INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER NOMINEES
BUNDABERG REGIONAL COUNCIL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Bundaberg Regional Council | AECOM Historically, the Bundaberg region has been developed on top of very low-lying overland flow paths without formal drainage infrastructure. This has led to significant community exposure to rainfall run-off in urban areas where surface water exceeds the capacity of the street gutters and creates ongoing nuisance to property owners. Bundaberg Regional Council currently owns and manages over $300 million worth of stormwater assets to provide local protections against rainfall run-off across the region. Recent decades have seen significant growth in Council’s assets which accentuates the need to proactively plan and manage infrastructure in a sustainable, adaptable manner. The asset management responsibility is complicated by increasing demand from the community to provide higher levels of service, changing risk environments and funding constraints. Council’s management of stormwater infrastructure has led to highly reactive investment, financially unsustainable outcomes, and no clear direction for the medium to long term. To break out of this unsustainable cycle, Council engaged in a collaborative partnership with AECOM to create an overarching Stormwater Management Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy provides an essential framework for best practice asset management that caters for future growth, while maintaining and improving existing stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore, the Strategy defines a clear level of service for the community that employs risk-based decision making to inform long-term investment. It brings a holistic vision for stormwater management in the region by increasing awareness and education within the community, capturing social and environmental values, and identifying critical infrastructure needs.
32 IPWEAQ EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021
THARGOMINDAH WATER COOLING PROJECT Bulloo Shire Council, Peak Services, NRG Services Bulloo Shire Council (Council) has made significant investment in solar energy installations and the new Thargomindah Water Cooling System (Project). The Project delivers long-term financial and social benefits while reducing risk to Council and the community, continuing their ‘green’ council legacy. Conceived by Council in consultation with Peak Services, and with a 60% funding boost from the Department of Local Government Racing and Multicultural Affairs, the Project was made possible. Council had a challenge like many remote councils; reliance on water supply from bores. Whilst the water quality is potable, without treatment the temperature exceeds acceptable level. The water temperature also degrades existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure. The Project uses reliable technology in an innovative way, without compromising on maintenance and operational ease. Bore water is cooled via plate heat exchangers that are coupled with cooling towers bringing water temperature down from 72 to 35 degrees Celsius. Water is stored in 1.5ML storage tanks and pumped on demand to meet town water supply needs. The bore water is kept separate from the cooling process so that water quality standards cannot be compromised. A final stage UV filter assists to ensure that the water delivered to households meets required quality standards. Using the power of the sun to reduce water temperature seems like an unlikely partnership, but the new solar-powered water-cooling towers have successfully reduced the potable bore water temperature to a cool drinkable level and reduces the degradation of existing water supply and reticulation infrastructure.
