Waste + Water Management Australia V43.2 Aug-Sept 2016

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

WASTE + WATER MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA AUG/SEPT 2016

V43.2

ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY PUBLIC HEALTH SINCE 1973

PRINT POST APPROVED - 100001890

Bucher Municipal adds Vacuum Tankers to its range of world class machines

contents

Aug/Sept 2016 Volume 43 Number 2

Published by:

Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd

ABN 85 007 693 138 PO Box 510, Broadford Victoria 3658 Australia Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Int’l: +61 3 5784 3438 Fax: +61 3 5784 2210 www.epcgroup.com Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: ats@epcgroup.com Deputy Editor Rex Pannell Mobile: 0433 300 106 Email: rex@epcgroup.com National Advertising Sales Manager Yuri Mamistvalov Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 Email: yuri@epcgroup.com Advertising Sales - SA Jodie Chester - G Advertising Mobile: 0439 749 993 Email: jodie@gadvertising.com.au Advertising Sales - WA Licia Salomone - OKeeffe Media Mobile: 0412 080 600 Email: licia@okm.com.au Graphic Design Annette Epifanidis Mobile: 0416 087 412

TERMS AND CONDITIONS This publication is published by Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others.

All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright ©2016 - EPC Media Group

CIRCULATION 7020 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001890

ISSN 1838-7098

4

Industry News

8

Innovative Solutions

10 Cover Feature: Bucher Municipal

8

14 Recycling 18 Product Focus: Smart Sinks 20 Renewable Energy 24 Company Profile: VAC Group

28

26 Built Environment 28 Special Feature: MRA Climate Action Report

30 Groundwater Feature

40

32 Focus On Water 40 Project Brief: Mainmark Rockhampton

42 ACA Corrosion Feature 46 Special Report: Reverse Vending

46

About the Cover Leading Australian refuse and street sweeping equipment manufacturer Bucher Municipal continues to go from strength-to-strength, thanks to the recent acquisition of world-renowned vacuum tanker manufacturer JHL by Bucher's global parent company. The acquisition, which was formalised in Australia in July, has seen Bucher Municipal's Australian equipment offering expanded to include a range of state-ofthe-art vacuum tanker units to suit a variety of applications.

Turn to Page 10 for the full story.

EDITORS COLUMN

Finding the Right Balance for a Sustainable Future Dear Readers, While it is clear that the majority of Australians are now taking more of an active interest in their ‘environmental performance’ than ever before, it’s perhaps not surprising to hear that many are confused about what impact Emission Reduction Targets, Renewable Energy Targets and Emissions Trading Schemes will have on their lives - especially given: the massive increase in the cost of electricity in recent years; questions about why things haven’t got significantly cheaper since the Carbon Tax was been repealed; and changes in the cost of Solar and reductions in rebates and buy-back pricing.

Put simply, many people are not only concerned about the impact of their activities on the planet, but also about the financial impact of the sustainability measures required to reduce this impact.

While few would question the importance attached to the rapid introduction of widespread and effective emissions reduction initiatives, there can be no doubt that one of the most difficult challenges will be that of finding the ‘right balance’ between environmental protection and fiscal responsibility. By that, I’m not only referring to the fiscal impact that emission reduction targets have on business operations and the impact that removing or lowering targets has on the renewables industry, but also, importantly, the direct impact that these initiatives have on the household budget of every Australian family.

Environmental sustainability has always predominantly been about balancing the 2

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

needs of the environment with the needs of human beings. Whether this balance relates to managing the amount of waste we generate and how we handle that waste, or to the amount of water and/or other natural resources we use and the pollution and by-products that we produce - one thing is clear - without balance, the effects and consequences can be both significant and far reaching, and in many instances, extremely difficult to overcome.

Importantly, this sense of balance must also be maintained when it comes to researching, developing and implementing methods and systems which are designed to improve our environmental performance and reduce our carbon footprint. We cannot simply ‘cease to exist’ in order to benefit the environment. No more than we can afford to ignore issues of environmental degradation simply because finding a solution to the problem(s) will be complex and/or expensive and/or will require a change in thinking and methods.

Finding the right balance for a sustainable future requires an holistic approach that considers all aspects of all activities (including the consequences) and, dare I say, takes into account the ‘interconnectedness of all things’ - including human beings.

With that in mind, it’s also important to remember that ‘shutting down the planet’ is also not an option. Neither is taking an ‘at any cost’ mentality or, for that matter, ignoring the issue all together and setting goals that are so low that they will, for all intents, have very little, or even no impact whatsoever.

Setting Australia’s (and the world’s) carbon reduction targets is a serious commitment that will undoubtedly impact each and every one of us on many levels.

Importantly, it's not only about setting targets... we also have to work out (preferably in advance) how we intend to meet these targets.

There is, however, a limit to what people are willing to do and/or pay! And if the ‘cost’ is too high, we not only run the risk of losing critical public support for environmental reform, we also risk undoing much of the good work that has already been done.

Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor

Tell Us What You Think!

We value your opinion and welcome your feedback and input.

Send your thoughts to ats@epcgroup.com

Bucher Municipal adds Vacuum Tankers to its World Class range of Refuse and Street Sweeping machines!

J.Hvidtved Larsen (JHL), a technologically advanced Danish manufacturer of truck mounted sewer-cleaning units was acquired by Bucher Municipal earlier this year and we are very excited to announce that from July 2016 the local JHL subsidiary will be integrated into the existing Bucher Municipal Australian business.

Bucher Municipal has been established in Australia since 1951 and is the leading provider of equipment to the Waste Industry with an impressive range of locally manufactured Side, Rear and Front Loading refuse machines and world class Compact and Truck Mounted Sweepers from Johnston and Beam. Bucher Municipal products are backed 24/7, 365 days a year by the most comprehensive customer support network in the industry, whether at one of our five state-of-the art retail customer service centres or on-site at your premises, all work is completed by fully trained and equipped service technicians.

Bucher Municipal – Simply Great Machines! www.buchermunicipal.com.au RECycler

CityFlex

FlexLine

The recycler technology is the markets most effective water recycling system. It is fully automatic and simple to operate.

Takes up less space, costs less, and weighs less. Aluminium is used as a weight-saving material.

All-around combo with a high level of flexibility used for jobs as preventative and emergency non-destructive digging.

Head Office 65-73 Nantilla Road, Clayton North, Vic. 3168 Australia Phone +61 3 9271 6400 Fax +61 3 9271 6480

Fabrication Plant 6 Dalmore Drive, Scoresby, Vic. 3179 Australia Phone +61 3 9271 6400 Fax +61 3 9271 6480

New South Wales Branch Unit 2, 9 Enterprise Place, Wetherill Park, NSW 2164 Australia Phone +61 2 9756 1622 Fax +61 2 9756 0666

Victorian Branch Unit 6, 80-84 Fairbank Road, Clayton South, Vic. 3169 Australia Phone +61 3 8558 3600 Fax +61 3 8558 3640

Queensland Branch 50 Buchanan Road, Banyo, QLD 4014 Australia Phone +61 7 3363 6400 Fax +61 7 3363 6499

Western Australian Branch 76 Grey Street, Bassendean, WA 6054 Australia Phone +61 8 9370 7900 Fax +61 8 9370 7998

South Australian Branch 4 Newcastle Crescent, Cavan, SA 5094 Australia Phone +61 8 8168 2222 Fax +61 8 8168 2240

refuse@buchermunicipal.com.au www.buchermunicipal.com.au Quality ISO 9001

INDUSTRY NEWS

Grants program to help utilise timber and agricultural residues

Consultation throughout SA on nuclear fuel cycle A state-wide consultation program which started on 21 July is visiting around 100 sites in South Australia to inform people about the state’s involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The three-month engagement program, which includes more than 60 towns, focuses on the contents of a report on the nuclear fuel cycle, presented to south Australian Premier, Jay Weatherill, by the first Citizens’ Jury.

That Jury of 50 randomly selected South Australians deliberated for two weekends – 25/26 June, and 9/10 July. It was tasked with identifying key issues from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission findings that South Australians should consider in more detail.

The Jury’s report identified four key themes that it believed South Australians should discuss during the state-wide consultation: • Community consent – and the importance of an informed opinion; • Economics – including the benefits and risks to the state; • Safety – including key issues around storage, health and transport; and • Trust – noting that accountability and transparency must be built into any regulatory systems.

4

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

The jury heard from more than 30 expert witnesses in the fields of environment, economics, Aboriginal heritage and culture, safety, regulation and geology to help it better understand the Commission’s report.

After the state-wide consultation, a second Citizens’ Jury will be established.

It will consist of approximately 350 people, including the original members of the first Jury, and will be convened in October to evaluate feedback from the consultation, and weigh up the choices and options on the key issues raised by the Royal Commission.

In November, the second Jury will produce a report summarising the community’s position for the government to consider in its response to the Royal Commission’s Report by the end of the year.

The 2016-17 SA Budget included $3.6 million to support the agency charged with consulting on South Australia’s involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The funding covers the state-wide engagement program and the second Citizen’s Jury.

A further $1 million previously allocated for the 2015-16 Financial Year will also be carried forward.

The Wood and Fibre Processing Innovation Program has been launched by the Tasmanian Government to explore innovative ways to process residues from timber and agriculture.

Grants of up to $100,000 will be made available to support the development of projects that utilise forest harvesting and timber processing residues and/or agricultural plant residues to create valueadded products in Tasmania.

The initiative includes using lower grade logs to produce value-added products like engineered wood products, biomass energy or heat production and other products such as furniture.

A total of up to $1.25 million will be available through the program.

Peter Gutwein, State Minister for Forestry, said the program was an extension of the government’s funding commitments to support bio-energy initiatives in the Dorset and Huon Local Government Areas, and the funding committed, as part of the AgriVision 2050 Plan, to facilitate commercial utilisation of plant biomass from forestry and agriculture.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Cutting nutrient flows to WA rivers and estuaries The flow of nutrients from Western Australia’s dairy farms into rivers and estuaries will be tackled under a partnership between the dairy industry, the State Government and catchment groups.

The DairyCare initiative is built on more than 10 years of experience and partnerships in the WA’s south west.

DairyCare partners are Dairy Australia, WA Farmers, the South West Catchment Council, Leschenault Catchment Council, Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee, GeoCatch and the Departments of Water and Agriculture and Food.

Water Minister, Mia Davies, said as a result of Royalties for Regions funding, an estimated 30 priority dairy effluent systems would be upgraded and 80 nutrient use plans would be developed under the national Fert$mart program.

Fert$mart was initiated by Dairy Australia in 2011 in response to a need identified by the Dairy Moving Forward Committee to increase the efficiency and profitability of fertiliser use and to improve soil health on Australian dairy farms.

Ms Davies said upgraded practices on dairy holdings would bring a substantial reduction of nutrients entering waterways.

"The partnership includes the establishment of an industry reference group, which will develop a strong self-regulatory approach and ensure farmers are motivated to be involved."

Agriculture and Food Minister, Dean Nalder, said DairyCare came at an important time for farmers and could lead to important cost savings for the industry.

"By retaining nutrients on-farm and reducing the negative contribution they make to waterways through run-off into local rivers and streams, farmers have an opportunity to save money and meet community expectations for the environment."

Regional Development Minister, Terry Redman, said the Royalties for Regions investment in DairyCare was an important step to protect and support waterways and regional estuaries by helping a valued industry to become more sustainable.

"DairyCare will investigate innovative options for improving dairy effluent management and provide farmers with information, incentives and the tools to make better decisions about fertiliser use and effluent management."

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Donate Your Old Smartphone To Enable Australia’s Deafblind Community To Reconnect Currently, an estimated 288,000 Australians live with no hearing and sight and this number is predicted to rise to over one million by 2050. MobileMuster and Able Australia are calling on Australians to donate their old smartphones to support the deafblind community and help them to reconnect with family, friends and the wider community, through smartphone technology.

MobileMuster, the official not-for-profit Government accredited mobile phone recycling program, will be collecting unwanted smartphones during the month of September and all eligible smartphones* will be donated to Able Australia to improve the digital literacy of the deafblind community.

The phones will be used to educate people with deafblindness on how to use speech recognition and Braille readers via mobile technology.

Able Australia's Scott Darkin says, “Deafblindness is very much Australia's forgotten disability. The smartphones donated will help deafblind people stay connected, which is something most of us take for granted. These donated smartphones will also increase their mobility, independence and help them navigate their way around their community.

“Nine out of ten deafblind people will experience depression and anxiety and the simple act of donating an unwanted phone is an easy way to show your support to Australia’s deafblind community. Your old phone could be the vital link that transforms a socially isolated person with deafblindness into an active member of their local community,” he continued.

The impact of mobile technology on Australia’s productivity and workforce participation was the focus of a recent Deloitte Access Economics research report commissioned by The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA).

“The research found that mobile technology allows people with deafblindness to communicate, engage and interact, thereby improving their daily lives and opportunities to participate in the workforce”, said AMTA’s Chris Althaus.

6

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Australia has over 31 million mobile phone subscribers who, on average, replace their handsets every 18 to 24 months.

Spyro Kalos from MobileMuster says, “We know there are approximately 25.5 million unused mobiles sitting in homes and business around Australia, some of these may be smartphones that could help the deafblind community. Now is the perfect time to donate your unwanted mobile phone to a great cause.

“Each smartphone will be checked to confirm it is working and any data left of the phone will be wiped to ensure privacy.

MobileMuster will also ensure that any mobiles and accessories that can’t be reused will be recycled by MobileMuster in a safe, secure and ethical way, with all data being destroyed in the recycling process,” he affirmed.

MobileMuster has over 3,500 drop off points around the country and you can donate an unwanted smartphone free of charge from anywhere in Australia by visiting mobilemuster.com.au/able. Simply download the free reply paid label, package up your old smartphone and charger, attach the label and post it back.

Victoria makes Australia’s first Green Bonds issue Victoria has - according to Treasurer, Tim Pallas - become the first government in Australia to issue Green Bonds, raising $300 million to finance a range of new and existing projects that deliver environmental benefits. Mr Pallas said the bonds, issued by the Treasury Corporation of Victoria (TCV), were also the first state or federal government-issued bonds in the world to receive international Climate Bond Certification.

The London-based Climate Bonds Initiative certified the bonds under its Climate Bond Standard & Certification Scheme, to ensure Green Bond proceeds are used in ways consistent with delivering a low-carbon economy.

The triple-A rated bonds, which were launched on 18 July, were fully subscribed in just over 24 hours.

The total book order of $300 million was supported by 17 investors, representing insurance companies, funds management and investors with a specific green or socially responsible investment (SRI) mandate.

“The government is proud to lead the country with our Green Bonds initiative, with increasing appetite across Australia and the rest of the world for socially responsible investment opportunities,” Mr Pallas said.

The Green Bonds proceeds will go to financing and refinancing state investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, low carbon public transport and water treatment.

Projects will include LED traffic lights, mini-hydroelectric power stations, lowcarbon buildings, the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, new trains, the Mernda Rail extension and the development of a largescale renewable energy power station.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Queensland World Heritage nominations to progress The Queensland Government is providing additional funding of $2.2 million over three years to progress two World Heritage nominations.

Subject to the consent of Traditional Owners and the support of local communities, suitable parts of Cape York Peninsula and an expanded Fraser Island World Heritage area will be nominated for World Heritage status.

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Steven Miles, said the funding would advance the nomination and consultation processes.

“We have a unique opportunity to leave parts of the Cape York Peninsula with a World Heritage legacy,” Dr Miles said.

“Both the Australian and Queensland Governments have long recognised the special natural and Indigenous cultural values found on Cape York Peninsula, and want to see those values recognised, celebrated and protected internationally.

“We will work closely with interested Traditional Owners and the community to develop a World Heritage Tentative List nomination that includes suitable areas of the Cape York Peninsula.

“This will include confirming a process for obtaining consent, identifying key values, preparing a tentative list nomination, and developing options for management of a future World Heritage area.”

Dr Miles said the government also planned to extend the Fraser Island World Heritage area to include the Cooloola Section of Great Sandy National Park, as well as other surrounding areas that play a key role in telling the unique story of the area.

“Cooloola should be recognised for its outstanding universal value. The World Heritage listing would give the Cooloola region international recognition, whilst providing greater protection.

“The Cooloola area shares many of the same outstanding values as neighbouring Fraser Island, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992.

“We will continue the work that was undertaken in 2010-11 after the proposed extension was placed on the World Heritage Tentative List, including seeking further community input into the proposed extension.”

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

WA Energy Minister Mike Nahan and Eyre MLA Graham Jacobs at one of the six stand-alone power system trial sites.

REGIONAL ENERGY TRIAL HELPS RESIDENTS GO IT ALONE

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA’S COFFEE GROUNDS BECOME GOURMET MUSHROOM DISH ON BOARD Virgin Australia has announced a partnership with sustainable mushroom start up, Fungimental, to introduce sustainablyproduced oyster mushrooms on board its flights. The mushrooms are grown in used coffee grounds collected from the Virgin Australia Sydney Lounge.

Virgin Australia resident chef Luke Mangan has designed a dish for the Business Class menu to showcase the mushrooms, with ‘roasted chicken breast on corn puree with Oyster mushrooms and sundried tomato salsa’ to be featured on various domestic and international flights departing out of Sydney from 5 October 2016.

Each week, Fungimental collects 150 kilograms of coffee waste from the Virgin Australia Sydney Lounge, resulting in 30 kilograms of gourmet oyster mushrooms.

Over a 12 month period, 8,000 kilograms of coffee waste will be collected from the lounge, producing up to 1600 kilograms of mushrooms.

Resident chef Luke Mangan said: “Working with the team from Fungimental has been a great experience, and I have been really impressed with the quality of the mushroom produced."

“The dish we’ve created with the oyster mushrooms really showcases the mushroom, which has a beautiful robust flavour. These mushrooms truly stand up to the culinary standard on board Virgin Australia flights,” Mr Mangan said.

Fungimental founder Phillip White said: “Sydneysiders drink around 1.23 million cups of coffee every day, resulting in 86,100 kilograms of coffee waste. Most of that 8

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

goes to landfill where the coffee releases methane which is 22 times worse for global warming than CO2."

“We’ve been able to complete the circle with Virgin Australia by not only collecting the coffee waste from the lounge, but by having the mushrooms introduced on board in one of Luke Mangan’s dishes. The beauty of these mushrooms is they have 33 per cent more protein than button mushrooms, making them a great alternative to meat,” Mr White said.

Virgin Australia is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and food wastage, and donated 126 tonnes of excess food from on board to food rescue organisation, OzHarvest, during the 2016 financial year.

About Fungimental Fungimental is a sustainable startup sprouting from the streets of Sydney.

Fungimental’s journey began when the company's founder Phillip White started to become concerned with the social, economical and environmental state of the planet. He began researching and observed that the planet required radical change in order to secure a sustainable future for current and future generations. Passionate about healthy eating and concerned about the damage animal agriculture is causing to the environment he decided to act.

Fungimental is currently creating a rooftop garden in the Sydney CBD which will be fed by our waste. All of the food grown in that garden will then be fed to the homeless and other vulnerable members of the community.

A new $4 million stand-alone power system pilot project, which aims to shape the future of how electricity can be delivered to rural and remote West Australians, has been announced by the WA State Government.

West Australian Energy Minister Mike Nahan said six properties in regional areas would trial the new stand-alone electricity systems, which were made up of solar panels and battery storage, while remaining connected to Western Power’s grid.

Dr Nahan said the 12-month pilot program was being delivered in partnership

by Western Power, regional electricity provider Horizon Power and electricity retailer Synergy.

“This stand-alone power system pilot is an exciting new initiative that has the potential to deliver alternative electricity supply solutions for West Australians living in rural and remote areas,” he said.

“The pilot will help us explore the right mix of technology and service to make stand-alone solutions another option when maintaining or replacing ageing power poles and lines.”

During the pilot, Western Power will support six rural households located around Ravensthorpe, Lake King and Ongerup, which will each have solar panels, battery storage, an inverter and a backup diesel generator installed on their properties.

The Minister said participating households would document the experience of having their electricity supplied via the stand-alone system rather than the traditional poles and wires.

“Western Power is using its expertise to provide the right power solutions for the right customers and Horizon Power, with its knowledge in microgrids, led the engineering and procurement process for the project,” he said.

“If the trial is successful, Western Power will investigate the future use of the systems as part of a solution for other edgeof-grid customers.”

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

QUT Professor Nunzio Motta

NEW FUNDS TO RECHARGE BATTERY RESEARCH A new battery that can be charged in minutes and run for a lot longer is being developed by QUT Professor Nunzio Motta in collaboration with Professor Yeugang Zhang in a project funded by $250,000 grant from the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaborative Research Fund.

Professor Motta, from QUT’s Science and Engineering Faculty, and Professor Yuegang, a leading expert in the field of lithium batteries and energy storage materials from China’s Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, have joined forces to try to develop superior electric car batteries that overcome the current drawbacks of long recharge times and short running distances.

Professor Motta said the aim of the project was to find a scalable technology to produce a low-cost supercapacitors, an alternative to traditional lithium batteries, with the highest possible performance.

“Today commercial supercapacitors based on activated carbon can store up to one twentieth of the energy of Li-ion batteries with similar weight and size, but they can be recharged in minutes and can release a large amount of power,” Professor Motta said.

“To make them competitive and exploit their superior power output in real world applications like electric cars, mobile phones or computers it is crucial to increase their energy storage capacity.

“We are developing a graphene supercapacitor, which can revolutionise the field of energy storage.

“Super capacitors are electric double layer capacitators, which store the energy typically at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

They recently produced a thin and extremely strong film with high-power

density that could be embedded in handheld devices, smart cards, mobile phones, laptops that can be recharged in a matter of minutes when plugged into the mains.

“We want to find the optimal method for low-cost and large-scale production of graphene supercapacitors with high performance.

“When ready, this technology can be embedded in the car body panels to store a large amount of power supporting the traditional Li-ion batteries and extending the range between recharges.

“This technology is highly sought also by railway companies to store braking energy in their electric trains and by energy companies to store solar energy.

The project team also includes Professor Peter Talbot, Professor Jose Alarco, Professor Geoffrey Will, Professor Chen Yang, Associate Professor Anthony O’Mullane, Dr Jennifer MacLeod from QUT and dr Meinan Lui, Dr Fangmin Ze, Dr Xinyi Zhang from Suzhou Chinese Academy of Science.

COVER FEATURE

Bucher Municipal adds Vacuum Tankers

JHL RECycler

to its range of world class machines Leading Australian refuse and street sweeping equipment manufacturer Bucher Municipal continues to go from strength-to-strength, thanks to the recent acquisition of world-renowned vacuum tanker manufacturer JHL by Bucher's global parent company.

The acquisition, which was formalised in Australia in July, has seen Bucher Municipal's Australian equipment offering expanded to include a range of state-of-the-art vacuum tanker units to suit a variety of applications.

From its humble beginnings in Silkeborg, Denmark in 1915, J. Hvidtved Larsen (JHL) gained a global reputation as a manufacturer of high quality, technologically advanced truck mounted Vacuum Tanker units. JHL machines are currently sold throughout Central Europe, the U.K., North America and Australia.

With its high quality product portfolio, strong management team and a long and proud history stretching back over a century, JHL presented as an excellent acquisition for Bucher Municipal’s global business.

10

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Speaking about the JHL acquisition, David Waldron, Managing Director with Bucher Municipal, commented: "We're very excited about the new vacuum tanker range. We see it as a major step forward for the Bucher Municipal business throughout Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, with over 54 JHL units already in operation across Australia and New Zealand, we believe that the vacuum tanker business will become a significant part of our overall business."

Headquartered in Sydney, the JHL Australian subsidiary was integrated into the existing local Bucher Municipal business during July. The JHL Vacuum Tanker business will broaden the existing Refuse and Street Sweeping product offering from Bucher Municipal which will provide Municipalities and Contractors with the ability to source all of their equipment and after-sales requirements for hard garbage, liquid waste/drain cleaning and street cleansing applications from the one supplier.

COVER FEATURE

JHL CityFlex

"We believe that the vacuum tanker market is a natural extension of our hard garbage and street sweeping business," David Waldron added.

"Thanks to the JHL acquisition, we're now able to provide our customers with quality equipment solutions across all three market segments, and this will deliver significant benefits in terms of centralising their equipment supply and servicing requirements."

Bucher Municipal boasts an impressive product range to support the Australian waste Industry and holds market leading positions in all segments that it participates. From Compact Sweepers, through to Truck Mounted and Specialist Sweepers, Bucher Municipal has something to offer from the world leading brands of Johnston and Beam.

On the refuse equipment front, the locally produced Bucher Municipal refuse machine range includes Static Compactors, Side, Front and Rear Loaders - with a size to suit every application.

The newly added JHL vacuum tanker range features a choice of three models, including the compact CityFlex machine, as well as the larger FlexLine (a combination jetting / vacuum unit) and the RECycler (a combination jetting / vacuum unit which recycles water, allowing it to stay on station longer).

Designed with a focus on quality performance and maximum productivity, the JHL vacuum tankers have gained and enviable reputation for outstanding performance in the field; no matter whether the operation requires jetting, sludge removal, water recycling or a

JHL FlexLine

combination of all three operations.

All JHL products are made using the highest quality components and workmanship and will be backed 24/7 by the Bucher Municipal after-sales organisation across Australia and New Zealand.

Focus on Customer Service Side by side with its expanded product offering, Bucher Municipal also continues to invest in innovative customer service initiatives, providing fully-integrated after-sales support through its five state-of-the-art customer service centres.

David Waldron explained: "The Bucher Municipal business is built on the three pillars of Quality, Innovation and Customer Service. While the quality of the equipment and its performance in the field is usually the primary consideration for most people when selecting equipment, we believe that after-sales service and support is also a critical factor. It's also a key component in building ongoing relationships with our clients. After all, they need to be confident that they can rely on our people as well as our products."

"With that in mind, we place a strong emphasis on working with our clients to help them build their businesses by not only providing them with reliable innovative equipment solutions that boost productivity, but also giving them the after-sales service and support to ensure that their equipment will continue to perform," he said.

"Needless to say, our extensive established national networks - with sales,

service and parts support - are a key benefit in terms of being able to provide service and support to our clients across the country," David Waldron added.

Supporting Australian Manufacturing

Importantly, whilst many manufacturing companies are leaving our shores, Bucher Municipal continues to invest in its local operations with new products, robotic technology and a strong training program for their highly valued employees.

Bucher Municipal has been manufacturing equipment in Australia for 65 years and its local manufacturing operations are supported by over 400 local Australian suppliers which helps generate a vast number of jobs in the manufacturing sector.

"For over six decades Bucher Municipal has been the leading provider of locally produced equipment for the Australian waste industry," David Waldron said.

"Over those years, our focus has always been the same - to produce the best machines in the market, with a strong design emphasis on safety, innovation, operator functionality, reliability, durability and whole-of-life cost."

"Needless to say, our goal now is to emulate the success we've had building a market leading position in refuse trucks and street sweeping equipment, and repeat it with vacuum trucks," he said.

"While we'll initially be importing fully built-up equipment on European chassis, our future intention is to start building the units up in our factory here. This will not only enable Bucher Municipal to offer full chassis flexibility, it will also help to reduce equipment supply lead times," David Waldron added.

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

11

COVER FEATURE

control system with 10” touch screen • improved user interface provides greater operator productivity

Safety:

UrBin Series II Rear Loader

Increased hopper volumes, faster bin lifts & higher compaction!

Together with the introduction of three new truck-mounted vacuum tankers, Bucher Municipal has unveiled its new UrBin Series II Rear Loader range including a light-weight compact variant to suit low GVM chassis.

The UrBin (Universal Rear loading Bin lifter) Series II Rear is designed to be more Powerful, Stronger, Faster, Quieter and more efficient than any of its predecessors. Available in a choice of six body configurations ranging from 6 to 24 cubic metres, and with three versatile bin-lifter options, the UrBin Series II Rear Loader is ideal for use in a range of applications from parks and garden collections to commercial, industrial and hard waste collection.

The UrBin Series II enhancements focus on four key areas, namely:

• large 10” screen provides greater vision of camera views • 4 camera split-view capability for improved safety vision • integrated camera recording available for capturing incidents • Safety interlocks and emergency stops both in-cab and on the tailgate • Large viewing windows and safety guards provide for safe bin lifter operation

Reliability: • new hydraulic cylinder and valve design delivers improved control, accuracy and reliable operation • new electrical control system provides greater reliability and less downtime during service The new UrBin Lite model has been specifically designed to suite low GVM chassis for light weight applications that require a 2T payload. The UrBin Lite combines the features and performance of the regular UrBin unit with a light weight body and specially built light weight eject blade.

Durability: • body and tailgate designed for increased strength and durability • full length Domex slide channels provide greater strength and durability • designed to provide a longer working life with lower maintenance costs

Productivity: • lighter body and tailgate delivers greater payload capacity • improved geometry on sweep blade provides better compaction • grease points on slide and sweep blades now more accessible for easier maintenance • revised clamp bar design on wide comb now able to manage a greater variety of bins • state-of-the-art ‘Bucher iQ’ CANBus 12

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Specifically designed for sweeping in urban areas, the C401 sweeper delivers outstanding sweeping productivity and performance. Heavy-duty suction power and payloads of up to 5,000kg with 10,5000kg GVM (and 2,000kg with 7,500kg GVM with options), are combined with a patented 4-wheel steer system as standard, to provide capacity and agility without compromise.

Comfortable in heavy-duty cleansing environments and crowded streets, the C401 easily cleans the inner-city environment. The front-facing brushes can access hard-to-reach areas, and the combination of fingertip control and excellent visibility of the brushes and the nozzle, delivers sweeping manoeuvrability comparable to much smaller sweepers.

The unique low-level twin front brush is designed to effortlessly sweep inside corners and hammer heads. Additionally, the reverse sweeping function (shuffle button) and the ability to bring both brushes together, means that all of the debris can be cleaned away easily, without the need for a third front brush. The C401's 2650mm sweeping width, enables it to reach debris 815mm outside of the compact chassis, while the independently adjustable brush pressure and variable brush speed (which is standard), reduces brush wear on a daily sweep, or allows for a deep clean in areas of heavy compacted material.

With the 4.1m³ hopper and an optional water recirculation feature, the C401 achieves increased on-station working and reduces 'tip runs', enhancing productivity and reducing running costs.

ABOUT BUCHER MUNICIPAL

Upgraded C401 Mid-Range Sweeper Bucher Municipal is also set to launch a new upgraded version of the Johnston C401 Compact Sweeper during September. Available in a choice of 7,500kg or 10,500kg GVM capacities, the C401 mid-size sweeper delivers the best of both worlds - combining compact manoeuvrability with heavy-duty suction performance.

Bucher Municipal is a leading provider of equipment to the Australian waste industry and boasts an impressive product range of refuse and street sweeper equipment. The Australian operation is a privately owned subsidiary of the Bucher Municipal Division who forms a part of the Bucher Industries Group. Bucher Industries is a publicly listed and Swiss based Industrial Group with a global reach and a long and distinguished history dating back to 1807. Every Bucher Municipal machine is application engineered, manufactured in Victoria, Australia and supported by an after sales team that operates 24/7, 365 days a year.

For further information, either scan the QR Code or visit: www. buchermunicipal.com.au

See the video of the Reverse Smart AEB in action: www.reversesmart.com.au/how-does-it-work

The state-of-the-art Reverse Smart AEB system has been speciďŹ cally designed to reduce the incidents of large vehicles or mobile plant impacting workers or objects while reversing.

1

By providing an additional level of protection, including an engineering control that can stop the vehicle by automatically applying the brakes, the Reverse Smart system can signiďŹ cantly reduce the risk of impacts, injuries and workplace fatalities.

2

Step 1 : Object detected while reversing. Step 2 : Vehicle continues to reverse towards object. Step 3 : Reverse Smart AEB system automatically applies the brakes and stops the vehicle.

For further information, or to arrange a demonstration, please visit:

www.a1reversingsystems.com.au or contact Davin Hamnett Ph: 0419 177 199

or A1 Reversing Systems Pty Ltd Ph: 03 9765 9444

3

RECYCLING

SOLAR PANEL RECYCLER LEADS AUSTRALIA IN EMERGING INDUSTRY Australia's only solar panel recycling company is looking to scale up production as the number of broken and end of life systems mounts.

Adelaide-based Reclaim PV has teamed up with major solar panel manufacturers who distribute in Australia and is refining its processes as well as lobbying for panels to be included in recycling regulations.

The company was started by Clive Fleming and David Galloway in 2014 and was spun out of Solar Maintenance and Renewable Technologies (SMART), which they launched in South Australia in 2011.

“We saw the need for the maintenance of solar. We saw a lot of sales happening but not a lot of after sales stuff, there was a vacant space,” Fleming said.

“From there we saw a demand for recycling – we were removing a lot of modules from roofs and we were left with a big pile of about 600 panels.”

Recycled panels are not recirculated, they are dismantled using a Pyrolysis process developed to remove glues and recover glass, aluminium, solar cells and contacts.

“We’re trying to value add to the cells so they can be reused – not as solar panels - but in new self powered products,” Fleming said.

Solar panels generally have a 20 or 25-year warranty but a small percentage of the 23 million solar panels installed in Australia are damaged due to installation or transport handling faults, or develop new faults each year.

Galloway and Fleming are working with the a leading Australian research facility to get more value out of the recycled solar cells and streamline the dismantling process.

They conservatively estimate 100,000 to 150,000 panels a year need replacing in Australia.

“It’s not as simple as finding solar panels that are broken and recycling them, there are undiagnosed systems out there and all these solar installation companies are now 14

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

turning to servicing and that’s bringing in more diagnoses,” Fleming said.

“It’s going to be steady for the next 15 years and then it’s going to ramp up into the millions every year needing to come off the roofs.”

“I think because it’s PV, people want to recycle anyway - people who buy solar panels are generally concerned about the environment.”

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive regulates the treatment of electrical and electronic waste at the end of its life cycle in Europe. Solar panels were added to the directive in 2012.

“PV Recycling in Europe have been recycling for seven or eight years so they’ve brought that awareness to these manufacturers who are operating in Australia as well as Europe,” Fleming said.

Australian CleanTech Managing Director John O’Brien said official protocols around the recycling of PV solar panels would become increasingly important in the coming years as millions of panels came to the end of their useful life.

"There’s a great business opportunity there if government signals that in good time,” he said.

“The big providers will need a local smart company to go and pick them up, process them and do good things with them so certainly it’s going to be huge.”

A report released in June predicts solar panel waste could total 78 million tonnes globally by 2050.

The Australian Government’s National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme was established in 2011 to provide householders and small businesses with access to industry-funded collection and recycling services for televisions and computers. The regulations require importers and manufacturers of televisions, computers and computer products to fund and implement recycling of their products.

Galloway said including solar panels in the regulations would be a great benefit.

“We are looking for industry and government support at this point to reach a critical mass so the feedstock is enough to offset the costs,” he said.

“It’s a new industry in Australia, the manufacturers see it as a cost, which it is, so we’ve got to work in with that. We’ve got to give them a value added service, which is why SMART is associated with it.

“We’re also working with each state government to try and get infrastructure in each state so they can change the e-waste legislation to make it illegal to send PV panels to landfill.”

Reclaim PV is refining its processes and hopes to establish collection and dismantling centres across Australia before the end of the year. The company will also continue to work with Tier One panel suppliers such as SunPower, Canadian Solar, Suntech, ReneSola and Yingli, with more manufacturers partnering soon.

“It’s industry led at the moment, they know the problems and they know where it’s headed. It’s just a matter of getting it to the point where it can be facilitated on all fronts,” Galloway said.

“We are setting up an industry stewardship, which will then hopefully lead in to a program that’s run by the government and also the legislative changes need to be made in each state as well.

“We’re trying to set it up now so there’s an easy gradient into it so that when it becomes a big problem the infrastructure is there.

“If we don’t and it escalates and we have to look to catch up to a waste problem, which came out of a good green carbon offsetting initiative.”

South Australia leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and rooftop solar with renewable sources accounting for more than 40 per cent of the electricity generated in the state.

RECYCLING

BATTERY RECYCLING TRIAL IN TOOWOOMBA A voluntary trial focusing on rechargeable batteries recycling is underway in southern Queensland.

The two-month collection trial is taking place in Toowoomba with battery collections running until 5 September. It is part of the ongoing development of a national voluntary rechargeable battery program led by the Queensland Government.

Environment Minister, Steven Miles, said the trial was free of charge and involved the collection partners: • the University of Southern Queensland; • Officeworks; • Bunnings; • Battery World; • Betta Electrical; • IGA; • Lifeline; • BCF; • Super Cheap Auto;

• Trade Tools; and • the Toowoomba Regional Council transfer stations at Kleinton, Pittsworth and Wellcamp.

Dr Miles said the trial was co-funded by EHP, which contributed $40,000. Members of a Battery Industry Working Group, including Panasonic, Energizer, Duracell, Canon, Battery World, Officeworks and Toshiba, each contributed $1500.

The Minister said Toowoomba was selected for the recycling trial as the region was a “greenfields” area where few battery collection programs had occurred.

“We have received overwhelming support for this trial and I congratulate and thank the partners who provided collection sites.

“The trial is not only intrinsically good for the environment; it will give us useful data on how willing people are to separate rechargeable from non-rechargeable batteries, how they use different collection

methods and collection points, and the effectiveness of our public messages about recycling rechargeable batteries.”

Dr Miles said all rechargeable batteries collected during the Toowoomba trial would be recycled.

“Some can be recycled in Australia while others need to be exported for recycling, with this done under strict conditions.”

Dr Miles said Australia Post (Star Track), Planet Ark and MRI Recycling - the team that successfully delivered a power tool battery trial in Brisbane from September 2015 to June 2016 - had been contracted for the logistics, communication and recycling of rechargeable batteries during the trial.

“Industry’s commitment to this initiative ensures a successful trial that will deliver important information to develop a national stewardship program that will provide a convenient and cost-effective way for people to recycle old batteries.”

Reduce labour time and increase productivity across all models Ideal for leaf and litter collection for councils, land fill sites, transfer stations, schools, cleaning contactors, facility managers.

Littermaster Diesel or petrol models, 5 hours run time per fuel tank,9000cfm airflow, Appliedclean Cleansing 1/2 no fan wear/snagging, fan system 400 litre capacity, collects waste in biodegradable 400 lire bags , 10 metre 203mm vacuum hose and alloy wand stainless steel body, fit to trailer or utility tray.

WBV 240 2 stroke Husqvarna engine,4 hours run time per fuel tank, 125mm vacuum hose and wand,2400 cfm of air flow adjustable hand throttle control, collects in to 240 litre Wheelie bin, ergonomic trolley with swivel castor, washable filter bag.

Glutton 2411 Electric/Battery operated zero emissions , 54 dba ,2650 cfm of air flow, 10 hour runtime, collects waste into 240 litre wheelie bin, self propelled, 24 square meter of filter filtering to 1 micron, on board smart charger, charge from 240 volt 10 amp power points.

 1300 333 ACS (1300 333 227)

www.appliedcleansing.com.au

RECYLING

CASH BACK FOR DRINK CONTAINERS TO HELP RECYCLING The WA State Government will introduce a container deposit scheme for drink bottles and cans to help improve recycling and reduce littering in Western Australia.

Under the scheme, consumers will be able to get a 10 cent refund on containers usually seen as litter, such as beer cans and bottles, soft drinks, bottled water, small flavoured milk drinks, sports drinks and spirit-based mixed drinks.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett said community desire for a container deposit scheme was very strong, which should lead to high participation. It was expected the scheme would start in mid-2018.

The 10 cent refund will be available from reverse vending machines and collection depots at parks, beaches and other public spaces across Western Australia.

“Drinks containers are commonly littered, which is not only unsightly, but can cause

environmental harm. With a 10 cent refund available, there is a greater incentive to recycle as everyone can benefit from doing the right thing,” Mr Barnett said.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the scheme would complement WA’s recycling culture.

“It will benefit charities, sporting groups and community groups by allowing them to profit by participating in large-scale recycling activities. It’s a win for the environment, jobs, the community and the recycling industry,” Mr Jacob said.

“I have been persuaded by the success of schemes in other States and Territories.

South Australia records higher recycling rates than any other State and significantly less beverage container litter and WA has the highest percentage of drinks containers

in our litter. I believe a scheme will make a big difference in this State.”

The State Government is committed to reducing waste and litter across all waste streams. The container deposit scheme will complement the Western Australian Waste Strategy: Creating the right environment and the Litter Prevention Strategy for Western Australia 2015-2020.

Other reforms include increases in the landfill levy, bigger fines for littering and illegal dumping, the Better Bins system for households and the Recycled Construction Products Program.

QUICK FACTS • South Australia’s litter stream has only 2.2% drink containers, compared with 13.2% in WA • The cost of the container deposit scheme will be built into the retail price of the packaged beverage • New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory are also introducing container deposit schemes

PRODUCT FOCUS

Smart Sinks™ creator, Craig Hanson, demonstrating the latest, mobile Smart Sinks Filtration Bin version of the system.

Smart Sinks' patented filtration unclogs industry Disposal of liquid waste from a range of industries - especially waste containing solid residues - is difficult, costly and can sometimes cause unexpected damage. Craig Hanson, the inventor of the Smart Sinks™ filtration system, noticed that when he was working as a carpenter/ builder, he was often called on to repair or replace cupboards around sinks, particularly those used with filters such as plaster traps in dental laboratories.

“Dental nurses and lab technicians would regularly complain to me that emptying plaster traps was a smelly, messy job,” Hanson said.

“I also saw a lot of incorrectly fitted traps which would leak over the cabinets.”

Hanson developed a patented solution to remove particulate waste from cleaning water so that the solids can be disposed of in a bin or skip, leaving clean, potable water that can be released to the drainage system. As part of his demonstration of the effectiveness of Smart Sinks™, Hanson fills a glass with water from the final filtration stage and drinks it. The company's multi-stage filtration and collection system completely eliminates fine matter from entering normal liquid waste disposal areas.

The Smart Sinks™ system is a versatile and flexible system designed and manufactured in Australia. The latest version is the Smart Sinks Filtration Bin, a fully mobile system suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. This unit is ideal for tradespeople needing to clean equipment when working in highrise construction sites or remote locations. Based on a standard 18

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

'wheelie bin', it comes with its own water supply that is recirculated back through the unit making it very environmentally friendly. They can also be used in conjunction with a 'wet vac' when cutting concrete or using a hole saw; the wet vac is emptied into the Smart Sinks Filtration Bin and solid waste is separated from the waste water.

In order for the Smart Sinks™ sediment filtration system to be patented, the design incorporates three disposable bags, a valve and visual indicators that simplify the use of the system. The filtration bags concentrate the solid material so that the bags from each of the three stages of filtrations can be simply lifted out and disposed of as standard rubbish. The primary filter collects up to 92 per cent of waste material, with subsequent filters ensuring that all waste is removed.

Smart Sinks™ can be used to dispose of trade waste from professions such as plastering, tiling, concreting and rendering, and other industries that potentially release pipe blocking solid waste into the environment through our waterways, sewerage and drainage systems.

In addition to helping protect the environment, Smart Sinks™ can also save money. Blocked pipes are expensive to maintain and can cause lost productivity and costly repairs when associated cabinetry is damaged. Failure to comply with local government waste disposal laws and water authority guidelines can lead to large fines being imposed.

Other models available range from a standard 450 mm built-in bench top unit through to various stand alone modules for use in laboratory applications and workplace situations.

For further information, please contact: Leslie Hanson, Smart Sinks, Ph:07 5488 4154, Email: Leslie@smartsinks.com.au or visit: www.smartsinks.com.au to see the Smart Sinks in action.

ABOUT SMART SINKS Smart Sinks™ is a Queensland-based manufacturer of stainless steel sink filtration systems designed to collect particulates from waste water. The solids are collected via three disposable bags which prevent the waste from entering the water system. Smart Sinks™ also reduce ongoing maintenance costs associated with traditional under sink filters.

Three models of Smart Sinks™ are available: Bench Mounted, Mobile and Tradie.

Each is designed to suit particular working environments including dental labs, body shops, art studios, nurseries and building sites.

Smart Sinks™ proudly carry the Australian Made logo.

LEFT: Muddy water converted to clean, water using to the patented Smart Sinks™ filtration system

Have you lost track of your rubbish bins?

Introducing Australia's dedicated bin mapping and monitoring app and dashboard to map, monitor and maintain every bin and waste management asset deployed within your waste management region.

Using the power of GPS location, dynamic dashboards, graphical reports and supplier information, Mapmybins has been created to provide you with deep insights to every rubbish bin deployed in an area, town or city.

Map every single bin, in real time Features include:

 

Map location, address and GPS information of every bin asset



Manage and record all waste streams including general waste and types of recycling



Collect information, images and historical information of your waste assets



Manage your maintenance fleet in real time with photos, date stamps and comments

  

Access detailed and historical reports

Capture data including type of bins, sizes, styles and manufacturer

Access from any web enabled browser or via the app Australian based support and help desk

mapmybins

The platform enables waste managers to not only maintain accurate records of the waste management assets but ensure maintenance issues are reported clearly and accurately in real-time.

Mapmybins is brought to you by Solar Bins Australia, Australia's dedicated smart waste company.

Visit www.mapmybins.com.au

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Gullen Range Wind Farm near Canberra.

Photo courtesy of ARENA.

CO-LOCATED WIND AND SOLAR TO PRODUCE MORE RELIABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY Australia’s first large-scale solar farm to be co-located with wind turbines will be built near Canberra in a development designed to deliver more reliable, cheaper renewable energy.

A 10 megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant will be built adjacent to the existing Gullen Range Wind Farm, laying the groundwork for more solar plants to be built alongside wind farms and helping large-scale solar costs to fall faster.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $9.9 million support for New Gullen Range Wind Farm Pty Ltd (NGRWF) to develop and construct the $26 million project.

NGRWF is jointly owned by Beijing and Jingneng Clean Energy (75 per cent) and Goldwind Capital Australia (25 per cent).

Goldwind has developed the project up until obtaining a development approval. Moving forward, it will be constructed, owned and operated by NGRWF. ARENA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ivor Frischknecht, said solar and wind were complementary sources of renewable energy that produced power at different times of the day and year.

“Co-location provides more continuous energy generation, as wind farms tend to generate more energy overnight whilst solar only generates during the day. Gullen Wind Farm generates more power in winter and the new solar farm will generate more in summer,” Mr Frischknecht said.

“Wind farm owners across Australia could benefit from adding solar plants to their existing sites. Developers can save money on grid connection, approvals and site development costs by co-locating wind and solar plants, whilst also reducing environmental impacts.

“NGRWF estimates the potential co-location savings for the Gullen Range Solar Farm could be as high as $6 million, representing a 20 per cent drop in total project cost.

Mr Frischknecht said there was huge potential to adopt this approach at other wind farms.

“An ARENA-supported study found there’s an estimated 1,000 MW of potential opportunities to add solar PV alongside existing wind farms – enough to power 700,000 homes. We expect this to more than double by 2020 in line with Australia’s renewable energy target.”

Mr Frischknecht said Gullen Range Solar Farm could show colocation was the cheapest way to construct large-scale solar and would be a key impetus for encouraging future projects.

“This is the first project of its type in Australia, so the lessons learned will be invaluable. It has the potential to provide a blueprint for future projects and cement industry confidence in the approach.

“It could also unlock new markets for medium-scale solar PV projects, because scale isn’t as important for competitiveness when plants are co-located.”

The project is scheduled for completion in July 2017, with two years of knowledge sharing activities to follow.

NEW NSW SOLAR FARMS WIN APPROVAL Four solar farms capable of powering more than 56,000 New South Wales homes with renewable energy have been approved for construction across the state.

Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, said the new solar farms were expected to create more than 330 construction jobs and save 342,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas being produced a year.

Mr Stokes said the new farms, which would produce 357,000 megawatt hours of electricity and have more than 500,000 solar panels between them, would increase electricity supply for communities around NSW. “We want to make people’s lives better through good planning and these projects will increase electricity capacity, cut greenhouse emissions and create jobs for local communities.”

The approved solar farm projects will be located at: • White Rock Solar Farm at Glen Innes in the northern tablelands; • Griffith Solar Farm, southeast of Griffith in the state’s south west; • Riverina Solar Farm, also southeast of Griffith; and • Parkes Solar Farm near Parkes in the central west.

20

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

THREE NEW WIND FARMS FOR REGIONAL VICTORIA A $650 million windfarm near Dundonnell in Victoria’s south west has been given approval by the State Government.

The 96-turbine windfarm is expected to create 300 direct and indirect jobs during construction, and up to 16 positions when operational.

It will generate 1,000 gigawatts of clean energy per year; enough to power about 140,000 homes and will save an estimated 700,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

The permit approval for the windfarm follows a thorough Environment Effects Statement process that recommended conditions to minimise potential impacts on wildlife, such as reducing overall turbine numbers and buffer zones around wetlands.

Victoria’s Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, said the government had streamlined windfarm approvals early last year and revived Victoria’s renewable industry.

“Windfarms are expected to attract $35 billion worth of investment nationally by 2020, which is great for jobs, the environment and protecting our way of life,” said Mr Wynne.

The 19 July announcement of the Dundonnell project followed news that windfarms to be built at Mount Gellibrand and Kiata would bring forward $220 million of new investment and create hundreds of jobs.

The bigger of those two projects is the Mount Gellibrand Wind Farm – it will be located 25 kilometres east of Colac on Victoria’s Western Plains.

The wind farm will be constructed around the southern and western sides of Mt Gellibrand. It is being developed by global renewable company, Acciona Energy.

The wind farm will comprise 44 x AW3000 3MW turbines and is expected to be completed by March 2017. Its energy production will be equivalent to 100,000 households.

The second wind farm being developed by Windlab will be constructed near Kiata in Victoria’s Wimmera region and will comprise 13 turbines. It will provide enough clean energy to power more than 20,000 homes.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, said Acciona Energy and Windlab had strong track records of maximising local benefits from their projects.

Ms D’Ambrosio said the State Government would buy renewable energy certificates for its electricity use direct from new Victorian projects, with the initiative potentially saving Victoria up to $67 million over 10 years.

“We can build a strong, sustainable renewable energy industry that powers our broader economy, creates well paid jobs and reduces our environmental impact.”

See the latest in sensor-based sorting technology from STEINERT

[

steinert.com.au

]

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

21

RENEWABLE ENERGY

PROJECT PROPOSALS SHOW SHRINKING COST OF BIG SOLAR The cost of constructing large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in Australia is quickly falling as momentum in the sector builds, according to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

ARENA’s large-scale solar PV competitive funding round closed in mid-June – it received 20 eligible applications. The proposals sought $211 million funding towards $1.6 billion worth of projects with 757 megawatts of total capacity.

Agency CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, said it had supported Australia’s first large-scale solar PV projects and was now spurring on the next generation of plants.

“ARENA is playing a vital role providing bridge funding for projects that will make large-scale solar PV more competitive by increasing confidence and building supply chains,” Mr Frischknecht said.

“Our funding round has already reduced costs through competitive tension and encouraged a portfolio of new Australian solar plants to proceed to more advanced stages of planning and development.

“Moree Solar Farm and AGL’s Nyngan and Broken Hill plants needed around $1.60 in ARENA funding per watt. The funding requirement for new projects fell to 43 cents per watt in the expression-of-interest phase of our funding round in November last year.

“The need fell again by more than a-third to an average of 28 cents per watt in the full applications. This clearly demonstrates how quickly large-scale solar PV costs are falling supported by ARENA funding.”

Mr Frischknecht said this had resulted in rising confidence, lower finance costs and a more supportive market for power purchase agreements.

But he emphasised that despite the impressive cost reductions, substantial commercial hurdles remained for developing large-scale solar PV projects.

“Doing something the first few times is always harder and more expensive, and building large-scale solar PV plants is no exception.

“We arranged a knowledge sharing forum for existing ARENA-supported developers to pass on their experience to the new shortlisted developers, fostering collaboration, sharing solutions to common problems and advancing the industry as a whole.

“And growth in the local large-scale solar PV sector will provide a significant boost for Australia’s regional economy, with our competitive funding round estimated to create upwards of 1,000 new jobs in construction, manufacturing and civil engineering.”

Mr Frischknecht said ARENA had worked with state governments and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which would be providing debt financing in developing this funding round.

Detailed due diligence and merit assessment analysis of the 20 applications is now being undertaken. ARENA expects to announce the successful projects in September.

RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS FOR VICTORIA By 2020, 25 per cent of electricity generated in Victoria will come from renewable energy under targets set by the State Government.

And by 2025, that percentage will rise to an estimated 40 per cent.

Premier, Daniel Andrews, and Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, announced the targets in mid-June while marking the arrival of the first turbine blades at the Ararat Wind Farm.

They said it was anticipated that by 2025, up to 5,400 megawatts of new large-scale renewable energy capacity would be built in Victoria - representing an estimated $2.5 billion of investment in the state. That translated to more than 4,000 additional jobs in the renewable energy sector during the expected peak year of construction in 2024, and around a 12 per cent reduction in electricity sector greenhouse emissions by 2034-35.

“We’ve developed renewable energy targets that generate thousands of new 22

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

jobs, particularly in regional Victoria, while also cutting Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

Premier Andrews also announced an auctions scheme - running a series of technology-neutral auctions, as well as solar auctions - which would see project developers compete to be the lowest cost provider. Under the scheme, successful bidders would be given long-term contracts to support their projects, providing certainty for investors.

Mr Andrews said there was great potential for large-scale solar to become a mainstream source of energy across Australia over the next decade, thanks to its generation and energy demand, rapid advances in technology and decreasing costs.

He said the government would work with the renewable energy industry, electricity networks and retailers, and consumer groups to refine the details of the

scheme, with the first auction of contracts to begin next year. Separate auctions would be held for large-scale solar projects.

“Growing renewable energy means growing jobs, and we want a big boost to both in Victoria.

“The world is shifting to renewable energy - it creates jobs, drives growth, and protects our environment - and Victorians want to be at the forefront of that.”

COMPANY PROFILE

VAC Group

Innovative Underground Asset Solutions When it comes to excavation work, one of the biggest risks facing contractors, councils and authorities alike, is that of damaging underground assets. And the more built up or established the area is, the greater the risk of accidental damage.

While it's easy to assume that in this day and age we would have accurate data relating to the exact location of all underground assets and infrastructure - especially in our major capitals and regional centres - nothing could be further from the truth. Together with issues arising from incorrect initial placement or mapping of infrastructure and underground services (with problems sometime occurring many decades ago), other factors including

Designed and built by VAC Group, the company operates, Australia's largest fleet of Vacuum Excavation trucks.

24

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

changes in responsible authorities, lost plans, ambiguous data, data transfer errors, undocumented additions and modifications to services, and even instances of obsolete infrastructure simply being buried and forgotten about, excavation works can often be a case of trying to pick your way through an unknown maze of underground assets.

Even with services such as 'Dial Before You Dig', the information provided is only as accurate as the available recorded data, and in many instances, the data is inaccurate or incomplete... and that can spell disaster.

Put simply, if a contractor, council or authority damages an underground asset as a result of being unwittingly provided incorrect

asset location data, matters of blame and responsibility are of little consequence. The result, including the inconvenience and/ or hazard created and of course, the often significant cost of repair and reinstatement, is the same.

With that in mind, Australian underground asset protection specialists, VAC Group, has developed an array of innovative systems and services to accurately pinpoint and, if need be, excavate around all manner of underground assets.

"Identifying and excavating underground assets and infrastructure has always been a major challenge, especially when working in built-up areas," said Neil Costello, VAC Group's Director Strategy & Market Development.

"One wrong move during excavation can, quite literally, end up costing a fortune - not to mention the potential danger and widespread disruption that can result if a main is accidentally damaged."

"When we first formed VAC Group in 2000, the concept of accurately locating underground utilities and vacuum excavation was largely unknown in engineering and construction circles. Companies simply relied on available maps and plans to locate underground assets," he continued.

"We knew there had to be a better way of accurately locating these assets and, once they were found, safely excavating around them. We sought out the best available technologies - some of which had been

COMPANY PROFILE

previously used for space exploration and meteorological applications - and adapted them to suit our underground survey and mapping requirements. We used the individual technologies as a starting point for our own R&D program, developing and combining a range of methodologies to produce a system capable of producing the levels of accuracy and detail we required," he said.

MAKING THE INVISIBLE, VISIBLE With this innovative scanning and mapping technology at the core of its own Australian designed and built equipment, VAC Group has the technical and scientific capability to identify, locate and protect all types of underground utility infrastructure, including subsurface power lines, water and sewerage pipes, gas lines and telecommunication services.

VAC Group utilises a range of technologies to identify the myriad of materials used in underground utilities, including metal, plastic ABOVE: VAC Group's technology provides a highly detailed 3D map of all subsurface infrastructure, including, in this case, some long-buried tram tracks that were not listed on any drawings.

LEFT: VAC Group's patented vacuum excavation equipment provides a safe, efficient and cost-effective method of excavating around and exposing subsurface assets with an extremely high level of accuracy and reliability.

and concrete pipes, cables, wires (including fibre-optic cables) and conduits, as well as any other hidden subsurface infrastructure.

Technologies used include: • Computer Aided Radar Tomography (CART) the only product in Australia that delivers underground video; • 2-Dimensional Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); • Electro-Magnetic Induction (EMI) scanning • Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) scanning "We make the invisible, visible and so these important underground assets can be protected," Neil Costello said.

Reports are delivered in AutoCAD or Bentley MX drawing format and associated images.

STATE-OF-THE-ART NON-DESTRUCTIVE VACUUM EXCAVATION Once the subsurface assets and utilities have been located and identified, VAC Group can utilise its unique and innovative technology to undertake non-destructive vacuum excavation - another area in which VAC Group has earned an enviable reputation as an industry leader.

In fact, VAC Group has designed, built and now operates, Australia's largest fleet of Vacuum Excavation trucks.

Specifically designed to suit Australian geography and soil conditions, VAC Group's patented vacuum excavation equipment utilises high pressure water combined with vacuum technology to safely remove material from and around water, sewerage and gas pipes, telecommunication lines and any other underground assets. This state-of-the-art equipment provides a safe, efficient and costeffective method of excavating around and exposing subsurface assets with an extremely high level of accuracy and reliability.

Together with its focus on innovation, VAC Group also places a strong emphasis on quality, with its integrated management system certified to AS/NZS 4801:2001 (Health & Safety); AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 (Environment); and AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008 (Quality).

"As a true non-destructive vacuum excavation company, we pride ourselves on our commitment to safety, the protection of the environment and customer service," Neil Costello said. "These are fundamental to the service we deliver to our clients and is pivotal to our motto 'PROTECTING UNDERGROUND ASSETS'," he added.

For further information on VAC Group's full range of services, Ph: 1300 822 834 (24 Hour Service) or visit: www.vacgroup.com.au

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

25

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

HEAT MAPPING TO HELP COOL ADELAIDE ‘HOT SPOTS’ The Cool Places initiative, a plan to help councils in Adelaide’s south manage rising temperatures, and more frequent and intense heat-waves that result from global warming, was launched in mid-June.

The initiative, supported by a $25,000 State Government grant, uses heat mapping of surface temperatures to identify regional “hot spots” that can be cooled by increasing the number and quality of green, open spaces and with smarter urban design.

Urban heat island mapping analyses surface temperature to identify areas where the urban heat island effect is occurring and can be used to prioritise cooling strategies for these locations.

The project saw a light aircraft use GPS technology to take thermal infrared images over Adelaide’s southern suburbs on one

of the hottest days in February 2016 - the images were then used to estimate surface temperature and identify hot spots.

South Australia’s Climate Change Minister, Ian Hunter, said the mapping continued South Australia’s international and national leadership on climate change by providing new information that could be shared across the state and Australia.

“Understanding hot spots in our local communities helps us understand and plan for the impacts of global warming,” Mr Hunter said.

“It also allows us to target green infrastructure to reduce these hots spots doing so creates a win for communities as it creates more liveable communities, helps property values and helps reduce emissions in our communities.

“This is the type of knowledge that will help us achieve our ambitious goal of making the Adelaide CBD the world’s first carbon neutral city.”

The Cool Places initiative is a key action arising from the 2014 Resilient South Regional Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which results from South Australia’s Climate Change Adaptation Framework.

The framework brings together the government, business and industry, environmental and community sectors at a local and regional scale to prepare for climate change impacts.

RESILIENT MELBOURNE STRATEGY TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES Four long-term resilience objectives are at the core of the Resilient Melbourne Strategy initiative - the first resilience strategy produced by an Australian City.

The strategy is the result of the work by more than 1,000 individuals from 230 organisations, Melbourne’s 32 local councils, and many Victorian Government departments.

It is designed to ensure Melbourne can adapt to the future challenges of climate change, rapid population growth and natural disasters. The objectives of the strategy are: • empowering communities to take responsibility for their own and others' wellbeing, safety and health; • creating and sustaining buildings, infrastructure and activity that promote social cohesion, equality of opportunity and health; • providing diverse local employment opportunities that support an adaptable workforce that is ready for the jobs of the future; and • enabling strong natural assets and ecosystems alongside a growing population.

Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle, said the strategy was the result of extensive collaboration between all metropolitan councils.

26

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

"By 2051, it's expected that Melbourne will be Australia's largest city with a population of 7.7 million people.

"To maintain our status as the world's most liveable city, we must be smart about how we prepare for this growth, as well as major shocks and stresses, including natural disasters.

"The Resilient Melbourne Strategy is the first time in our history that metropolitan councils have united on a project to ensure the sustainability, liveability and future prosperity of Melbourne.

"We are stronger and more resilient when we work together. This strategy sets out long-term objectives and immediate actions that councils, organisations and communities can take to build a Melbourne that can continue to thrive."

The prestigious Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities Network supports the Resilient Melbourne initiative.

Mayor of the City of Port Phillip in inner Melbourne, Bernadene Voss, said resilience was the bedrock of strong, connected communities.

“Banding together to address current and future challenges, from urban heat management to providing safe and sustainable travel choices, helps set us all up for success."

Mayor of Wyndham City in Melbourne outer south west, Adele Hegedich said the strategy was an initiative in which Wyndham had been pleased to provide input, particularly with the regard to the impact of population growth and the impact it could can have on liveability.

Stonnington Mayor, Claude Ullin said the city had been at the forefront of progressive public policy which had seen council pursue a 20-year plan to increase public open space.

“This work of ensuring green spaces remain part of a growing population with increased development includes a range of strategic activities such as the undergrounding of car parks to create open space and parkland on top, the promotion of green roofs and walls, extending existing open space and the exploration of new green open space," Mayor Ullin said.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

SYDNEY LORD MAYOR PROMOTES CITY’S SUSTAINABILITY DURING CHINA VISIT The City of Sydney’s credentials in meeting the demands of increasing urban density while maintaining a liveable, sustainable city were showcased at a recent high level meeting of Asia-Pacific economic leaders.

Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, outlined the City’s approach to residential development at the APEC High Level Urbanisation Forum in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China.

Following her speech, the Lord Mayor participated in a panel session with representatives from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Singaporean Ministry of National Development, and the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

“In everything we do, we plan for and factor in environmental sustainability, good community infrastructure, parks and green spaces to maintain a lively social and cultural life for the one million workers, residents, visitors and tourists we service daily,” Ms Moore said.

“Our forward thinking and people-centric approach to planning our city’s future ensures public amenity is properly accounted for and open space properly designed, rather than being the left-over bits of space between buildings.

“We are creating green walkable streets, cycle paths and shops and community facilities within walking distance of people’s homes while preserving their historic character.”

STREET SWEEPINGS & DRAIN WASTE RECYCLING SYSTEMS

Waste Water Management Oz Feb 16.indd 1

The Lord Mayor’s speech and involvement in the APEC Urban Regeneration and Renewal panel occurred during a City-led delegation to Guangzhou.

The delegation celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Sydney-Guangzhou sistercity relationship with a program of events that included a sustainability forum, business summit and cultural exchange.

The Lord Mayor was invited to attend the APEC forum in recognition of the City’s work in urban planning that is sustainable and creates great public amenity.

“The hallmarks of a successful global city are environmental sustainability, good community infrastructure, parks and green spaces, and a lively social and cultural life.

And it’s a place where design excellence guides all development,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Cities have to become more dense if we are to have a sustainable planet. But density will work only when it is supported by open space, community facilities and a healthy social mix.”

cdenviro.com

• Over 85% reduction in landfill • Washed grit suitable as a non- structural fill secondary aggregate • Mobile plant option offers processing at a number of sites • Return on investment within 2 years

01/02/2016 14:52:41

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

27

SPECIAL FEATURE

The time for action on climate change is now

by Mike Ritchie, Director MRA Consulting

The media made a big deal out of ten houses at Collaroy, Sydney slipping into the sea. The Federal Government’s own report has shown that a 1 metre rise in sea level would place up to 247,000 houses at risk.

The iconic photographs of an in-ground swimming pool stranded on a Collaroy Beach recently are a stark reminder of what severe storms and king tides can and will do to our coastline with ongoing sea level rise. The Insurance Council of Australia has said that Australia's recent East Coast storms resulted in an estimated damage bill of $235 million.

But in the overall scheme of things, Collaroy is in fact trivial.

The Commonwealth Government’s National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment (NCVA, 2009) (of which I was a part author) warned that 157,000 - 247,000 individual residential buildings (multi-unit flats are counted as a single dwelling) are at risk with a sea level rise of 1.1 metres by 2100.

This assessment was based on a “bath tub” model (it assumes sea level rises evenly like water in a bath). It therefore ignores the additional effect of storm surges and king tides, which make damage considerably more likely and more prevalent.

The damage to housing alone was estimated at $63b (replacement value in 2008 dollars).

A 2011 follow up report into commercial buildings, industrial precincts and transport infrastructure found a further $226b in coastal assets at risk (also in 2008 dollars). A total of $289 billion in infrastructure losses alone.

This dwarfs the actual $28.6b damage bill from all major floods, tropical cyclones and severe storms that occurred between 1967 and 1999. This represented over 75% of the total cost of natural disasters in Australia during that period.

28

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

A sea level rise of 1.1 metres is a high end scenario. However, even a mid-range scenario of 0.5 metres sea level rise by 2100 sees a sharp increase in storm frequencies and damage.

The National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment also states that events that are currently expected to happen every 10 years will happen every 10 days in 2100. The current 1-in-100 year events (such as Collaroy or the 2007 storms in NSW which caused insurance losses of $1.3b) would happen regularly.

The question is why isn’t the media giving Australians a realistic picture of what the science is telling us. If anything, scientists are now finding that they have underestimated the impact of climate change (not overestimated it as vociferously argued by sceptics).

How many readers knew of the National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment and its follow up reports at both national, State and local government levels?

While I can understand the media’s breathless commentary about Collaroy (the pictures are made for TV), I cannot understand why they don’t paint a picture of what Australia will look like with a 2°C temperature rise, or with a quarter of a million houses threatened by inundation. Do we discount the future that much?

While Australia has always been at the mercy of storms, droughts and floods, the climate science tells us the future will be much more extreme. Many, if not most, low lying houses on the coastal plains and coastal foredunes are now knowingly at risk.

A recent paper in Nature concludes that the actions committed to in Paris do not match Paris agreement goals.

Essentially, the Paris Agreement aim for under 2°C warming cannot be achieved through the plans pledged. The world, including Australia, needs to take much more serious action on abatement of greenhouse gas emissions and on mitigating the risks of sea level rise, storms and floods.

SEWERAGE

THE ULTIMATE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE In the search for new and sustainable energy sources few people realise that there is a energy source flowing beneath the surface of our cities SEWERAGE! This abundant, free energy source remains mostly untapped.

A price on carbon is still the most efficient way to achieve abatement.

I have previously written that with two minor tweaks the Direct Action Safeguard Mechanism could be converted into a viable carbon pricing mechanism.

In respect to mitigating impacts we need to be honest with people. If you own a house or building in the coastal zone, the risk of inundation is rising with the rise in sea level. And it will be very difficult to insure against inundation or the effects of climate change. The Australian insurance industry has also made that clear (NCVA, 2009).

It is time for bipartisan approaches to all related factors: internationally push for global cooperation and action and locally pursue abatement of emissions, mitigation of impacts and importantly communicate the real risks to the Australian community.

ABOUT MRA CONSULTING GROUP MRA Consulting has been voted Australia’s best small consultancy in recycling, waste and carbon four years running (Inside Waste 2013, 14, 15 and 16). MRA provides services to large and small business and all levels of government. The MRA team includes engineers, planners, economists, lawyers and scientists.

MRA and is a national leader in carbon reporting, compliance, planning, approvals and project development.

MRA develops strategies for technology providers, Councils and businesses and delivers tailored commercial advice including economic modelling, market studies and market entry. In addition, MRA provides comprehensive education and consultation services and has a comprehensive audit and waste assessment program.

For further information, please visit: www.mraconsulting.com.au

The “Sharc” is a Waste Heat Recovery & Heat Rejection System suitable for a range of applications including, multi-unit apartments, aged care, hospitals, commercial buildings and district energy.

 Energy savings and primary energy cost reductions  Reduce building CO2 & GHG  Easy Install into New or Existing infrastructure  Trouble free operation & maintenance  Long product life- cycle

HOT WATER SERVICE Using the waste water from the building the Piranha is a self-contained HEAT PUMP specifically designed to extract thermal energy from waste water for Domestic Hot Water Heating.

COP’s of 5.0 for 50-200 Apartments, Aged Care, and Hospitals to produce 7500-15000 litres of Hot Water per Day

www.airsolutions.com.au | info@airsolutions.com.au VIC: 03 9753 2677 | NSW: 02 9979 7299

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

29

GROUNDWATER FEATURE

ANSTO Groundwater researcher, Karina Meredith

Research benefits management of precious groundwater resources Groundwater research at ANSTO - the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation has provided crucial information to support the management of finite groundwater resources appropriately and sustainably. This article, courtesy of ANSTO, looks at the research and how it answers questions about groundwater recharge, groundwater age and dynamics, the interaction between surface water and groundwater, and salinisation.

In undertaking groundwater investigations, environmental isotopes are important tools in tracing and understanding the hydrological cycle, a continuous process in which water is circulated between ocean, atmosphere and land.

Groundwater researcher, Karina Meredith, uses stable and radioactive isotopic techniques in projects across Australia to determine the suitability and sustainability of groundwater resources. This water begins as rainfall or surface water that travelled from the surface to below the ground to become stored in porous soils and rock known as aquifers.

30

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

In research that commenced in 2007, Ms Meredith and co-investigators have measured the isotopic signatures of groundwater and its source waters in projects in the Great Artesian Basin, Darling River Basin, Canning Basin, Perth Basin, Ti Tree Basin (about 150 north of Alice Springs) and other locations.

“There is nothing simple or predictable about the flow and evolution of groundwater – as many factors such as rainfall, temperature, vegetation, land use, soil type, geology, seawater intrusion, and human usage, impact on the available groundwater resource,” said Ms Meredith.

“But we can measure the groundwater chemistry of these resources in our laboratories to provide direct information about how the groundwater has interacted in the water cycle.”

The source of groundwater replenishment Determining the source of groundwater replenishment or recharge, to the aquifer, is the subject of many of Ms Meredith’s collaborative investigations.

“It is Important to understand the origin of water, where the water has been sourced, whether it has come from a rainfall

GROUNDWATER FEATURE

event, from surface water, such as a lake, whether it has mixed with other groundwater in a confined or unconfined system and how it is being replenished,” said Ms Meredith.

18 16 The ratio of isotopes for oxygen ( O/ O) and deuterium (²H/¹H), an isotope of hydrogen, can be used to determine the source of the recharge, especially if the isotopic composition of the source of the water has been studied.

Ms Meredith and co-investigators have established multi-year hydrochemical databases for rainfall and river waters sampled from drought and flood conditions for many catchment areas in Australia. Groundwater data can be plotted against these baselines to confirm the source of recharge.

Research on a semi-arid zone region of the darling River catchment was published in a paper in the Journal of Hydrology in 2015. The groundwater recharge process in semi-arid and arid areas, which characterises 70 per cent of the Australian continent, is complicated by cyclic wetting and drying periods that occur throughout climatic history.

If you are looking at information over a decade, groundwater recharge may not be significant; this is why long-term studies are needed to capture 10-100 year recharge events.

“Without this recharge information we cannot determine how quickly groundwater is being replenished which then allows us to calculate the sustainable volume of usable water within an aquifer,” said Ms Meredith.

Groundwater residence time “Determining the residence time of groundwater, how long it has been isolated from the atmosphere, is also important for estimating groundwater volume and we can do this by measuring radioactive isotopes.

“Typically, groundwater studies commence with the development of a physical flow model to establish how much water there is, the flow path and flow rate and where it is likely to end up in a catchment,” Ms Meredith said.

Flow equations can be used to produce a model, but they are only as good as the input data that goes into constructing them.

“Groundwater flow models cannot always explain all the variation observed in a groundwater system. This is where isotopic analysis can provide validation of the physical models,” said Ms Meredith.

The radioactive decay of a suite of naturally occurring isotopes can be used to determine the groundwater residence time.

Specific isotopes are measured because they are indicative of defined periods in time based on their half-life. For the modern age, krypton, tritium and radon can be used.

Tritium (³H), an isotope of hydrogen that is naturally produced in the atmosphere by cosmic rays, is valuable in understanding modern groundwater recharge within the past 50 years.

“If we want to look at waters older than 1,000 years up to 14 30,000 years, we use radiocarbon, C. Most of our deeper productive groundwater systems were recharged over that timescale,” said Ms Meredith.

How this works is that carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is recharged into the groundwater system, once the water containing the CO² hits the water table radioactive decay is considered to begin.

“Put simply, if you compare the groundwater data with atmospheric data, then you can create groundwater age maps of underground systems.”

Ms Meredith and collaborators used this approach successfully on a project in the West Canning Basin within the Pilbara region of Australia, where they found groundwater estimated at 6,000 years, but they also discovered groundwater that was much older than the physical models could predict.

The groundwater was closer to 30,000 years old.

Ms Meredith points out that although radiocarbon dating works well in the West Canning Basin, its use can be complicated at other sites especially by the presence of ‘dead’ carbon that contains no 14 C within the soil profile.

“You can end up with an increase in dissolved inorganic carbon, which means you need to make a correction to the radiocarbon value.”

There is an increasing level of complexity and parameters in correction models that can be applied especially in arid zone environments.

In order to test their age calculation within an arid zone system to see if all hypothetical dissolution pathways existed, they chose the Darling River Basin.

“We wanted to see how dissolved inorganic carbon evolved in the resultant groundwater, so we measured groundwater before and after a large flood event to see how the groundwater changed after recharge” explained Ms Meredith.

To their surprise, they found geochemical processes not previously accounted for had released inorganic carbon into the groundwater. The results are being published in Geochemica and Cosmochimica Acta.

“Water sediment interaction was leading to an increase in salinity, which then increased the dissolution of carbonate, which goes against what we normally see,” said Ms Meredith.

For groundwaters that are much older, such as those in Australia’s Great Artesian Basin up to millions-of-years-old, isotopes of chlorine and krypton provide an indication of groundwater age.

In addition to extensive groundwater sampling, researchers also sample the surface water, rainfall, soil chemistry, soil gas and vegetation throughout a catchment.

“We do this because it gives us an understanding of the entire water cycle within a groundwater catchment providing clues on groundwater recharge, evaporation rates, and groundwater discharge points.

“Trace element isotopes, such as lithium, strontium and boron, help illuminate more complex hydrochemical processes, such as water sediment reactions, the source of water recharge, mixing of paleowaters and weathering processes,” Ms Meredith said.

But even with expertise in the application of isotopes, it requires a considerable knowledge of geological, hydrological processes which lead to the distribution of these isotopes, biospheric interaction, and atmospheric processes that fractionate these isotopes before you can apply them to a system with confidence.

Groundwater researchers at ANSTO have acquired this expertise over many years in the field and in the lab.

“There are many challenges. Groundwater is a finite resource, but we are making good progress in understanding aquifer replenishment and providing water managers with useful information to guide their decision-making for the future.”

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

31

FOCUS ON WATER

Hinze Dam now 40 years old Hinze Dam – South East Queensland’s third largest water supply dam – marked its 40th anniversary on the weekend of 23-24 July.

The dam was originally constructed in 1976 and now plays a critical role in maintaining the region’s drinking water security.

It was designed for construction in three stages. Stage 1 was completed in 1976, Stage 2 in 1989 and Stage 3 in 2011. The Stage 3 upgrade was undertaken against the backdrop of the worst drought in 100 years.

It raised the dam wall by 15 metres delivering improved flood mitigation to more than 3,000 homes downstream of the dam.

The project almost doubled the dam’s capacity to 310,000 megalitres and the increased capacity means that, when full, it has an extra water supply yield of up to 24 million litres per day or more than 6,000 million litres a year.

Hinze Dam is one of 12 dams across South East Queensland connected to the region’s Water Grid, ensuring a continuous supply of water to more than three million South East Queenslanders and businesses.

Seqwater Chief Executive Officer, Peter Dennis, said the history of the region’s water supply was a fascinating and often dramatic story as engineers and planners worked over the decades to adapt to a rapidly growing population.

“All three stages of construction of Hinze Dam were engineering achievements in their own right – but none more so than Stage 3,” Mr Dennis said.

“Raising the wall of an existing dam, while holding back a significant lake of water and continuing to use it as a key water storage, provided significant engineering, construction and environmental challenges."

Mr Dennis said the water planning challenges continued as Seqwater planned for the region’s water supply needs for the next 30 years.

“The good news is that with the Water Grid and assets like Hinze Dam our region does not require a new source until well beyond 2030. This means we have plenty of time to engage with South East Queenslanders on the right water future.”

New pipeline to secure Broken Hill water supply The final structure of a 270-kilometre pipeline to provide a safe and secure water supply for Broken Hill in the far west of New South Wales will be determined in the near future.

The pipeline is the key feature of a $500 million investment package in the state’s 2016-17 Budget.

It will run from Wentworth on the Victorian border to the Broken Hill water treatment plant. Construction is expected to begin early next year and be completed by late 2018.

Premier, Mike Baird, said funding for the pipeline was the single biggest investment to secure a centre’s water supply in the history of New South Wales.

“Water security has been a constant challenge for Broken Hill since it was founded in 1883. This unprecedented investment will provide a reliable water source for the historic township and surrounding communities for the first time in history.

“Everyone should have access to clean and secure water and this pipeline will provide certainty to businesses and residents to give this region every opportunity to prosper.”

32

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Mr Baird said while the community would be asked to contribute to the cost of the project, the government would ensure any increase in rates was introduced very gradually.

Deputy Premier, Troy Grant, said securing the long-term water supply for Broken Hill would have benefits for communities across the Murray Darling Basin.

“This historic project will have benefits across the Basin as it reduces the need for further buybacks of productive water.”

Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water, Niall Blair, said Menindee was experiencing record-low inflows and the Darling River had been notoriously unreliable.

“This pipeline means the Menindee Lakes can be managed more efficiently to balance the need for productive water and the importance of the lakes for the local community.”

The pipeline was determined after extensive analysis of all possible options against strict economic, environmental and social criteria. It is the centrepiece of the government’s $1 billion Regional Water Security and Supply Fund.

Cost-effective and environmentally responsible solutions for the management and the rehabilitation of dysfunctionnal lagoons

www.aquago.fr

GET 25 YEARS FREE ENERGY with every SUNGO AQUAGO FIXES THE PROBLEMS OF DYSFUNCTIONAL LAGOONS

We now are present and available in Australia !

• Duckweed • Odour Pollution • Purifying Yield • Purple Bacteria • Lagoon in under-load • Lagoon in over-load • Anoxia • Bacteriological thresholds exceeded Certified ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 /OHSAS 18001 / MASE

The AQUAGO® team has designed and developed the SUNGO® and SUBMIX® known as the most efficient and least costly solutions to treat and rectify lagoon dysfunctions while improving their purifying capabilities.

M E D I A C R O B A T •B A R O U X • A B B A S • L TD / 2016

• Reduced maintenance • No connexion to the grid • Total autonomy in solar version • Low energy consumption in electrical version • Optimal mixing capacity • Easy to install on all sites • Robustness and durability • Non resuspension • Non additional mud production • Up to 50% COD / BOD treatment SUNGO is a vertical mixer which allows it to mobilize all of the water column as opposed to a conventional system which mobilizes portions thereof.

Operating principle : WITHOUT AQUAGO NO SURFACE LAMINAR STREAM

SURFACE LAMINAR STREAM

DEPTH

O2 + + +

O2 +

O2 + + +

+ O2 + +

OXYGEN DEPLETION

SUNGO S

Y

S

T

E

M

Autonomous Solar Mixer

Electric Mixer

100% renewable energy

Energy efficient

AQUAGO is a TECHSUB INDUSTRIE ENVIRONNEMENT company O2

O2 - - -

SURFACE LAMINAR STREAM

+ +

TOROÏDAL VORTEX

DEEP LAMINAR STREAM

TOROÏDAL VORTEX

Xavier Delattre - Mobile: +61(0)449 851 971 australia@aquago.fr Melbourne - Australia

FOCUS ON WATER

Water security key to advancing North Queensland economy Water security is one of five priority areas that are key components of a plan to drive economic development in north Queensland.

The Advancing North Queensland: Investing in the future of the north initiative was launched in Townsville in the last week of June by Coralee O’Rourke, the Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland.

Under the water security component, the government’s aim is to ensure the state’s fair share of funding and working to deliver funded projects under the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund.

It also aims to continue to undertake Regional Water Supply Security Assessments, and work with councils at risk of running out of water due to drought.

“We know the best people to have a say in the future of the north are North Queenslanders, and that is why I have been consulting with stakeholders to find out what matters to them,” Minister O’Rourke said.

As well as leading a delegation of North Queensland mayors to Canberra to leverage funding from the White Paper on Developing Northern Australia, Ms O’Rourke has hosted:

• six roundtables with more than 130 local business leaders; • a forum with 40 Mayors in Townsville; and • the Northern Queensland Economic Summit with more than 250 domestic and international investors.

The other priority areas of the initiative are roads, innovation, tourism, and a new stadium to be built in Townsville to diversify and advance the region’s economy.

“These areas are vital to diversifying the north’s economy, creating jobs now and into the future, and seeing the region through the downward turn in the resources sector,” said Ms O’Rourke.

“The Government has already focused heavily on the north, with more than $2.4 billion in infrastructure improvements for the region in the 2016-17 Budget, estimated to support up to 7500 jobs. But we know there is more to be done.

“I will continue to work closely with my Ministerial colleagues in each of these portfolio areas, as well as local and federal government leaders and the community, to deliver for North Queensland.”

Study into water security for South Gippsland

modelling and climate change scenarios to check reliability; and • a 23 kilometre pipeline from Foster extending Victoria’s water grid to include the Yanakie area just north of Wilson’s Promontory.

Minister Neville said the local community would have an opportunity to review the options when the study was completed.

“This is about investigating how best we provide greater water security to an important area of Victoria’s dairy industry.

“The feasibility study will look at practical solutions and report back to the community with options. It also shows the value of the Victorian water grid to provide security to regional communities like Gippsland.”

Funding for the study was made public as Victorian water corporations announced initiatives to help customers deal with the effects of drought and reduced milk prices.

Goulburn Murray Water and Southern Rural Water are implementing delayed payment plans that aim to reduce cash-flow risks to farmers.

A study is being undertaken to investigate options to improve water security for dairy farmers in Victoria’s drought-affected South Gippsland region.

State Minister for Water, Lisa Neville, released details of the $50,000 feasibility study into the construction of a new pipeline for the region while visiting a property in the coastal township of Yanakie.

It will examine long-term water supply options for farmers who are facing the combined impacts of dry conditions and lower-than-expected milk prices.

Among the options, the study will consider: • the best ways to increase on-farm storages, including rainfall run-off 34

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Safeguarding Bendigo against rising groundwater Construction of a pipeline is the key to what the Victorian Government describes as a landmark agreement to protect Bendigo and surrounding areas in central Victoria from rising groundwater.

The $23.2 million funding agreement between the government and Coliban Water will see a three-to-five year transitional solution to protect Bendigo City and Central Deborah gold mine from uncontrolled discharges of groundwater.

Minister for Water, Lisa Neville, said the initiative would involve the construction of a pipeline from New Moon to Coliban Water’s Epsom Water Reclamation Plant and proposed upgraded treatment facilities.

Minister Neville said the water would be treated to remove arsenic, rotten egg gas, other metals and salt. It was proposed that clean water would be re-used or returned to the environment.

The plan is based on a preferred option recommended by the Bendigo Groundwater Community Reference Group and endorsed by the State and Local Government Advisory Group.

A tender process is being undertaken for the design, construction and operation of the pipeline which will generate economic activity in the region.

Naturally occurring groundwater within Bendigo’s network of disused and abandoned mines has been recovering to natural levels since mining ceased.

While the groundwater has elevated levels of salinity, arsenic, other heavy metals and hydrogen sulphide gas, it’s being carefully managed and does not pose an immediate risk to the environment or community.

I NEED WATERTIGHT CONCRETE TO MAKE MY PROJECT MORE DURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE

MasterLife 300D crystalline capillary waterproofing admixture has been used in over 400 major projects to make concrete more watertight. Over 175 of the projects are water or water treatment facilities. MasterLife 300D makes concrete 40% more watertight, extending the service life of the structure.

Hairline concrete cracks self-heal with the unique crystalline technology. It allows concrete to breathe. MasterLife 300D helps keep projects to time and budget. Warranty and technical support now available in ANZ. Call us today on 1300 227 300 (1300 BASF 00) or visit us at www.master-builders-solutions.basf.com.au

FOCUS ON WATER

The Adelaide Desalination Plant Image courtesy SA Water

Study finds desalinated water not viable for River Murray users

An independent cost-benefit study has confirmed that desalinated water would not be economically viable to use to increase water allocations for River Murray users.

The study, finalised in June, found that running the Adelaide Desalination Plant (ADP) would not be a cost-effective way of boosting allocations for irrigators at the current market price for water.

The findings reflect the fact that the desalination plant was built to provide water security for metropolitan Adelaide during times of drought.

The South Australian Government commissioned the independent cost-benefit

analysis earlier this year to consider if increasing the use of the plant, to make additional River Murray water available to holders of irrigation entitlements, would be of economic benefit in 2016-17.

The study was conducted by one of Australia’s leading natural resource economic consultancies, Marsden Jacob.

The Essential Services Commission of South Australia provided independent advice on costs associated with running the desalination plant.

Findings from the cost-benefit study will help inform longer-term state policy on how allocations and costs could be shared

between different water users.

Water and the River Murray Minister, Ian Hunter, said the desalination plant was designed to be Adelaide’s insurance policy in times of drought and ensure the community would have access to water.

“It is clear that using water from the desalination plant to replace River Murray water for our irrigators is unlikely to be cost effective for them.

“We will continue to work with the Murray Darling Basin Authority to ensure the MDB Plan that we fought for is delivered on time, and in full, for the benefit of river communities, and all South Australians.”

Queensland councils target water related projects Nearly half of the 63 projects shortlisted for funding under the latest round of the Queensland Government’s $375 million Building Our Regions program are water related.

Forty local governments from across the state are vying for a share of $70 million under round two of the program.

Twenty-three of the proposed infrastructure projects fall under the water/ sewerage/waste category and another eight developments focus on flood mitigation.

Minister for State Development and Natural Resources, Anthony Lynham, said the response from local government had been outstanding, and the shortlisted councils had until 19 August to provide detailed submissions for final assessment.

“This next stage is highly competitive and submissions will undergo rigorous assessment by the Department of State Development (DSD) and a committee of senior executives from across government,” Dr Lynham said.

36

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

“Councils must put forward a compelling business case and I’d encourage them to seek advice about putting together their detailed applications from their local DSD office.

“I expect to announce successful projects in the fourth quarter of 2016 and construction will be expected to start no later than 30 June 2017.”

Dr Lynham said the first round of Building our Regions, released late last year, had already kicked-in and would eventually support almost 700 jobs and economic development across the state.

“Twelve projects are under construction and one is already completed. Another 28 are in design and tender stage, and all projects are expected to start construction

by November this year.

“As well, my department is working with councils to accelerate any project that’s funded but hasn’t started.”

Innovative future in 2050 urban water outlook report A report into urban water needs in Western Australia, prepared by the state’s Department of Water, highlights the requirement for accelerated innovation by the public and private sectors to meet projected water demand to 2050.

The Water for Growth Urban Water Outlook 2050 report was released in mid-June by Water Minister, Mia Davies, who said it highlighted the opportunities for industry to analyse challenges, plan for future water needs and collaborate to create water supply solutions.

"The data is telling us that we need to continue down the pathway of reducing, re-using and optimising all available water.

“WA has already made great progress in water source development and demand management; however, we are only at the beginning of the curve."

Minister Davies said the report was the most extensive developed to date.

“The latest forecast modelling predicts urban water demand across the state to grow by 45-80 per cent by 2050, even with continued reductions in annual per capita consumption through conservation and efficiency measures.”

A new Water Innovation Advisory Group has been established as part of a Department of Water-led program to help drive creative solutions.

"The Water Innovation program includes a new online forum to widen the innovation conversation in the community, and for generating innovative conversation and case studies," Minister Davies said.

"One of the group's first action's was to hold a workshop on 2 June to bring together 78 professionals from the private sector, government, local government, the CSIRO, universities, Natural Resource Management groups and other organisations with links to the water sector.

“Findings from the workshop will be incorporated by the advisory group in a report to me later this year.

"The government is committed to supporting greater transformation of urban water services and management by supplying accurate technical information and demand modelling to allow innovators to target the next challenge or hotspot."

The Water Innovation Advisory Group comprises: • Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Matt Taylor (Chair); • Dr Julian Bolleter, Acting Professor, Australian Urban Design Research Centre; • Josh Byrne, Director, Josh Byrne and Associates; • Bill Grace, Sustainability researcher and consultant; • Dr Paul Hardisty, Flagship Director, CSIRO; • Professor Peter Klinken, Chief Scientist of WA; • Sue Middleton, Executive Director of the Brennan Rural Group; • Shelley Shepherd, Partner/Principal Essential Environmental; and • Mike Rowe, Acting Director General, Department of Water.

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

37

FOCUS ON WATER

Tankworks Australia joins Kingspan Tankworks Australia, a leading manufacturer and supplier of steel based rainwater harvesting systems in Australia, has reached an agreement to join the global building products manufacturer Kingspan Group, and will now be known as Kingspan Environmental Pty Limited.

Kingspan is the world’s largest manufacturer of premium and high performance insulation and building fabric solutions. Kingspan’s environmental portfolio offers world leading, premium and innovative solutions for wastewater, rainwater management, service and telemetry, solar hot water, energy storage and renewable energy generation.

"The acquisition will provide the Australasian markets with an exceptional and unparallelled range of products and expertise," said Stuart Heldon, Business Unit Director of Kingspan Environmental.

“This is a very exciting time for our business," he added. "Kingspan Environmental’s ambitious growth plans and its extensive sustainable product portfolio will offer existing customers and the wider market with exceptional product choice and excellent customer service.”

Mr Heldon said that the corporate values of

both businesses also made the new venture a perfect fit.

"Tankworks has always held strong environmental and people values, as does Kingspan, and that gives me great confidence that we are heading in the same direction, the right direction for a sustainable future."

These sentiments were echoed by Pat Freeman, Managing Director of Kingspan’s Environmental Division, who added "We are delighted to be merging these two respected brands. We are looking forward to offering the Australasian markets some of the best environmentally responsible and sustainable products available in the global construction industry, providing cutting edge technology for both homes and businesses."

About Kingspan Environmental Kingspan Environmental offers premium and sustainable ways of sourcing, storing and protecting energy and water. It is the expert and innovator in the following fields; environmentally responsible Energy Storage Solutions, Wastewater Treatment and Water Recycling, Wind and Solar Energy Generation and Hotwater Energy Storage. Kingspan Environmental also offers

We’re More Than Just Paint

Delivering proven tank lining solutions for steel and concrete structures.

Contact 132 101

wattylprotectivecoatings@valspar.com www.wattylprotectivecoatings.com

38

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

affordable Monitoring and Service packages for all the products it supplies, powering homes and businesses on a global scale.

Kingspan Environmental is a division of the Kingspan Group, which has operations in a range of product divisions including pre-insulated building panels, environmental technologies, and renewable energy technologies. Founded in Ireland in the late 1960's the Kingspan Group is now a global business with a turnover of around €2.6 billion across all its divisions.

About Tankworks Established in 1934, Tankworks Australia Pty Limited was then known as Parramatta Tank Works.

Since then it has manufactured quality, long-lasting water tanks and accessories for Australian homes and businesses. Today, Tankworks Australia is a leading name in the rainwater harvesting industry. Its longevity and the fact that it incorporates the latest manufacturing processes and technology has made Tankworks a preferred supplier to many home builders, plumbers and hardware stores. Its focus is on producing only the highest quality products backed by a long-term warranty.

FOCUS ON WATER

Detailed planning set to start for wastewater infrastructure in major growth centres Logan City Council in South East Queensland has endorsed a strategy that will guide long-term planning for essential wastewater (sewerage) infrastructure in the Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba priority development areas as well as some of Logan's southern suburbs.

Roads and Water Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Councillor Phil Pidgeon, said the infrastructure would be rolled out over the next 25-plus years, with more than $500 million required to deliver it to the community.

"These developments are bringing thousands of new residents to our city in the next three decades, so it's important that we get the infrastructure done right from the start," he said.

"While Economic Development Queensland, a State Government entity, has approved the

two developments, they have worked with us and the major developers involved to get the strategy to this stage, even recognising our desire for the strategy to look at the broader catchment so we provide infrastructure in the most cost-effective way.

"The strategy encompasses not only Yarrabilba and Flagstone, but also Logan Village, Park Ridge and part of Chambers Flat to ensure we get it right environmentally and economically."

Under the endorsed strategy, sewage from the majority of Flagstone and Jimboomba will be transferred to a new wastewater treatment plant at Cedar Grove - for which land was acquired in 2011 - while a second new treatment plant will be built to service Yarrabilba, Logan Village, Greenbank, North Maclean, Park Ridge and part of Chambers Flat.

"The second treatment plant will bring significant cost benefits to Council, but we are yet to confirm where this will be located until we do further planning," Cr Pidgeon said.

"Temporary treatment plants will be located at Central Flagstone, Flinders, Greenbank and Riverbend before the Cedar Grove treatment plant comes online in 2019."

Cr Pidgeon said Council still needed to establish a funding model with EDQ before it would begin delivering the proposed trunk infrastructure through the Logan Water Infrastructure Alliance. Environmental approvals are also required from the Department of Environment and Heritage.

"Developers will still be responsible for providing infrastructure within the developments, but we will provide the major infrastructure that leads to the treatment plants," he said.

"We will now start doing detailed planning to guide design and construction of the infrastructure and will update the community as we make progress through the various stages."

Safer, Simpler, Smarter.

Optimised Tailings Management

McLanahan offers a variety of processing equipment including Cyclones, Separators™, Pumps, Thickeners, Dewatering Screens and Filter Presses, to provide you with a customised solution for your water management needs.

NEWCASTLE | +61 2 4924 8248 MACKAY | +61 7 4952 3377 PERTH | +61 8 9248 5771 sales@mclanahan.com.au

mclanahan.com

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

39

PROJECT BRIEF

Mainmark successfully rehabilitates 150 concrete manholes for North Rockhampton Flood Mitigation Project Mainmark’s innovative spray-on corrosion protection system, ENCAP6™, has provided viable, lasting and cost-effective rehabilitation of more than 150 concrete manholes and access chambers as part of the North Rockhampton Flood Mitigation Project.

“Stormwater inflow was overloading the wastewater and sewerage systems during heavy rain events, impeding the proper movement of waste and the access of maintenance crews to clear blockages,” said Evan Davison, Coordinator Network Operations for Fitzroy River Water at Rockhampton Regional Council.

These issues are commonly addressed by repairing sewer mains; however, on inspection, the Council identified deterioration of concrete access chambers. This was caused by the harsh chemical environments and gases associated with wastewater and sewerage management.

Concrete deterioration had caused the access chambers to crack, partially collapse or be permeated by tree roots, allowing the infiltration of stormwater. To address the issue, Fitzroy River Water sought solutions for improving the structural integrity of its access chambers.

“We explored all options. The cost of reconstructing the manholes was prohibitive, especially as some were located in creeks and waterholes. Mainmark’s ENCAP6 proved a cost-effective and durable solution. It allowed us to refurbish rather than excavate and rebuild access chambers, delivering significant cost savings,” said Davison.

ENCAP6, an innovative spray-on corrosion protection system for ageing concrete and steel infrastructure, was used to rehabilitate

40

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

more than 150 concrete access chambers of varying sizes.

Following the successful completion of the manhole component of the project, Fitzroy River Water has used it in a number of other refurbishment projects for wet wells within sewerage pumping stations.

The patented ENCAP6 formula delivers superior chemical resistance, making it ideal for refurbishing concrete sewerage and waste water infrastructure. It chemically bonds to substrates and offers better hydrolytic stability than epoxy and polyurea lining systems to guarantee a longer service life when in contact with moisture, water or chemicals.

“Mainmark allowed us to address a challenge that has long been without any viable solutions and one that many local governments face. ENCAP6 has delivered exceptional structural performance, longevity and a warranty that far exceeds other applications,” added Davison.

“It proved a versatile solution that could be applied to a range of different environments without disruption to normal operations.”

Powering a Sustainable Future

Did you know you can access the latest issue of Waste + Water Management Australia via Informit?

About the North Rockhampton Flood Mitigation Project The two-stage North Rockhampton Flood Mitigation Project aims to increase the resilience of a part of the Rockhampton City area to Fitzroy River flood events. The first stage of the project includes introducing backflow prevention measures, a temporary flood barrier system and works to the sewerage network to reduce the inflow of flood water and risk of sewerage discharge. Stage Two will include creating additional flood barriers, installation of stormwater and sewerage pump stations, and the installation of valves on the sewerage network.

For more information on ENCAP6, please call Mainmark on 1800 623 312 or visit: www.mainmark.com/products/encap6

ABOUT MAINMARK Mainmark provides a range of specialist ground engineering and asset preservation solutions for commercial, industrial, civil infrastructure and mining sectors. Committed to excellence, Mainmark’s state-of-the-art solutions are backed by more than 20 years of engineering expertise. Mainmark has 15 sites across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Japan.

Mainmark products and services include solutions for ground stabilisation, void filling, stopping water ingress, raising and levelling on-ground and in-ground structures, fixing anchors into rock faces and embankments, and other related ground-engineering processes. The Mainmark Group consists of Mainmark Ground Engineering, Mainmark Civil & Mining Services and other engineering businesses.

The Informit Engineering Collection is an ever expanding resource covering aspects of waste and water management – recycling, greenwaste processing, waste minimisation, planning, safety, water treatment and water sensitive urban design. The database offers an extensive variety of resources including journals, trade publications, reports and conference proceedings.

The Collection guarantees quality through partnerships with peak professional bodies including Engineers Australia and the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, as well as Content Providers including EPC Media Group.

The Informit Engineering Collection delivers hard to find content designed to complete and complement all your waste and water management requirements.

Other key titles published by EPC Media include: Highway Engineering Australia Construction Engineering Australia

Request a quote or free trial via www.informit.org/trial-and-quote

ABOUT FITZROY RIVER WATER Fitzroy River Water is a commercialised business unit of Rockhampton Regional Council and is responsible for operating and maintaining water and sewerage assets throughout the Region. It provides water and sewerage services to residential, commercial and industrial customers in Rockhampton, Gracemere, and Mount Morgan. Fitzroy River Water provides the service via more than 31,000 water connections and some 28,500 sewerage connections.

Fitzroy River Water aims to enhance the community’s quality of life by providing sustainable water, sewerage and environmental services, through innovation, technical expertise, business efficiency, excellence in customer service and commitment to the environment. It is working to ensure that the Region has reliable water sources that will meet the Region’s growth and provide water through the driest period of climate variability in the future.

Research for your global future

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

41

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

Corrosion in a settlement tank of a water treatment plant

Cost of urban water infrastructure failure

T

he economic impact of corrosion and it’s degradation of infrastructure and assets is estimated to be 3 to 5 per cent of GDP each year. This represents an annual cost of many billions of dollars to the Australian and New Zealand economies.

The cost of corrosion to the water industry is one area that has been quantified. The effects on water distribution and sewerage collection pipework and infrastructure impacts many areas of the economy and covers a wide ranging list of assets owned and operated by urban and rural water utilities, industry, agricultural and domestic environments.

During a pipeline failure event, there are also intangible costs that can have a significant effect upon the wider community. These can include disruptions due to flooding, road closures and loss of trade. These costs have been estimated at $91M per annum to the Australian urban water industry.

The total estimated annual cost of corrosion to the industry and the wider community in Australia is $982 Million which equates to an approximate annual cost of $60 for every adult in the country.

The water industry corrosion cost figures are contained in a report entitled Corrosion Challenges - Urban

42

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Water Industry by Greg Moore and commissioned by the Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA).

The main infrastructure assets owned and operated by water authorities are the pipelines and treatment plants.

Moore's report showed changes to management of ageing infrastructure and training to support the prevention and remediation of corrosion could provide cost savings.

As most pipelines are buried “out of sight and mind,” the water industry has had a reactive approach to maintenance whereby the pipes are run to failure, with individual pipe failures repaired until the failure rate reaches a predetermined level, at which point the entire section of pipeline is replaced.

For smaller pipes this is still considered “best practice” for the industry, but for larger critical pipelines a more proactive approach is being adopted.

One recommendation of the report was for water authorities to increase pipeline condition assessment to predict when failures might occur.

Pipe materials such as grey cast iron and asbestos cement make up a large proportion of reticulation pipes in Australia and many of these are reaching a time where replacement will be required. In some cases, where the consequence of failure is very high, condition assessment is used to evaluate

replacing the pipeline before any failures occur. However, there will always be difficulties in any proactive approach to manage buried assets where there is limited technology to carry out condition assessments. Most water utilities have active CCTV inspection programs where internal corrosion of non-pressure sewer pipes can be assessed and repairs, renovations or replacements of these sewers implemented before major collapses occur.

Almost immediately after the establishment of European colonies in Australia during the mid-1800s, a water industry started to evolve.

Construction of the infrastructure to deliver fresh water for domestic and commercial consumption, and to remove and treat waste water and sewage, slowly developed up to the end of World War 1. In the years following both World Wars there were periods of rapid development, but the greatest expansion occurred during the 1970s, when approximately 5000 kilometres of pipeline were installed.

Pipelines are the largest group of assets and consist of pressure pipes used for the conveyance of water and sewage, and non-pressure pipes for the conveyance of sewage. Pipelines are made of a variety of materials. Plastic pipes are not subjected to corrosion but the other pressure pipe materials such as cast iron, ductile iron,

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY:

MAJOR SPONSOR:

MEDIA PARTNER:

www.acaconference.com.au

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

Highly corroded water pipeline

steel, concrete and asbestos cement, are all susceptible to both internal and external corrosion to varying degrees.

The performance of all pressure pipes is reported in the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) National Performance report as the number of water main breaks per 100km per year. The average reported number of 19 per 100 km, which, over the more than 139,000 km of water mains in Australia, is approximately 26,700 breaks per year.

Major urban water utilities also operate 260 water treatment plants and 442 sewage treatment plants.

The consequences of failure of a water treatment plant are usually not as serious as a pipeline failure, but the facilities still require ongoing maintenance and repair. In all treatment facilities there is an ongoing programme of replacement and repair to the infrastructure of the plant. Sewage treatment plants are considered to be exposed to a more corrosive environment than water treatment plants due to the presence of hydrogen sulphide gas. Many sewage treatment plants are also coastal, or close to the coast, so the marine environment adds to the corrosiveness.

In addition to the pipelines and treatment facilities, there are many other assets such as manholes, sewer vents, tanks, reservoirs, and pumping stations associated with water and sewerage systems which also have costs associated with corrosion. These costs can be high, especially where repairs and recoating of steel water tanks and other complex steel structures are required.

Civil assets comprised approximately 87 per cent of the reported depreciation 44

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

costs for the water treatment plants discussed in Moore's study. Using this data and the premise that all of the civil depreciation was due to corrosion, an average annual depreciation figure of $600,000 per plant was estimated.

The water industry utilises the skills of a wide range of staff to manage, operate and design water and sewerage systems. A recommendation in Moore's report was to implement accredited training courses designed for water industry personnel. Such courses would cover topics such as corrosion basics for the water industry; materials and corrosion control for use in conjunction with the Water Supply Code of Australia and the Sewerage Code of Australia; and identification and assessment of Water outfall pipes from a reservoir

pipeline failures in the water industry.

In particular, there should also be increased training in cathodic protection technologies, especially as applied to aging steel water mains, tanks and other structures.

The ACA is a not-for-profit, membership Association which disseminates information on corrosion and its prevention or control, by providing training, seminars, conferences, publications and other activities.

The industry association was formed in 1955 and represents companies, organisations and individuals involved in the fight against corrosion and promotes cooperation between academic, industrial, commercial and governmental organisations.

ABOUT THE AUSTRALASIAN CORROSION ASSOCIATION The Australasian Corrosion Association Incorporated (ACA) is a not-for-profit, industry association, established in 1955 to service the needs of Australian and New Zealand companies, organisations and individuals involved in the fight against corrosion. The vision of the ACA is to reduce the impact of corrosion.

For further information, please visit the web site: www.corrosion.com.au

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

Combating pipeline corrosion Join the industry’s leading training and technical events to address the challenges and identify solutions for preventing corrosion in pipelines The Australian Corrosion Association (ACA) and the Australian Pipelines & Gas Association (APGA) have joined together to host a technical seminar to focus on ‘Pipeline Corrosion Management’ on Tuesday 13 September in Perth. This seminar will bring together industry experts to discuss the challenges and best practice solutions for preventing corrosion in pipelines, some of our most vital infrastructure.

Presentations will appeal to all industry sectors involved with pipeline asset management, including asset owners, project and integrity engineers, operators, inspection and maintenance personnel, contractors and suppliers. This not to be missed event will discuss technologies

such as materials selection and coatings and cathodic protection used to attain the desired design life of assets Corrosion can cause dangerous and expensive damage to many types of structures including pipelines, bridges, buildings, water and wastewater systems.

One of the most recent estimates indicates that corrosion costs the Australian economy between 3 and 5 per cent of GDP each year.

The ACA holds a number of training courses throughout the year to inform and guide organisations and practitioners about ways to combat corrosion. As a NACE strategic partner, the ACA offers various NACE training options in the Australasian region.

The NACE Pipeline Corrosion Integrity Management (PCIM) course will be held on 3-7 October 2016, in Perth and 10-14 October 2016, in Brisbane. This course

serves as the key training track for the PCIM professional that is expected to focus on the implementation and management of an integrity program for a pipeline system.

Held over five days, the course will provide comprehensive up-to-date coverage of the various aspects of timedependent deterioration threats to liquid and gas pipeline systems.

For further information about the Pipeline Corrosion Management Seminar, please visit: www.corrosion.com.au/ Events/agentType/View/PropertyID/386 For information about the NACE Pipeline Corrosion Integrity Management course, please visit: www.corrosion.com. au/Training/Calendar/agentType/View/ PropertyID/432

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

45

SPECIAL REPORT

Will CDS Be a Game Changer or Disruptor in the Eastern States?

by Terry Daley, CEO Wastedge.com

T

he EPA in NSW now have a $2.5M budget to implement a state wide Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) by mid 2017 as part of the NSW election commitment. Queensland also has bipartisan support for a CDS and have setup an advisory review group, working closely with NSW for a consistent approach.

The scope of the CDS will cover a 10 cent refund per container on most drink containers between 150ml and 3 litres and will see some 800 Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) introduced across NSW targeting away from home containers. (It’s not confirmed yet if alcohol wine and beverage bottles may be excluded). If the proportion of CDS recyclables in kerbside bins is some 10% by weight, the size of this separated segment could represent a windfall of some $150 million to collectors.

The EPA is also planning creation and positioning of some additional 100 MRF collection sites in metro and rural regions. Such MRFs would be critical hubs in the new collection processes required to transport some 80 million containers per year to pickup.

46

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

Pro’s & Cons?

This has the potential to move some 20% plus of containers from the existing kerbside recyclable collections and could introduce a new set of potential benefits and problems.

In rural and indigenous communities this will open up work and revenue opportunities for social community collection activities and reduce littering, as well as help cost justify collection trucks coming out to smaller remote townships.

Yet potential problems may emerge related to the need to secure such materials (in locked cages etc) at collection points to prevent pilfering from kerbside bins or collection site cages, or vandalism of RVMs in carparks. There’s also the problem of how to prevent re-processing of the same materials more than once, such as through crushing/baling of cans/ bottles - then proof of bale content that non-refundable containers may be in the crushed mix.

SPECIAL REPORT

There’s also likely to be a mass change in residual waste material bin weights, if a large proportion of lighter cans and plastics move from general waste or comingled bins, such that trucks would be overweight earlier on collection runs - resulting in a substantial need for reoptimising of routes.

While it may not require security guards to ride shotgun on recyclables collection vehicles, it does mean that some form of cash for cans money handling process would need to be introduced at recycling collection centres or community collection points, with related risk of robbery, etc. In poorer countries like South Africa, where recyclables have a cash refund payment value, metal recyclers virtually become banks and suffer hold-ups and break-ins.

RVMs are getting technologically smarter, enabling multi stream product identification, sorting / separation and crushing within the machines, but some experience with introduction of such machines into supermarkets in the UK have failed in some cases due simply to the positioning of machines inside near store entry, then having problems for staff to empty RVM containers out to rear of shop at collection time.

New RVMs with Sorting & Bin-full Sensors to Disrupt Traditional Route Planning At the recent IFAT Expo in Munich, there were quite a range of new RVMs emerging on the market and these machines are also becoming equipped with Internet Ready Connections (ready to join the Internet of Things – IoT) that can send a signal back to their management portals, showing when their containers or storage compartments are nearly full. This allows such bin-full-sensor systems to mesh up with new automated collection route planning and mobile dispatch systems that can auto allocate readybins to balance workloads across routes on a pick-to-lights basis, also taking into account container fill rate history.

The objective is more cost effective collections for the customer and more efficient collection route optimising.

Rubiconglobal in the USA is also changing the game with providing an uber-style framework of collaborating regional smaller haulers for efficient collection of waste becoming the virtual broker for on-demand booking and job allocation systems.

Note: European or USA models don’t always work here in a big country with a small dispersed population of coastal fringe-dwellers, but the new approach to routing optimisation is worth a review and re-think to re-imagine how it could work better?

Consumer pays in the end!

You can assume also a windfall to the producers (e.g. Coke/Pepsi…) who will likely put 15c a can price increase to cover additional processing related costs.

There’s also some need for packaging labelling and timing co-ordination to prevent stockpiling of materials prestart, and how to prevent cross border movements of CDS containers (from nonCDS states).

The biggest downside could be the potential undermining of existing collections and processing infrastructure from kerbside co-mingled collections that have taken years to build up.

Protecting Existing Infrastructure?

Tony Khoury, from the Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association of NSW (WCRA), notes that: “NSW has a very successful kerbside co-mingled recycling

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

47

SPECIAL REPORT

collection system. It is important that the Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) that process these co-mingled materials be provided with opportunities to participate in the proposed CDS. To avoid the need for costly re-engineering at these MRFs, there needs to be agreed sampling & audit protocols:• MRFs should be allowed to bale aluminium & steel cans and claim the 10c fee on eligible CDS containers; • MRFs should be allowed to bale plastics & claim the 10c fee on eligible CDS containers; • Glass will be broken in the collection process, there is a need to agree a protocol for MRFs to claim 10c on eligible glass containers; and • Wherever possible, audit costs should be paid for from CDS administration funds.”

Tony also notes that: “There is a misconception at the Local Government level that a NSW CDS will result in massive financial windfall gains to MRF

48

Waste + Water Management Australia | Aug/Sept 2016

operators. I am not sure that this is true. However, it is inevitable that there may be disputes between Councils, Collection Contractors & MRFs over commodity ownership and the rights to the 10c per eligible container. There may or may not be relevant clauses in current collection and processing contracts that will impact on CDS materials. In the main, it will be the responsibility of the parties to resolve these matters.”

WCRA supports the need for NSW EPA to appoint a suitable mediation or arbitration panel and suggests that a representative from both WCRA and Local Government NSW be on this panel.

WCRA also supports the proposition that all future council collection contracts should contain model collection clause options for CDS. The NSW Government remains committed to a CDS start date of 1 July 2017 (however, there are current discussions with QLD over CDS. QLD do not propose to start until 2018).

This may delay the start of the NSW scheme to allow for NSW and QLD to have a common start date in early 2018.

This makes sense, as it will eliminate the possibility of QLD drink containers being illegally transported south for refund in NSW or north from Victoria, if the eastern states don’t have a coordinated start timeframe or related management plan.

CDS could be the biggest disruptive change for your business in the next 12 to 18 months – make sure you keep an ear to the ground (through WCRA) and an eye to the future, or be left in the wake of this potential ten cent tsunami. It’s likely to be bigger than you think!

Making the Invisible, Visible The identification and protection of underground assets not only prevents interruptions to vital services caused by accidental damage during excavation, it plays a critical role in helping to prevent serious incidents and injuries.

The VAC Group uses the latest technologies and innovations in locating underground utilities, as well as true non-destructive vacuum excavation.

Australia's largest fleet of Vacuum Excavation trucks

2 Dimensional Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Computer Aided Radar Tomography (CART) the only product in Australia that delivers underground video In house Australian-engineered and built equipment

EMI utility location services

The VAC Group offers industry-leading service, utilising the very latest suite of equipment and solutions to ensure all utilities are effectively located and where required, safely exposed.

VAC-U-DIGGA

EARTH SPY SOIL TRANSFER

Australia-Wide Service

T: 1300 882 834 (24 Hour Service) E: enquiries@vacgroup.com.au

www.vacgroup.com.au