bioreactor technology was used to increase the plant’s capacity by 48% to 31,000 EP. Membrane bioreactor technology can therefore provide a more sustainable alternative for sewage treatment plant capacity upgrades in areas with population growth, along with reusing existing assets, reducing the plant’s footprint, and providing improved recycled water quality.

J O’Hare, M Newland

Green facades irrigated with greywater in Perth’s Mediterranean climate

Moisture sensors inserted through the walls of the pipe at the Bentley Primary School study site.

Perth’s water consumption per capita is almost double that in the eastern capitals of Australia. But a sharp decline in rainfall in south-western WA has decreased surface water supplies since 2008, and in 2020, Perth’s water supply was sourced mostly from desalination plants and groundwater.

Strategies have been developed to utilise alternative water sources.

Vertically grown vegetation or green walls, for example, have small space requirements and are suitable for dense urban areas. Although green walls have long existed to provide shade and thermal comfort in drier climates, there is relatively little research on their water use in Mediterranean climates, such as Perth’s. This paper aims to demonstrate the water requirements of green facades across seasons, and explore the effect of facade orientation and plant type on greywater volume requirements.

A Karima, C Ocampo, L Barton, C Oldham

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Technical Papers

TO DISCOVER MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS, visit bit.ly/water_e_journal

Implementing Australia’s first live catchment pollution detection network

Melbourne Water developed a “Pollution Prevention Program”, delivered between 2013–2020, that included research and new technologies to isolate and identify sources of pollution entering the Upper Middle Dandenong Creek catchment. The purpose of the program was to reduce these sources of pollution and improve the ecological condition of the receiving waterways, with a key achievement being the implementation of an Australian-first live pollution detection network, developed through a highly collaborative partnership with multiple key stakeholders and research partners. The group is continuing to research and develop new sensors and logging systems to better understand pollution in stormwater catchments. In particular, they are striving for improved ability to characterise impaired water quality through the use of low-cost turbidity sensors.

Advanced BlokAid installed in Melbourne Water drain.

H Baker, D McCarthy, J Morris

Using human centred design to improve Cambodian communities’ understanding of water

In Cambodia, which has a population of 16 million, approximately three million people lack access to safe drinking water. Low access to improved drinking water sources disproportionately affects those in rural areas, who represent 77% of the Cambodian population. In 2019, seven engineers travelled to rural Cambodia with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Australia to pilot a new training program, working on a drinking water challenge with one of EWB’s community partners, Cambodia Rural Development Team (CRDT).

The team began by immersing themselves in the communities to understand their challenges, strengths, priorities and expectations.

Throughout the process, stakeholders were engaged via two-way knowledge sharing to help CRDT and communities develop the skills and tools to improve water access.

Focus group activity in Koh Tnout.

A Henschke, J McAllister, S Harbig, S May

How CO 2 curing can turn alum sludge into construction material

1-day and 28-day compressive strength of concrete blocks with varying alum sludge content.

Global population growth has led to a significant increase in demand for drinking water. Over the last decade, sludge production has therefore increased significantly, with a green and economic management strategy now needed.

Research shows alum sludge is a feasible substitute to replace either sand or cement in concrete blocks, which could be an efficient way to dispose of and reuse the sludge as raw material for this concrete product. CO2 curing can improve the performance of sludge-derived concrete, and has benefits for recycling of CO2 in the ambient environment. For cement replacement, grinding and calcining procedures must be applied to eliminate the organic content and activate the pozzolanic activity of sludge.

Results show that a maximum of 10% cement can be replaced by alum sludge ash without compromising the mechanical performance of concrete blocks.

Y Zhuge, C Chow, A Keegan, Y Liu, W Duan

Flow Rate (m3/s)

Turbine Head (m)

Turbine Power (MW)

1.0

108.30

0.90

1.5

105.57

1.32

2.0

101.92

1.70

2.5

97.40

2.03

3.0

92.04

2.30

3.5

85.86

2.51

4.0

78.88

2.63

Feasibility of mini hydropower in water transmission pipelines

Turbine power potential for different turbine sizes.

Data provided by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre of the World Bank in 2018 found Australia is the 15th highest carbon dioxide emitter per capita, with 85% of emissions coming from the energy generation industry. The solution to reducing Australia’s CO2 emissions therefore lies in the transformation to renewable energy production sources.

Small-scale energy production methods, which can be widely distributed, could offer a solution. Mini hydropower involves implementing small-scale turbines into water transmission systems to produce energy from existing water flow through a pipeline. Not only do they have an efficiency of up to 90%, they do not produce the same environmental effects as large hydropower schemes. There is uncertainty, however, over whether the energy-generation benefits outweigh the capital cost of construction.

A Cox, A Smith

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal or scan the QR code

Australian Water Association

133

Next Wave

MOVING INTO NEW TERRITORY ’ve lived in the Territory for most of my life and began working in the finance team at Power and Water in 2000. I progressed through the business to become the permanent CEO in 2020. It’s a diverse organisation, and we have an experienced team managing an infrastructure and asset portfolio focused on making a difference to the lives of Territorians.

I Discover more. awa.asn.au

A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT

Djuna Pollard, Head of Northern Territory multi-utility Power and Water Corporation, oversees everything from remote community services to a billion-dollar infrastructure program.

“

The Territory’s environment is highly variable. In the Top End, there are pronounced wet and dry seasons and we largely rely on surface water sources. Contrast that to Central Australia – including the main centres of Alice Springs and Tennant Creek – which is a desert landscape. There we are more reliant on groundwater sources, such as bores, and we need to ensure the aquifers can replenish.

The Northern Territory Government has set an ambitious target of generating a $40 billion economy by 2030. The range of initiatives and the desire to attract larger industrial and horticultural sectors makes Power and Water a key player in the Territory’s economic future in ensuring we meet the community’s needs now and into the future.

One significant project is securing Darwin’s next major water source to ensure our water security.

We have largely relied on the Darwin River Dam, but we need to diversify supply.

We have largely relied on the Darwin River Dam, but we need to diversify supply.

Two major projects under consideration are restoring and reconnecting Manton Dam to Darwin’s water supply by 2025, providing an additional 7,300 megalitres of water per year.

The longer-term Adelaide River project will involve harvesting water from the river during the wet season and storing it in a natural geological basin for use. Together, the projects will require around $1 billion in investment.

SERVICING REMOTE COMMUNITIES We deliver essential water, sewerage and electricity services to 72 remote communities across the Northern Territory.

We have a team dedicated to supporting these communities, playing a coordination role for scheduled work and maintenance.

We also contract local councils that are operating in those communities, as well as smaller companies and sole providers for basic maintenance, unplanned events and emergency situations.

Necessary COVID-19 restrictions have been challenging for our teams, but we have worked with communities to meet logistical needs such as testing requirements and access permits to continue to provide services on the ground.

Providing safe drinking water to Territorians is our highest priority.

Our investment into both research and development is an exciting opportunity for our team of experts to drive the development of new solutions for the treatment of water in our remote communities.

N A ME: Djuna Pollard FIR S T JOB: Customer service at a supermarket CURRENT JOB: Chief Executive Officer, Power and Water Corporation S TA R T ED: June 2020 CA REER GOA L: To be a sought-after, peak industry board member making strategic and valuable contributions to develop the organisation’s mission and purpose, with the aim of ensuring a robust and sustainable future.

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