Current August 2017

THE AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE August 2017 Volume 1 No 7

The market for digitally enabled devices is set to swell in coming years. How can the water industry connect itself?

Preparing for the rise in extreme weather events.

Doing well by doing good with social responsibility.

Why water security requires a united front.

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T H E AU ST R A L I A N WAT E R A S S O C I AT I O N M AG A Z I N E

FEATURES

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LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE Mentoring isn’t just about sharing valuable knowledge – it helps create a line of succession for the industry into the future.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS Two of the industry’s top minds discuss what led to their respective wins at the 2017 Australian Water Awards during the Ozwater’17 conference.

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CAUGHT IN THE WEB In an age where there are more wifi-connected devices than people on the planet, how can the water industry take advantage of this network?

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TRACE ELEMENTS Wastewater made headlines recently for its contributions to understanding demographic data.

What is the water industry’s role in this?

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DIGGING DEEP Many aspects of corporate social responsibility align with water industry imperatives. Here’s how to lend a helping hand.

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WET AND WILD Australia gets its fair share of extreme weather events. But a changing climate and global warming are set to send things into overdrive.

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SETTING NEW STANDARDS What policy needs to be put in place to get water security reform over the line?

DOSING DETECTIVES The secret lives of sulfate-reducing microbial communities in sewers are exposed in an effort to reduce dosing and find alternative solutions.

It’s a data-driven world now, and the more you can acquire, the better you know how your network performs.

P28 South East Water’s Phil Johnson on the opportunities for the water industry to take advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT).

www.awa.asn.au

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CO N T EN TS

T H E AUST R A L I A N WAT ER ASSO C I AT I O N M AG A Z I N E

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76 62

NEWS

TECHNICAL

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58 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 70

From the Chief Executive From the President’s desk Association news Specialist networks

INDUSTRY 58

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Developing the north’s groundwater Agricultural advances Measuring water meter output Risk-management plans Integrated profit and loss Gas-transfer membranes Water resilient communities

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Mentoring spotlight

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Craig Simmons and Cail Rayment

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The Internet of Things

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Wastewater analysis

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Corporate social responsibility

EVENTS

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Extreme weather events

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Water policy

76 Ozwater’17

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Treating pipe corrosion

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Sample preparation Water quality best practice Long-term nutrient management

Events calendar

Social pages

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T H E AUST R A L I A N WAT E R ASSO C I AT I O N M AG A Z I N E

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jonathan McKeown Email: jmckeown@awa.asn.au National Manager – Events and Marketing: Kirsty Blades Email: kblades@awa.asn.au TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Ted Gardner (Chair); Frank R Bishop (rtd), GHD; Chris Davis (rtd), Australian Water Association; Dr Andrew Bath, Water Corporation; Michael Chapman, GHD; Dr Dharma Dharmabalan, TasWater; Wilf Finn, WaterNSW; Robert Ford (rtd), Central Highlands Water; Antony Gibson, IXOM; Dr Lionel Ho, Allwater; Dr Des Lord, University of Western Australia; Dr Tim Muster, CSIRO Land and Water; Dr Robbert van Oorschot, GHD; John Poon, CH2M; David Power, BECA Consultants; Dr lan Prosser, Bureau of Meteorology; Dr Ashok Sharma, Victoria University; Diane Wiesner, Science Plus Consulting Group.

Technical Co-Ordinator: Natalija Gagic Email: journal@awa.asn.au

Current is the official quarterly magazine for members of the Australian Water Association.

655 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065 Phone: (02) 9436 0055 Email: info@awa.asn.au

369a Darling St, Balmain, Sydney, NSW 2041 Managing Editor: James Chalmers Email: james@mahlab.co Editor: Rachael Brown Email: rachael@mahlab.co Graphic Design: Matt Caulfield, Gary Humphrys and Don Tay Senior Account Manager: Ella McGuire Email: ella@mahlab.co Advertising Manager: Samantha Hogben Email: sam@mahlab.co

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

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

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

Mention of particular brands, products or processes does not constitute an endorsement.

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From the Chief Executive

ALIGNED WITH THE TIMES THE ASSOCIATION IS TAKING STEPS TO STAY RELEVANT AND PLAN AHEAD. One of the greatest strengths of the Association is that it is governed by its members to deliver services that they deem to be worthwhile and valuable. The Association has more than 340 elected volunteers from across the water sector who are responsible for the governance of our branches, specialist networks, Strategic Advisory Council and the Board of Directors. It is a structure that remains purely voluntary and is not remunerated. This direct and extensive member involvement safeguards our transparency and proper reporting on all our operational and strategic matters. However, more than governance, our member volunteers share the heavy lifting in delivering the Association’s activities. This in turn anchors the expertise and experience of the sector at the heart of all that the Association delivers and I would like to thank our member volunteers for their valuable contributions.

Our elected structure and other member volunteers are served by a small but very dedicated staff of less than 30. The combined efforts of our volunteers and staff produce an impressive range of member benefits and activities. These include: more than 200 events per year, including the largest annual water conference and exhibition in the southern hemisphere – Ozwater; a range of industry publications both printed and online that have some of the highest open rates of any industry publications; state and national young water professional programs including mentoring; regular interactions with our Commonwealth and State Governments; and an international program that connects our members with global water expertise and business opportunities.

The Association is Australia’s largest water network, providing three things: O Information for water practitioners O Networking for business development O Recognition for individuals and companies Through this combination of information, networking and recognition, the Association provides continuous learning for all water practitioners.

Over the past financial year, the Association grew its membership by more than 1000 new individual members and 120 new corporate members. The Business Plan for this financial year sets the direction to consolidate these results with some clear objectives, measurable KPIs and major projects to deliver results. Leading these is the empowerment of our branches to increase their connections and engagement with local members, and a project to further develop our digital platforms to make interacting with the Association easier, more interesting and contemporary.

These projects to provide increased opportunity for engagement and improved digital platforms are to evolve the way you, as our members, can connect with the Association and each other. The model of an effective member-based organisation needs to move with the technological and business behavioural changes of its members. Our developing digital platforms, combined with our new Channeling Change program to promote greater diversity, equality and inclusion, will keep the Association itself aligned to the times that shape the world today.

OUR DEVELOPING DIGITAL PLATFORMS, COMBINED WITH OUR NEW CHANNELING CHANGE PROGRAM, WILL KEEP THE ASSOCIATION ITSELF ALIGNED TO THE TIMES THAT SHAPE THE WORLD TODAY.

A simple but clear value proposition has now been included in the Association’s Business Plan for 2017/18, which is available on the Association’s website. To learn more, visit: bit.ly/awa_businessplan

Jonathan McKeown Australian Water Association Chief Executive

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From the President’s desk

EYES ON THE HORIZON HONOURING TRADITION WHILE FORGING A NEW PATH. Ozwater’17 in Sydney’s new International Convention Centre was one of the best conferences I have attended. I am delighted that so many attendees and exhibitors expressed similar opinions since Ozwater is our industry’s most prominent event.

Improving this impressive event year on year is an achievement in its own right and ensures ever-increasing numbers of local and international delegates and exhibitors.

The conference kicked off on a high with keynote speakers sharing the positive disruptions and innovative changes that are occurring in other industries and that excitement continued throughout the conference. The organising committee demonstrated what can be achieved by being bold and attendees demonstrated that our industry is ready to think and venture outside the traditional box.

Since the event I keep reflecting on the possibilities and ways technology and data will change the things we, as a sector, do today. How to embrace and manage these changes requires further discussion. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all of those who were involved in making Ozwater’17 such a huge success. Also, a special thank you to the many volunteers – without their incredible dedication our Association would not be in a position to offer such events.

The last day of Ozwater’17 marked the end of Peter Moore’s term as President of our Association. I wish to thank him for the tremendous contribution he made to our industry, not only during the past two years as President of our Association but over the course of his entire career.

I have had the privilege of working with Peter since joining the Association Board and have learned so much from him, even more so during this past year serving as his deputy. I take comfort that Peter remains on the Board to support me, along with so many others who have offered their guidance and assistance.

Like all organisations the Association has to adapt to the changing needs of its members as well as developments in our industry. To ensure we continue to do so, the Board has laid out and implemented strong foundations to better serve our members and we will continue to build on these. I recognise as the incoming President that we have a big task ahead of us and I am reassured in that I have the support of a very capable team: the Board, the strategic advisory committee, branch committee members, branch Presidents and volunteers, past Presidents, and our CEO and wonderful Association staff. I accept the role of serving you, our members, with humbleness and pride.

In closing, state branches form the foundation of our Association. Invigorating the function and interaction of our branches will be a strong focus for me during my time as President. The branches are where knowledge of local matters and needs are best known. It is imperative that this knowledge is collected and built upon, culminating in our yearly conference. I thus encourage you to get involved by supporting your branch committee and attending local events.

I look forward to the journey over the next two years, and to working with you and seeing you at the various Association functions and events, including Ozwater’18 in Brisbane.

LIKE ALL ORGANISATIONS THE ASSOCIATION HAS TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF ITS MEMBERS AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR INDUSTRY.

Francois Gouws Australian Water Association President

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ZINFRA. BUILDING REPUTATIONS

Mike Stokes Renewals and Backlog - Program Manager South East Water “The Zinfra team working on South East Water’s sewerage program on the Mornington Peninsula has been excellent.

Together we are on track to successfully deliver 135km of our 230km sewerage services project to 16,500 properties in 18 months. This is one of Australia’s largest projects of this type to be completed in such an accelerated timeframe.

Working with Zinfra has made delivery of this project easy. The members of the team have remained consistent for the project, making relationships effortless to manage, and they bring extensive experience with large scale, fast-moving pipeline projects to the table.”

www.zinfra.com.au

Association news

CHANNELING CHANGE

he Australian Water Association, in collaboration with the Australian Water Partnership, launched a new program at Ozwater’17 focussed on increasing diversity in the water sector.

The Channeling Change program aims to ‘lead by example’ and galvanise support for a diverse and inclusive sector.

Success will be measured in terms of three outputs: 1. Diversity of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability and more; 2. Inclusion, which is the promotion of behaviours that welcome and embrace diversity; and 3. Empowerment, especially in terms of empowering women in developing countries in the Asia Pacific Region.

T

The notion of diversity is recognised and accepted in Australia. Still, there is much more that can be gained from broadening the application of what is understood as diversity.

The water sector is renowned for its comradery and friendliness, but does this extend across all types of diversity? There is room to improve and show others the benefits of embracing wider diversity.

The Association wants to acknowledge the positive change the Australian water sector has already demonstrated to inspire further diversity, inclusion and equality in Australia. The Channeling Change program will include: the promotion of change champions; success stories, videos and podcasts that capture individual stories; dedicated events; promoting speaker and panel parity at

DIGITAL MINDSET

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he growth of our digital platforms has been one of the biggest changes introduced by the Australian Water Association over the past three years.

In the past 12 months, users of the website have increased by 37.5% and will continue to grow. We have also upgraded our website and enabled access to it from all devices including smartphones, which is increasingly important as more and more people use their phones as the primary source of intelligence gathering.

This financial year we will be implementing a digital strategy to help our members connect with the Association and all the expertise that our members offer, including but not limited to Water e-Journal technical papers, conference abstracts and presentations, technical podcasts and videos, discussion papers and fact sheets.

The main purpose of the digital strategy is to package the content that the Association possesses in a manner that

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events; and capacity building projects in the Asia Pacific region to link innovation in the water sector with diversity, inclusion and equality.

Association events with links to the program include Tasmania’s Where the Waters Meet Conference (August 24), with keynote speakers focusing on diversity, and a seminar in NSW on September 20 about diversity. As part of Vietwater in November, the Association is holding a Channeling Change workshop to focus on empowering women in the Vietnamese water sector.

Do you have a story of diversity, inclusion and empowerment you want to share? Register your interest to take part in the Channeling Change program here: bit.ly/awa_channelingchange

effectively facilitates our core principles of information, networking and recognition. By having more user-friendly digital applications, the Association can engage with more of our members – regardless of where they might be located – on a more regular basis, and we can move towards providing customised content to members linked to particular technical areas of interest.

If this can be done well, it will enable members to see clearly how the Association’s activities offer a unique and continuous learning platform for individuals to use throughout their careers, and meet the Association’s goal to keep its members informed, connected and recognised.

If you have specific suggestions or recommendations that you would like the Association to consider in the development of this digital strategy, please contact Kiri Goschnick, Digital, Networks & Event Manager on kgoschnick@awa.asn.au

AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION

PROJECTS IN VIETNAM

SHARING AUSTRALIAN INNOVATIONS AND EXPERTISE WITH VIETNAMESE COMMUNITIES AND WATER INDUSTRY.

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he Australian Water Association, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s InnovationXchange Program and ANZ Bank, is enabling Australian innovations to deliver safe drinking water in rural Vietnam.

As part of their program of activities in Vietnam, the Association has facilitated one of their members, SkyJuice Foundation Inc., to pilot low-cost membrane water treatment technology in rural areas of Son La Province, Vietnam.

The project in Son La has a special emphasis on women’s empowerment (local women manage the business of the kiosk) and children’s health. It also contributes to the Australian Government’s objective of helping the Vietnamese Government achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 for universal access to basic services including safe and clean water.

“We are very happy with the new water treatment system at the school,” said Principal of Chieng Mai Primary School Luong Thi Phuong.

“Before the tower was installed, we had to buy bottled water or use very expensive water filters, which consume a lot of electricity.”

Paul Smith, the Association’s international manager, said: “There are many opportunities for the Australian water sector to share its expertise in Vietnam. The role of the Association’s International Program is to facilitate these opportunities while improving the livelihoods and economic prosperity of rural areas in Vietnam. We are observing the benefits of increased access to drinking water in rural communities including enterprise development, like tourism, that otherwise didn’t exist.”

SkyJuice Chairman Rhett Butler AM added: “This project will be a tremendous catalyst to encourage individuals and organisations to embrace innovative technology solutions to solve pressing global issues like drinking water and sanitation.”

Another program the Association has implemented is the Twinning Program, supported by the Australian Water Partnership.

This program involves the exchange of personnel and knowledge between five Australian utilities and five Vietnamese utilities. Through the Twinning Program, Cairns Regional Council has been paired with Son La Water Company, Seqwater was paired with Saigon Water, Wannon Water went with Binh Duong, Coliban Water was paired with Phu Tho, and Water Corporation in Western Australia was matched with Hue Water Corporation.

“The Association has paired utilities in such a way to be of value to both the Vietnamese utilities and also the Australian utilities,” Smith said.

“For example, Cairns Council and Son La Water are both regional utilities looking to share their knowledge to ensure delivery of safe and secure water supplies. Another twinning pair, Seqwater and Saigon Water, are both looking at innovative ways for engaging the private sector.”

The Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick has endorsed the program as well, saying “it will enable a new level of cooperation between the Australian and Vietnamese water sectors, ensuring that the expertise and experience of the Australian water sector are profiled and positioned to play a key role in the fast-transitioning water sector in Vietnam”.

Join the Australian delegation to Vietwater’17 The Australian Water Association, in partnership with the Australian and Vietnamese Governments, is calling for delegates to participate in the third Australian delegation to Vietwater, to be held in Ho Chi Minh City from

November 6-10. Delegates participating in the Australian mission to Vietwater will be involved in a series of tailored events designed to connect you with the right people across the Vietnamese water sector.

www.awa.asn.au

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Specialist networks

EXPERT INPUT

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WATER RECYCLING

OPERATIONS

For the past 20 years or so, the water recycling specialist network has worked to raise the profile of water re-use in Australia – and has largely been successful in that endeavour.

“In terms of non-potable water recycling, there has been huge growth from what we did 20 years ago, which was almost nothing,” said Chair Stuart Khan, a professor at UNSW. That’s not a happy accident: several prominent people in this field have contributed their expertise to the network’s efforts, and nearly everyone on the network committee is involved in outreach activities.

In addition to a specialist conference every two or three years, the network recently held a workshop at the Association’s Ozwater’17 Conference in Sydney.

At the end of the discussion, attendees were polled to gauge the perceptions of water professionals.

“The key takeaway was that people see water recycling – particularly potable water recycling – playing a more significant role in the future. Many have ideas about solutions to these issues, which was very exciting to see, but it also told us we have more work to do,” Khan said.

Members of the network have a real opportunity to guide the conversation about water recycling, and Khan said he would like to leverage the expertise and connections of members to dispel some myths in the public and political realms.

“Two big obstacles are public acceptance and the willingness of politicians, which to me is the real challenge,” Khan explained.

“All it takes is a moment for one prominent politician to make a cheap comment about people drinking their own effluent to derail the entire thing. It’s a challenge because it’s an easy target, but it’s something we need to get right if we want recycled water to be part of our future.”

Australia’s water operators have a lot on their plates, but they also have a secret weapon: strength in numbers.

For years, the operations specialist network has been a forum for the country’s operators to share information about the latest advances, as well as provide opportunities to learn from each other or help solve some common problems in this field.

“It helps raise the profile of operations by having a large group of people who are committed and who can be used as one voice to ensure that it is suitably funded and supported,” said Chair Matthew Bowman, treatment manager – water quality branch for Water Corporation.

Bowman said that in many ways, operations is the bread and butter of the industry, but it has had a much lower profile than some other focus areas.

However, through events such as Ozwater’17 with its strong focus on operations (for which the network produced a specialised itenerary) and a specialist conference (which they hope to hold in 2018), he said the committee has confirmed that there is a passionate network of professionals keen to talk shop.

Part of this stems from another strength of the specialist network: the diversity of its members, who run the gamut of the plant hydrological cycle – source to treatment to wastewater.

“Over the years we’ve realised that interest in operations branches out to other parts of the industry such as sustainability, economics, pricing and regulation, and community engagement,” Bowman said.

“We want to make sure we are sharing the experiences of what it takes to make more advanced treatment plants with the wider industry.”

www.awa.asn.au

THE ASSOCIATION’S SPECIALIST NETWORKS ARE A GREAT WAY FOR WATER PROFESSIONALS TO STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR FIELDS OF INTEREST. KEEN TO LEARN MORE? HERE’S WHAT SIX OF THE GROUPS HAVE BEEN UP TO LATELY.

EDUCATION Building water-savvy communities and customers requires a group of dedicated water professionals who come together with a mutual passion for education.

“The main role for water businesses is to provide water services, but another important role is to educate people about water use and conservation,” said Water Education Chair Jenny Kenshole, who is an education program manager for Yarra Valley Water.

The specialist network has produced several key outputs that make such efforts possible. One is a comprehensive repository of water-related materials available for use by teachers and other educators that can be plugged directly into class curriculums. Another is collateral for National Water Week, which is a big time of year for water educators.

The network is also responsible for judging the Australian arm of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which is awarded to a student every year at the Australian Water Awards.

None of this would be possible without the collaboration between water professionals that is enabled by the specialist network, said Kenshole.

“Within individual businesses, we often work in silos.

But one of the biggest benefits [of being a member] is the ability to share ideas, see what others are doing across the country and collaborate on joint initiatives,” she said.

“We are always looking for new members because two heads are better than one and it’s great to get feedback from different sectors, backgrounds and experiences.”

Going forward, Kenshole said she would like to see the network run more regular specialist conferences.

“There’s a lot of education-specific professional development available, and they are a perfect opportunity to bring educators from across the country together to share ideas and address some challenges.”

WASH Water, sanitation and hygiene is the front-line defence against water insecurity and disease for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, which is why it’s important to have a group of individuals who are dedicated to keeping it front-of-mind for others.

“We want to facilitate anyone’s interest in WASH, and be the go-to point of contact for people who are interested in learning more about it,” said Chair Lachlan Guthrie, a WASH technical mentor with RainWater Cambodia.

The network is already well on its way to accomplishing this. In addition to a number of WASH fact sheets online, the specialist network hosted a workshop at Ozwater’17 focused on human-centred design to improve consumer relationships. This workshop was the fourth most popular among conference attendees.

Members also hosted two speaker nights in Sydney and Melbourne aimed at introducing more water professionals to WASH principles and increasing its profile within the industry at large.

“Feedback from past events is really strong, and anecdotal evidence from attendees shows us that there is appetite for more among WASH professionals and the industry as a whole,” Guthrie said.

The influence, efforts and contributions of WASH specialist network members has been recognised in the past. The two most recent NSW Young Water Professional of the Year winners are part of the WASH network.

Guthrie said that the network is always eager to hear from people with an interest in bringing increased access to WASH to more communities.

“I would like to see the network have a stronger presence in policy and advocacy efforts domestically and abroad, and really get WASH on the agenda,” he said.

“We do need people with technical expertise in this area, but we have roles for those with no experience – all that’s required is enthusiasm to make a difference.”

www.awa.asn.au

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Specialist networks

ASSET MANAGEMENT

BIOSOLIDS

The task of maintaining Australia’s multi-billion dollar network of water assets is no small feat.

That’s why it’s essential for specialists in this field to stay connected, draw on each other’s strengths and constantly challenge the status quo, said network Chair and consultant Geoff Hales.

“It’s an opportunity to build your own capability, get the most up-to-date information about asset management and network with others in the industry.”

At Ozwater’17, the network held a panel discussion in line with the conference’s theme of innovation. Key stakeholders from utilities, regulators and governments were invited to discuss enablers and disruptors that will impact asset management in the next 10 years.

Hales said he also hopes to share the network’s expertise through seminars, state-based conferences and articles on the Association’s content platforms.

The community is quite active online as well, he said.

Members are encouraged to ask questions and start conversations on the network’s online forum, available through the Association’s website.

“We invite anyone with an interest in asset management to get involved, particularly in the online forum,” Hales said.

“Share your ideas, ask question and contribute to an active community. We’re keen to engage people, and very open to feedback and ideas.”

No longer seen as just a by-product of wastewater treatment, biosolids are taking centre stage as an important player in the industry’s move towards zero-emissions.

Therefore, those with an interest in this field must collaborate on ways to bring biosolids to the masses to achieve these goals.

“The objectives of the specialist network tie in with the three core principles of the Association: be informed, be connected and be recognised,” said Chair Ivan Reolon, business development manager at Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure.

“We talk about the latest advancements in biosolids in Australia and New Zealand, as well as how the regulatory environment is changing and how individuals in this field can collaborate to find solutions to challenges.”

Waste to energy is a popular topic at the moment, and Reolon said that members of this specialist network focus much of their time on creating a coordinated approach to biosolids.

Reolon said he looks forward to more specialist conferences, and partnering with other events focused on biosolids in Australia. He would also like to see the network make inroads into regional areas, and strengthen ties between urban and regional operators.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what different utilities are doing with biosolids and what new developments there have been.”

Interested in joining one of the Association’s specialist networks? To learn more, visit: bit.ly/specialistnetworks

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Current THE AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

I N D U S T R Y F E AT U R E S INSIGHTS INTO AND ANALYSIS OF THE FORCES SHAPING THE AUSTRALIAN WATER INDUSTRY.

20 24 28 34

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE Mentoring is more than just knowledge sharing – it’s succession planning.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS Two Australian Water Awards winners on what led to their achievements.

CAUGHT IN THE WEB How the water industry can connect itself to the Internet of Things.

TRACE ELEMENTS Wastewater analysis is creating new channels for generating demographic data.

38 42 50 54

DIGGING DEEP The many intersections between corporate social responsibility and the water industry.

WET AND WILD A changing climate and global warming are set to send our weather into overdrive.

SETTING NEW STANDARDS What policy needs to be put in place to get water security reform over the line?

DOSING DETECTIVES Revealing the secret lives of microbial communities to prevent pipe corrosion.

www.awa.asn.au

19

Mentoring

KEVIN GISELA

Mentor

Mentee

Kevin

Gisela

Tropical Water Solutions

Tropical Water Solutions

Age:

Age:

66

47

Time in industry

Time in industry

40 years

23 years

Lamche

Boland

Industry experience gap

17 years

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MENTORING IS MORE THAN SOLVING TODAY’S PROBLEMS. IT’S ABOUT ENSURING THE FUTURE OF THE WATER INDUSTRY AND MAKING SURE KNOWLEDGE ISN’T LOST ALONG THE WAY. As told to Rachael Brown

evin worked as a one-man team for many years, but one thing he felt was missing was the opportunity to mentor others. After starting his own firm, he took on Gisela as a mentee, who brings her own expertise and enthusiasm to the relationship.

K

Mentor

KEVIN BOLAND, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TROPICAL WATER SOLUTIONS 2017 NT WATER PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR One thing I missed most when I was working as a sole trader was mentoring people. I always enjoyed breeding that enthusiasm for the industry and the acquisition of knowledge.

When I first met Gisi about six years ago, I was impressed with her ability. Then I grew Tropical Water Solutions and asked her if she’d like to come and join the team.

From working together, it became evident she’s an extraordinarily intelligent person and technically proficient, but she lacked confidence in really attacking her work. I started by helping her build proficiency with the local hydrology.

I think mentoring runs along a continuum. Sometimes the best mentoring you can do is to keep out of the way and let people create something that is entirely theirs.

What I’m most proud about being a mentor is the sense of succession, that the knowledge you’ve acquired is being transported into a new mind, rather than lost over the years.

I think it’s important to mentor in a way that the person you’re mentoring can eventually see themselves as a mentor.

Gisi has progressed far enough in her career where now I’m mentoring a mentor. She’s taken on the role of helping out young water professionals in the company. For example, we have a skilled but relatively inexperienced hydrodynamic modeller and a young chemical engineer. They’ve gelled together as a team wonderfully well under Gisi’s leadership.

I can see a line of succession building within the company.

It’s a good feeling that even if I retire or fall off the perch, the next generation of water professionals is there to step in.

With mentoring, I don’t think it’s pushing someone to think like you or take your approach – it’s more about helping them learn to lead without being prescriptive.

Often people just need a bit of encouragement and the capacity to make decisions and have confidence that they’ll be supported and guided in those decisions.

www.awa.asn.au

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Mentoring

But most importantly they have to own them; it’s not my achievement that Gisi’s become a very strong leader and a positive influence on those around her – it’s hers.

For a mentoring relationship to work, it needs to be collaborative.

While working together, both of us learned more about each other’s approaches to interpreting data and what the results meant in the end. You get this transfer of ideas, and that transfer goes both ways. As a mentor, you’re not there to be a lecturer – it’s a process of steady development.

Gisi has been able to teach me an enormous amount; she’s dragged me into the 21st century in some ways, especially in terms of moving away from thinking that ‘traditional’ fields of study are superior. I’ve learned that people in the water industry study a more diverse range of disciplines and applied sciences, whereas I’ve helped her with more targeted science.

Water is such a wonderfully diverse subject; it’s not just science and engineering, or a commodity – it’s at the heart of civil society.

That in turn ripples through the work we do.

Mentee GISELA LAMCHE, SENIOR LIMNOLOGIST, TROPICAL WATER SOLUTIONS I’ve always liked to have a mentor; there have been times in my career where I didn’t have a mentor or someone I could look up to and learn from – those were always dry times.

I finished my master’s thesis in 1996 and then did a PhD in 1999 before moving to Australia. Once here, I worked in public

health studying the effects of aquatic insects before moving into a role within the NT government focused on aquatic ecology.

Now, I’m a senior limnologist at Tropical Water Solutions. My responsibilities are analysing data on the water quality of local reservoirs, and I consult on other short-term projects as well.

Kevin and I first met while I was still working for the NT government. I had met him on several occasions, and he was a person I respected. He has a reputation for being competent and having a vast knowledge of water quality issues in the NT, a combination that was very appealing to me.

When I first started at Tropical Water Solutions in 2012, I hadn’t worked in this specific field before. My background is more from the biological side of water, and Kevin is more familiar with the physical side, which was new to me. He was helpful in those early years because he gave me lots of resources to read and shared lots of information with me on this topic.

But beyond his scientific expertise, he has an amazing ability to manage people and exercise diplomacy. When you collaborate with other organisations or government bodies, you have to learn to navigate any sensitivity, and I’ve learned from him in this regard.

For example, in one case we’d been asked to summarise some historical information for one of the reservoirs. Through consultations with the client, we discovered that various stakeholders had different expectations for what they wanted the outcomes to be.

Kevin was there, and he expressed concern that the report wasn’t going to be what they asked for – could they be more specific? We had to first figure out what they wanted from the

Safe Surge specialises in the Design and Supply of Bladder Surge sĞƐƐĞůƐ ĨŽƌ ƉŽƚĂďůĞ ĂŶĚ ǁĂƐƚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ ^ƵƌŐĞ sĞƐƐĞůƐ ĂƌĞ ƵƐĞĚ ĨŽƌ ǁĂƚĞƌ ŚĂŵŵĞƌ Žƌ ƐƵƌŐĞ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƟŽŶ͘ ^ĞǀĞƌĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂŶĚ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ ƉŝƉĞůŝŶĞƐ ĐĂŶ ĐĂƵƐĞ extensive damage such as leaking seals, burst pipes, valve and pump ĚĂŵĂŐĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ǀĞƌLJ ĐŽƐƚůLJ ƚŽ ƌĞƉůĂĐĞ͘ Safe Surge work very closely with Hydraulic Engineer Consultants in ƐĞůĞĐƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƌƌĞĐƚ ^ƵƌŐĞ sĞƐƐĞů ĨŽƌ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ĂƉƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘ With over 10 years’ experience we have had the opportunity in working and supplying some major projects around Australia and New Zealand including the QCLNG Project, Malabar Waste Water dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ WůĂŶƚ ĂŶĚ ZŝĐŚŵŽŶĚ EĞǁ ĞĂůĂŶĚ tĂƚĞƌ dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ WůĂŶƚ͘

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report so we could come up with other solutions. Clients often need something that they can’t put into words yet. I learned that you have to know what’s required, and then you can target the tasks that need doing and shape the project to provide the information they need.

I feel I can go to Kevin at any point and see if he has time to talk about something, and he does the same for me. Our mentoring relationship is very informal.

We’ve been meeting for a few years already, but I feel he still has a lot of knowledge to impart to me, and I want to continue to dip into that well of information. He also knows many people in the industry, which helps me build my network.

We meet once a week and chat about current projects, policy issues or whatever is going on in the world. I contribute my thoughts but chances are he has already had them. You can talk to peers, but sometimes they don’t have the practical understanding behind them that someone more senior might have. There are recurring issues, and mentors can draw on those prior experiences – that perspective is immensely beneficial.

For me, trust is crucial to a great mentoring relationship, and it has to go both ways. However, it’s also important that you have fun together. It doesn’t mean that you don’t cover serious things, but if you can laugh together that’s helpful.

To get involved in the Australian Water Association’s mentoring program as either a mentor or a mentee, contact your state branch.

TRUST IS CRUCIAL TO A GREAT MENTORING RELATIONSHIP, AND IT HAS TO GO BOTH WAYS. GISELA LAMCHE

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Australian Water Awards

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Australian Water Awards Major Sponsor

Best brightest THE INDUSTRY’S TOP MINDS WERE NAMED AT THIS YEAR’S AUSTRALIAN WATER AWARDS. HERE, TWO OF THE WINNERS DISCUSS WHAT LED TO THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

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s a demand management officer for Power and Water Corporation, Cail Rayment spends most of his time solving water issues in the Northern Territory’s most remote communities. His work earned him the title of 2017 Young Water Professional of the Year.

AWA: You work mostly in remote Indigenous communities. What are some of the biggest challenges that you encounter?

CAIL RAYMENT: There’s a lot of diversity in the way people use water and interact with water. The communities we serve range from 50 people to 3000, and span desert environments to tropical islands and northern coastline.

Challenges include geographical barriers, as many are in remote areas and therefore rely on an independent and variable water supply. Another challenge is infrastructure.

However, I think the hardest thing is just knowing where water is going in the community. We have very poor data about how water is used in remote Aboriginal communities, so we need better end-user data to understand why they’re using it that way and if there are any ways they can be using less.

One of my focuses is installing more smart meters to see where water is going in order to create profiles of water use to get to the root of high usage. Is it a leaky pipe, or is it user behaviour?

Those are questions I try to answer.

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AWA: What steps do you take to engage with communities about their water usage?

RAYMENT: When I work in a community, I’ll try and learn as much about them ahead of time. I will engage with elders in the community, or people who have lived there for a long time and who know the community well.

I’ll start a conversation about how water is being used, what kinds of issues they have and how important sustainability is to them.

The ideal is to have a non-asset solution to ensuring a community's water supply. You want them to get to a point where it’s self-sustaining, which means you need to involve people and show them how their behaviours contribute to more sustainable water use.

Understanding the specific context of each community means you can shape each solution specifically for people who are most affected. Focusing on customers doesn’t mean we ignore other aspects of the business, but it helps us better plan and manage the assets that we use and the services we provide.

AWA: You come from a media and communications background. How has that influenced your work?

RAYMENT: My role is about delivering meaningful messages to the right people in the right way. I’ve been able to apply what I’ve learned to create a narrative that influences people to make positive changes in how they use water or how they maintain an asset.

Cail Rayment (right).

It’s important to know your community and what’s important to them. I enrolled in Warlpiri language courses to better communicate with some members of the communities I work in, and understand their culture and way of life.

It’s rewarding because I’ve been able to form stronger relationships with people, and it’s helped me connect better with key community stakeholders by learning their stories and sharing some of mine.

AWA: What was it like to be named the 2017 Young Water Professional of the Year?

RAYMENT: I think the awards are so valuable because it’s important that a project or idea can be shared within the water industry. It encourages others to think differently about the challenges they face in the course of their work, and to maybe consider solutions they otherwise wouldn’t have.

Sharing the stories and experiences of the great work water professionals are doing is a way for us all to learn how to do what we do better.

THE AUSTRALIAN WATER AWARDS RECOGNISES PROJECT AND INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR. THIS YEAR'S WINNERS INCLUDE: Research Innovation Award: University of Queensland for their work on nitrogen removal from wastewater while maximising resource recovery.

Program Innovation Award: Sydney Water for their "Keep Wipes out of Pipes" customer education campaign.

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (sponsored by WSP): Power and Water Corporation, SUEZ and Goodline for the Adelaide River Water Treatment Plant

Water Industry Safety Excellence Award (sponsored by WSAA): Water Corporation for their crawler technology adaptation.

Best Water e-Journal Paper: N Taylor, D Kent, K Woodbury, M Lewis and S Muralitharan for their technical paper "Green Square: Protecting Communities and Enabling Urban Renewal Through Effective Flood Risk Management". See the insert later in the magazine to read their award-winning paper in full.

Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize (sponsored by Xylem): Macinley Butson from Illawarra Grammar School for her 'solar system' filtration device.

Student Water Prize: Kaitlyn Bell from the University of Wollongong for developing a performance measuring device for improved monitoring of sewer pump stations.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Australian Water Awards

partnership. It’s not a case of doing research and then finding a way to apply it – it’s developing research in real-time and in collaboration with the MDBA to ensure it answers critical questions.

Another example is the Australian Groundwater Modelling Guidelines.

Modelling underpins groundwater investigations, allocation planning, environmental statements and more for coal seam gas and mining proposals, among other important matters.

Craig Simmons.

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raig Simmons, a professor at Flinders University and director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), is often credited with bringing groundwater into the mainstream. His career and accomplishments led to him being named the 2017 Australian Water Professional of the Year.

AWA: You have a long career in groundwater research. What do you enjoy most about your work?

CRAIG SIMMONS: I love problem solving and creating things. It is very rewarding and enjoyable working with colleagues and students to achieve this. As I keep going, the work only gets more interesting. The more you learn, the more new questions pop up and you realise just how much there is still to learn and do. I’m very curious about how groundwater fits into the big picture of our water resources and environmental management, and the challenges facing us in this area are constantly evolving.

There are currently some pressure points for groundwater science that I’d like to tackle, such as being able to measure groundwater systems in a much greater level of detail. I’m also really interested working at the science-policy interface and getting more research put into practice to support effective management and policy, which is a huge gap to bridge.

AWA: What causes the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality about groundwater?

SIMMONS: Our national interest in groundwater tends to be related to the ‘hydro-illogical cycle’: whenever there’s a drought, there’s more concern and awareness about groundwater, and when it rains we tend to become apathetic.

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During the Millennium Drought, groundwater gained attention, but we need to continue to build on that momentum because another drought is on its way, and it will be exacerbated by climate change and population growth.

About 30% of total water used in Australia comes from groundwater.

Conservative estimates put its economic contributions at $34 billion of national economic activity each year across agriculture, mining, industry, and some urban and rural water supplies; that just shows how important groundwater is.

We have to maintain interest and investment in groundwater resources.

Until we have a comprehensive view of how groundwater interconnects with our requirements for energy, food, industry and domestic use, we don’t truly know what role it can play in the future.

AWA: How does the science-policy interface relate to groundwater management and NCGRT's work?

SIMMONS: Groundwater is front and centre in a long list of pressing social, economic and environmental problems that require policy informed by science.

We have to get smarter, more focused and more entrepreneurial about the projects we pursue. Collaboration within the water industry, and between research, industry and policy stakeholders, is crucial. We need more meaningful conversations between scientists, resource managers, politicians and regulators the whole way through to make sure research is useful, has impact and lands in the right hands.

The NCGRT is working hard to bridge that gap but there’s no silver bullet. It’s about approaching it on a variety of levels. We are having some success with the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) through a strategic research

AWA: You’re very involved with mentoring. What do you enjoy about that experience?

SIMMONS: One of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my career has been helping to build the NCGRT into what it is today. We’ve trained more than 80 PhD students and worked with more than 80 post-doctoral fellows in the past five years or so. I love contributing to an environment where research is supported, and having a culture where researchers can learn from each other, from scientists outside their discipline and from international communities as well. Mentoring is an important part of supporting and building the next generation of groundwater professionals to tackle water and environmental problems. It is great to see former students and researchers out there making a difference in academic positions, research fellowships, government and industry.

AWA: What is it like to be 2017 Water Professional of the Year?

SIMMONS: Industry awards are helpful not just for individual people or projects, but for the opportunity it provides to reflect on and acknowledge all the hard work that made it happen.

I was honoured and humbled to win the award, but it’s really a cast of thousands who are involved in this collective effort to understand and manage groundwater as well as boost it's profile. It was great to see the work we are doing in research and education acknowledged by the water industry. It puts wind into our sails and motivates us to keep asking ‘what’s next?’ For me, the journey is just getting started.

Nominations are open for state and territory awards, the winners of which contend for the Australian Water Awards. To nominate an individual or project, visit: bit.ly/AWA_awards

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Managing assets for optimal outcomes Effective management of assets can mean the difference between average and exceptional performance. At Perth Seawater Desalination Plant in Western Australia, SUEZ has combined strategic asset management and deep innovation to realise significant gains.

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esalination – the process of removing the salt from seawater in order to make it drinkable – has become a key element of water management strategies here and abroad. The cost and impact of producing desalinated water is highly variable, contingent on a range of factors including plant efficiency and the type of systems in use.

The Perth Seawater Desalination Plant (PSDP) at Kwinana, 30 kilometres south of Perth CBD, is operated by SUEZ for the state-owned Water Corporation. The first large-scale desalination plant in the southern hemisphere, for more than a decade it has supplied two million Perth residents with more than 45 billion litres of fresh drinking water annually – around 18 per cent of Perth’s total water supply.

SUEZ and Multiplex were awarded the construction contract in 2005, completing ahead of schedule to deliver PSDP’s first water order just 18 months after breaking ground. The plant continues to consistently produce above its 143.7 MLD design capacity. Chris Young, SUEZ General Manager Operations West (WA, NT, SA) said that PDSP’s innovative design features provide a solid foundation for efficient and effective operation.

“SUEZ’s reverse osmosis technology in use at PDSP features double-pass membranes that deliver salinity levels below 200 milligrams per litre and a bromide content below 0.1 milligrams per litre,” he explained. “The system also allows for full pressure and flow control for greatly reduced energy consumption, while our advanced brine dispersion technology protects Cockburn Sound’s sensitive marine ecosystem.”

PSDP’s comprehensive asset management strategy is critical in minimising risks without compromising assets. The systems in place support fast and effective decision making processes at the plant – a key factor in delivering safe, reliable and costeffective output in the long term. In line with these principles, the team is currently working on achieving ISO 55000 Asset Management certification.

Young said that SUEZ takes a continuous improvement approach to asset management, constantly monitoring performance and seeking innovative ways to boost efficiency in areas such as energy consumption.

“Water pressurisation prior to reverse osmosis accounts for around 50 per cent of operational costs.

At PSDP we utilise pressure exchangers to recover residual pressure from the concentrated brine discharge, for energy savings of up to 20 per cent.”

SUEZ received the Operator & Service Provider Excellence Award at the 2017 National Infrastructure Awards for its work with Water Corporation on the plant. PSDP is widely recognised as one of the most efficient and cost-effective desalination operations in Australia; it also enjoys an enviable safety record and culture, recently surpassing 4100 Lost Time Injury Free days.

“The team are constantly seeking new and safer ways of working, and we have developed a multilayered safety process to reduce manual handling requirements and enhance membrane removal and installation processes,” Young said.

“PSDP is an important asset for Water Corporation, and we are proud of what we’ve achieved here in ensuring it consistently performs at the highest possible level,” he added.

Internet of Things

The

next IN 2008 THERE WERE MORE DEVICES CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET THAN PEOPLE. WITH THE MARKET FOR SMART DEVICES SET TO SWELL, HOW CAN THE WATER INDUSTRY CONNECT TO THIS INTERNET OF THINGS?

By Joshua Hoey

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ociety and smart devices have been firm friends for years: from step-tracking shoes and connected cars, to wifi-enabled ovens and smart nappies, these devices are appearing in almost every aspect of our lives. But understanding how these devices ‘talk’ to each other – and the insights they enable – is still a work in progress.

Although smart nappies are on the less practical end of the spectrum, they are part of a trend that is set to revolutionise how the water industry does business.

This network of connected devices is the Internet of Things (IoT), and the proliferation of smart technology means the boundaries of what’s possible are always changing.

“What we are seeing is the instrumentation of everything,” said KPMG’s National IoT Practice Leader Piers Hogarth-Scott.

“From roads, to buildings, to water pipes, once you measure them, you can gain insights that you weren’t able to previously.”

The International Data Corporation

USING ANALYTICS, WE CAN PREDICT POTENTIAL ISSUES AND MOVE TO PREVENTATIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE REPAIRS. PHIL JOHNSON, SOUTH EAST WATER

estimates the global IoT market will be worth $1.3 trillion by 2019. The IoT Council of Australia predicts the country’s share of those devices will generate $116 billion a year by 2025.

And when Hogarth-Scott said ‘everything’, he means it: projections for the number of connected devices range from 20 to 40 billion by 2025, and soar up to a trillion by 2030.

LONG ARM, LOW COST Telemetry and remote monitoring of key assets has always been essential to the water industry for maintaining infrastructure, but cost has traditionally limited the use of such networks.

For example, installing a $10,000 pressure sensor and telemetry system was cost effective for a key, isolated pumping station upstream from thousands of end users. But installing smart sensors on individual pipes or smart meters for individual users was a harder case to make.

“Because they have been relatively expensive, their deployment was on a selective basis, where the value of the data justified the cost of the telemetry system,” said Mark Halliwell, marketing manager at Taggle, a provider of smart-device communications technology.

Another barrier was integrating legacy systems with newer ones.

“A challenge was retrofitting all the existing infrastructure to connect with IoT platforms,” said Meshed Director of Sales and Services Catherine Caruana-McManus.

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Internet of Things

“Now it’s a matter of integrating real-time date into existing data and network architectures.”

The current drive to connect almost everything into an IoT is largely driven by two things: cheaper devices and better performing networks.

There’s labour and associated costs, but with smart technology advancing at a rapid pace, it’s quickly becoming viable to install them on almost every piece of water infrastructure.

“You can get a little Bluetooth sensor for $20 that measures temperature, humidity and vibrations, and sends all that information to the cloud,” said Siemens General Manager for Factory Automation Christopher Vains.

“It’s the size of a battery, runs on batteries and lasts for five years at least.”

Concurrently, the network technologies that connect remote sensors have dropped in price while increasing range and reliability.

Low power wide area networks (LPWAN), such as NB-IoT, LoRaWAN,

Sigfox and Taggle, enable wider coverage, better ground penetration and miniscule power demands at a fraction of the cost of traditional wireless network technologies.

LPWAN also enable utilities to install battery-powered sensors in remote locations that don’t need replacing for years, making isolated assets a little less unreachable.

“In terms of remote monitoring, we can use the IoT to look at pressure, flow and water quality to better schedule maintenance,” Caruana-McManus said.

Although the network technologies and sensors are available, Taggle’s Halliwell said Australian water utilities’ IoT deployment is still embryonic.

“There’s something in the order of 10 to 11 million meters in Australia. Between us and some other players in the market, we estimate that probably less than

200,000 meters actually have this type of technology,” Halliwell said.

Yet the potential of IoT in the water sector is staggering, and Australian utilities are starting to cotton on.

Available IoT-enabled sensors can monitor water levels, pressure, flow and temperature. There are acoustic and vibration sensors, and biological ‘mini-lab’ sensors are under development. There is also potential for monitoring not just infrastructure integrity but also predictive maintenance, water quality, the effects of climate change on catchment areas and rainfall across thousands of sensors.

“It’s a data driven world now – the more you can acquire, the better you know how your network performs,” said Phil Johnson, corporate and commercial general manager at South East Water (SEW) in Victoria.

SEW has run several trials of smart, IoT devices, including its Internet of Sewers

communication with devices in areas that might have poor access to 3G and 4G coverage.

Halliwell said that Taggle has mostly worked with regional councils because they are smaller and more agile than bigger urban utilities.

In some of the remote areas that Taggle has set up IoT networks, the

infrastructure has acted as a backbone for other services that were previously impossible.

“One customer in southern NSW is looking at making our network more widely available to residents so they can monitor water levels in tanks and have the data delivered to them individually,” Halliwell said.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

RURAL TESTING GROUNDS The IoT and smart water networks in Australian cities receive considerable media attention, but Australia’s rural environments might be the perfect space for IoT-enabled water networks.

The economics of the IoT that make it cost-effective in urban settings are only amplified in regional and rural Australia.

“With regional settings, utility employees might travel quite a distance to read each meter, which means the costs increase per meter per read, and the health and safety costs increase,” said Taggle’s Marketing Manager Mark Halliwell.

Instead, placing cheap sensors on isolated infrastructure almost eliminates the labour costs of manual readings.

Meanwhile, low power wide area network (LPWAN) technologies that transmit over wide areas allow for

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trial [see box at right]. During another trial in late 2016, the company installed a handful of narrow band communication smart meters at individual houses to monitor flow, water temperature, pressure and acoustic signals.

Johnson said integrating these data points into a software system meant SEW could change its maintenance program.

“Using analytics and multiple data points, we can predict potential issues and move to preventative rather than reactive repairs,” he said.

Sydney Water has taken steps to join the network as well. They recently installed a system of acoustic sensors that they expect to move to an IoT platform soon.

Another example is SA Water, which recently installed hundreds of sensors in Adelaide’s CBD to improve real-time understanding of its network.

[THE IOT] LETS US OPTIMISE INFRASTRUCTURE, FOCUS ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE. CATHERINE CARUANAMCMANUS, MESHED The City of Wollongong has rolled out a free-to-air IoT network using LoRaWAN across the region, in partnership with Meshed. The area is prone to flooding, so part of the network is focused in stormwater drainage.

“We have extended real-time monitoring of water flows and levels by integrating AI with photography to monitor debris,” said Caruana-McManus.

Beyond the coast, Taggle has installed IoT networks for more than 20 rural and regional councils, including GWM Water in Victoria, Mackay Regional Council in Queensland and Goldenfields Water in NSW [see box at bottom left].

EYE IN THE SKY Although SEW manually monitors pipe integrity by feeding cameras down

THE INTERNET OF SEWERS Wastewater infrastructure can be particularly vulnerable, whether from rainfall ingress and surcharging, or illegal access and blockages from wet wipes and fatbergs.

South East Water (SEW) recently completed a trial of an IoT network in wastewater infrastructure to help address these vulnerabilities.

Playfully dubbed the ‘Internet of Sewers’, the trial saw a range of small, IoT-style sensors deployed in manholes and elsewhere across SEW’s wastewater system, all of which were connected on an NB-IoT network rather than the traditional (and more expensive) 3G and 4G networks.

With the advent of cheaper, battery-powered sensors, SEW was able to roll out an increased number of sensors.

“By migrating from macro-level sensors that sit at just a few pumping stations to more prolific deployment across the network, we have a greater ability to predict and prevent issues across the network,” said Phil Johnson, SEW’s

pipelines to check for damage, that data is fed into an AI system that uses machine learning to independently process – and learn from – hundreds of hours of pipe footage to identify problem areas.

Johnson said he sees the future potential for automation and the use of smart, IoT enabled drones to capture this footage.

“As the cost of devices comes down to almost the throw-away level, you could easily put a disposable recording device

corporate and commercial general manager.

The system uses a range of various sensors that can detect flow, wastewater levels and even hydrogen sulphide levels.

The narrow bandwidth of the network technologies used for IoT make it particularly applicable to wastewater.

“Sewer networks and devices are often deployed underground, under manholes and metal covers.

The greater ground penetration of these new networks means we can pick up the signals that we need,” Johnson said.

Before the trial, Johnson said SEW would have had sensors on a couple hundred of an estimated 100,000 manhole covers.

With the success of the trial, they’re looking at scaling that up dramatically.

“We wouldn’t put it on all of them, but we’re potentially looking at putting sensors on a quarter of them, if the price point is right and we can still generate value for customers,” he said.

through the asset network to capture images,” he said.

Drones are already being used as a part of the water network at the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council in NSW. Previously, the council had to rely on 12-month-old satellite imagery for some remote assets. However, the recent acquisition of two aerial drones for survey work could potentially revolutionise how the Council conducts water asset inspections in the future, said Design Manager Rowan Howarth.

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Internet of Things

ANATOMY OF THE IOT By 2030, there will be a trillion connected devices. But will it all be wifi toasters and Fitbits?

While IoT-enabled appliances might be attractive for consumers, in the water sector the majority of IoT growth will be found in water reticulation networks, catchments and the natural environment.

The use of drones and autonomous devices will increase, and with the rising focus on the effects of climate change, underground sensors monitoring groundwater levels and water quality in catchment areas will become standard. Here’s what this might look like.

NATURE

Remote, underground sensors in catchment areas monitor water quality and levels.

IoT-connected gauges gather rainfall and other climate data.

Aerial drones transmit real-time data on reservoir levels, algae blooms and remote infrastructure.

“Now we’ve gone through and taken aerial imagery and surveys of all of our sewer treatment plants and our reservoirs,” Howarth said.

The drones also let the council conduct detailed surveys of all the installed water and sewer infrastructure – including stormwater pipes and pits – in new developments before construction starts on houses.

Howarth acknowledged that limitations in the type and number of sensors and cameras that can be installed on drones impose some limitations. However, the ‘smart’ aspect means it can remotely transmit data in real-time to water system management tools like SCADA – which is a huge benefit.

“It gives us fidelity in our actual built network, and we can map that data into our geographic information system,” he said.

RAISING THE BAR

HOME IoT sensors on showerheads and appliances provide consumers with real-time data on water use.

PIPELINES AND INFRASTRUCTURE Arrays of thousands of sensors monitor acoustics, pressure and flow.

Single-use disposable devices record pipeline images.

Autonomous, in-pipe drones receive data on faults and carry out repairs.

Smart multi-meters are installed at individual residences.

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With multiple IoT vendors supplying various sensors and devices over a range of network platforms, standards for the IoT sector are an emerging challenge.

KPMG’s Hogarth-Scott said an arms race of sorts is beginning to develop in the space, but that ultimately multiple technologies will have to be used.

“No single vendor can deliver an end-to-end solution; it requires an ecosystem of technologies to come together,” he said.

Taggle’s Halliwell agreed, and said that different context will naturally demand different network solutions.

“For example, Taggle employs a one-way communication system. An NB-IoT device requires more power to drive two-way communications technology,” he said.

“The big LPWAN technologies – Taggle, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, NB-IoT – will all have their applications.”

While IoT uses multiple network platforms, all in the industry agree that a universal, open-specification standard such as Hypercat is needed so that different devices from various vendors can be interoperable.

“The British Government has supported Hypercat for several years to really drive IoT interoperability,” Hogarth-Scott said.

“We have been encouraging the Australian Government to adopt the standard in Australia.”

PANDORA’S BOX Maintaining security is another challenge for IoT networks and devices. For example, last October IoT devices were used in a

NO SINGLE VENDOR CAN DELIVER AN END-TO-END SOLUTION. PIERS HOGARTH-SCOTT, KPMG denial of service attack on Dyn, an internet service company that manages domain registrations for some of the most popular sites on the internet.

Hogarth-Scott said these “canaries in the cage” should prompt those looking at implementing IoT solutions to ensure they integrate security and governance strategies as part of the initial stages of the planning process.

“You don’t want to lay down significant infrastructure, only to have it hacked and then have to go back and take remedial action; prevention is better than a cure,” he said.

Siemens’ Vains stressed the importance of defence in depth: not just relying on firewalls and antivirus platforms, but foundational behaviours like employees not wandering around in public with security tags on, or plugging unknown USB devices into their networked computers.

“I think the water industry is quite good about that, but it’s not something you can ever get relaxed about,” Vains said.

“It’s constant investment in retraining and refreshing all your people.”

UNCHARTED TERRITORY Looking to the future, IoT interoperability standards would allow utilities to share data, easily access records from weather services such as the Bureau of Meteorology, and integrate this with data from their own networks in a SCADA platform, increasing their ability to predict infrastructure performance and capacity.

Remote sensors in the environment could not only improve environmental monitoring and resource management, but help utilities predict flooding events, ensure water quality and even conduct environmental research.

What further uses will be found for smart devices? What additional challenges can the Internet of Things help the water industry address?

“Water utilities have to plan for the future – they need to take a long-term strategic view,” said Caruana-McManus.

“More technology has emerged that lets us optimise infrastructure, focus on customer experience and respond to climate change.”

As the world’s driest inhabited continent grapples with climate variability, a booming population, ageing infrastructure and increased customer expectations, IoT has the potential to help the industry not just maintain infrastructure, but protect water supplies at their very source.

Wastewater analysis

Substance

census WASTEWATER ANALYSIS MADE HEADLINES EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIGHT AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE. ARE THESE METHODS OF COLLECTING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA GENERATING INTEREST? OR JUST SCEPTICISM?

By Chelsea Wallis

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arlier this year, water utilities stepped into the political limelight when Coalition Treasurer Scott Morrison announced that data collected from Australian wastewater treatment plants would help inform policy decisions in areas of high drug use.

The report that will inform the policy, the National Wastewater Drug Mapping Program (NWDMP), is the first of a series of nine reports to be released over the next three years.

While the reports are intended to direct decision-making in law enforcement, health, education and the not-for-profit sector, utilities are starting to find that sampling demographic data in a similar fashion is to their benefit as well.

E

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS Tracking illicit substances in wastewater in Australia dates back to 2005, though the concept was first introduced in the 1990s. We aren’t the only country doing this, either – wastewater analysis is already standard practice for drug monitoring in Europe.

What’s different about this most recent sampling effort is its breadth and depth. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) contracted the University of Queensland and the University of South Australia to collect wastewater samples from 51 participating utilities around Australia.

The sample areas stretch right across the country, and include a mix of capital cities and regional sites encompassing almost 14 million people, or 58% of the population.

AGENCIES USE A WHOLE SUITE OF STRATEGIES TO REDUCE DRUG-RELATED HARM, AND KNOWING WHAT EFFECT THOSE STRATEGIES ARE HAVING, IF ANY, DEPENDS ON THE EVIDENCE WE CAN MARSHAL. JEREMY PRICHARD, UNIVERSIT Y OF TASMANIA The goal was to establish a baseline measure of the consumption of 13 drugs

by Australians, including tobacco and alcohol.

Researchers began by measuring parent chemicals – traces of the original drug that pass unchanged through the body into the wastewater system – and metabolites, which are a modified version of the chemical.

The concentration of that chemical is multiplied by the volume of wastewater in the sample, and then measured against an estimate of the catchment population to determine how much of the initial drug has been consumed within a chosen time frame.

Current methods for pulling demographic information from wastewater don’t gather data on individuals, and consequently it poses few ethical risks. However, this new field does raise some novel concerns.

One is the accuracy of testing methods. Professor Jochen Mueller, a fellow at the University of Queensland who worked on the NWDMP, said there are four notable uncertainties in calculating this type of measurement: the concentration, the quality of the sample, the definitive population count and the excretion factor.

“We have calculated the uncertainties, and for some chemicals the method works incredibly well, but for others it does not,” Mueller said.

For this reason the NWDMP does not cover marijuana or heroin because researchers decided the technical difficulties were too great to produce reliable data for year-on-year trend comparison.

“For the specific purpose of the NWDMP, based on current testing methods, it was decided that the results [for heroin and marijuana] are not that useful and might rather lend themselves to misinterpretation,” he said.

How the findings are represented is another area of concern. University of Tasmania Senior Lecturer Dr Jeremy Prichard was part of the team that

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Wastewater analysis

authored the Ethical Research Guidelines for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology and Related Fields in 2016, which serves as the international guideline in this space.

He said the main concern is that communities – especially in disadvantaged settings – could be negatively affected by media reports about the findings of studies. And it’s not much of a leap before misinformation makes its way into political discourse.

“It’s better not to report the catchments from which your samples were taken because of the risk that the media will not report these well, not understand the findings or deliberately misrepresent them,” Prichard said.

“It can stigmatise communities, which could lead to politically motivated decisions rather than evidence-based decisions about law enforcement.”

The best way to protect communities is to anonymise the data in public reports and publications, he concluded.

The NWDMP does this by coding the sites by number, but the question of how data will be reported is one utilities should ask before agreeing to participate in similar sampling projects.

ANONYMITY AS AN ASSET It turns out these wide swathes of anonymous data fill a knowledge gap in current monitoring methods.

Prichard pointed out that although monitoring systems are incredibly effective in assessing individual data, there are shortcomings to current methods.

Recruiting for surveys is difficult because people are generally unwilling to talk about their substance use. It’s also time consuming to conduct one-on-one interviews, and researchers are dependent on the quality of information a person volunteers.

Although wastewater studies can never deliver individualised information, they can deliver efficient, reliable data that can identify emerging trends in large populations.

“Wastewater analysis is proven to be reasonably or very accurate with key drugs of concern, including methylamphetamine [ice], ecstasy, cocaine, tobacco and alcohol,” Prichard said.

“It gives useful temporal trends on what the drug market is doing because of the frequency in which testing can be conducted, from which you get a macro-level picture. Agencies use a whole suite of strategies to try to reduce drug-related

harm, and knowing what effect those strategies are having, if any, depends on the evidence we can marshal.”

That information goes a long way to drawing the map of Australia’s drug habits – the first step in the difficult journey to change behaviours. To have any chance of succeeding, you need a good evidence base, Prichard said.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR US? Broadly speaking, that’s the business that water utilities are in: creating benefit to society, more particularly community health.

Aside from the NWDMP, some utilities participate in other demographic data projects within the confines of their own policies regarding research and collaboration. From an economic perspective, it is in their best interests to use the data available to provide value to customers.

Sydney Water, for instance, doesn’t routinely collect demographic data, but it actively collaborates with other parties where studies are in the public interest, within privacy guidelines.

Sydney Water Manager of Research Direction and Value Dr Michael Storey said that where the collection of data leads to better or more targeted products or services, there is an appetite to obtain demographic data.

“We are always keen to better understand what customers value, and how we can better meet customer expectations and provide value for money,” he said.

Mueller has seen a surge in utilities showing interest in participating in his ‘sewer census’ studies. He is currently looking at testing for biomarkers for health impacts due to high temperatures, exposure to harmful pollutants, and more.

“We were hoping to get 30 wastewater plants, but word got out about what we were doing and in the end we got more than 100; since then we’ve had many more call,” he said.

“The uptake in the industry was mindboggling.”

The next step? To prove the data have a direct benefit to society. Mueller and his colleagues are already working on a project to see if drug studies on wastewater can help communities in the fight against the drug ice.

And with the opportunity to become better acquainted with their customers and to actively contribute to the research on community health, the water industry has already begun to embrace the benefits of these cross-disciplinary alliances.

REGIONAL TASTES This first report of the National Wastewater Drug Mapping Program revealed Australians’ drugs of choice. Here’s a snapshot of some key findings: • Methylamphetamine was the highest illicit drug consumed across all regions of Australia.

• Alcohol and tobacco use were the highest consumed across all states and territories.

• Cocaine use was the highest in urban NSW sites, while NT rates of use were the lowest.

• Oxycodone showed up most often in regional VIC and QLD.

• MDMA is not a popular choice apart from one regional site in TAS and a city site in NT.

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• Fentanyl use in regional NSW, SA and WA was higher than the national average.

• Psychoactive substances appeal to a niche market.

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Social responsibility

Doing well by doing good CSR AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE OFTEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT THE FORMER IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE LATTER. HOW DO CSR AND THE INDUSTRY INTERSECT?

By Rachael Brown

he state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Australia has improved in the past couple decades; even fifteen years ago, CSR managers or official company programs were few and far between. When they did exist, they generally fell under the umbrella of ‘philanthropy’.

Now, it’s hard to find an organisation that doesn’t have some sort of CSR arrangement.

“CSR is thinking about direct and indirect impacts, and taking steps to create positive impacts or mitigate negative ones,” said Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ACCSR) Managing Director Dr Leeora Black.

Certainly in the water industry, sustainability and social issues are well understood. CSR tends to fall into several broad categories including environmental impact and quality-of-life issues.

“If you start with clean drinking water as fundamental to human health and wellbeing, then it’s not long before that thinking extends to water’s contributions to thriving communities, environmental sustainability and more,” said Yarra Valley Water Managing Director Pat McCafferty

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TRIPLE THREAT CSR is contextual, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. But there are some consistent challenges organisations face.

Jumping in before fully understanding the nature of their impact or the pace of changing expectations is one.

“CSR is not a static thing – it evolves in response to changing societal expectations,” Black said.

“Organisations’ understanding of what society expects often lags behind. So the gap between what companies are doing and what stakeholders want is big enough to cause problems.”

Although many in the water industry have an inherently pro-social, pro-environment mission, Black warned this default thinking can be counterproductive, especially for organisations like government-owned utilities.

“Some might think that by going about ‘business as usual’ they are being socially responsible. The challenge then becomes going the extra step to think strategically about where you can actually make the most difference,” she said.

One place to start is considering direct and indirect impacts in social, environmental and economic terms. Then organisations should assess how they create value in those areas, and how their business model helps or hinders them.

CSR IS NOT A STATIC THING – IT EVOLVES IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS. DR LEEORA BLACK, ACCSR

Although the environmental impacts of water industry organisations are more readily understood, the social and economic aspects of the equation are just as crucial. It’s also an important connection to make considering the larger context within which water sits as an essential service.

For example, Yarra Valley Water took steps to address financial vulnerability among customers, which then led to efforts to address its underlying causes such as unemployment, family violence or refugee status.

“Once we started talking to people in the welfare sector we realised we were way off in our understanding of what was going on in the community,” McCafferty said.

In response, the utility hosted a Vulnerability Roundtable, which was attended by 130 organisations from the water industry as well as energy, insurance, telecommunications, healthcare and banking, to name a few.

This has morphed into the Thriving Communities partnership, which is now looking at developing a suite of programs centred on early intervention.

CULTURE IS KING This kind of external impact is only possible, though, if the internal company culture fosters commitment and drive for CSR. People are at the heart of this, and employee ownership keeps CSR from becoming a box-ticking exercise.

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CASE STUDY: ARUP

Arup employees working on a project in Cambodia.

Business, facilities, people and external relationships form the backbone of Arup’s mission for sustainability.

They are also deeply embedded in the organisation.

“The original founder developed a culture where it was seen as important to make a positive difference in society,” said Daniel Lambert, Australasia water business leader for Arup.

Arup was named one of ACCSR’s top companies for CSR in 2017 thanks to a number of factors, said Lambert. One is the company’s investment in community engagement initiatives, both domestic and international.

The organisation has collaborated with organisations such as the World Toilet Organisation, WaterAid and Engineers without Borders to help the millions of people living without access to clean and safe water, or adequate sanitation and hygiene.

Two recent projects were hydrological modelling for flood mitigation in tsunami-struck areas of Sri Lanka, and water and sanitation solutions in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Arup has also had teams compete in WaterAid’s annual Water Innovators challenge, which asks water industry organisations to solve design, programmatic, financial or legal issues for CSR projects in developing countries.

Feedback from staff on these experiences has all been positive, said Lambert. It’s an opportunity for them to flex their creativity and problem solving skills, as well as contribute to solving quality-of-life issues.

Closer to home, Arup has a strong internal program focused on encouraging diversity within the engineering sector. The company is also looking at reconciliation programs with Indigenous communities.

The opportunities for CSR contribute to roll-on benefits like employee engagement and retention, as well as a strong and cohesive workplace culture.

Employees are encouraged to spearhead CSR projects they are passionate about by applying for grant money through a designated fund. Staff can also volunteer their time and expertise on a number of philanthropic projects.

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Xylem’s Watermark program (started in 2008 as a partnership with NGOs to solve water challenges in vulnerable communities) shifted focus in late 2016 to become more employee-centric.

“Feedback was that employees weren’t seeing how their efforts were contributing to the work we were doing,” said Kelly McAndrew, vice-president for global public affairs at Xylem.

“We expanded the Watermark program to provide them volunteer time to address water issues in their communities.”

Since then, employees have logged more than 21,000 hours.

Melbourne Water is another organisation that actively encourages employees to take an individual interest in CSR. “We offer all our employees two days of volunteer leave per year.

Our employees tell us it’s a very rewarding experience for them,” said General Manager People and Capability Linda Heron.

“This also benefits us, as we have an engaged workforce who feel good about the contribution we are making.”

This sentiment feeds into a compelling business case for CSR, particularly when it comes to attracting, engaging and retaining talent, said WaterAid’s CEO Rosie Wheen.

“The water industry is in a battle for talent, and if we want great people coming in and staying, they’re not just looking for any job, but a job that has meaning; CSR programs give water organisations that advantage,” she said.

Yarra Valley Water’s McCafferty agreed: “People want to make a difference and be connected to their work. If you can build a compelling narrative around that, it becomes what your organisation stands for and contributes to your brand value.”

Wheen said that commitment to CSR is increasingly being looked at by consumers as a differentiator.

“People are looking at the products and companies they invest in, and their environmental and social impact,” she said.

“Having a strong CSR program can show how a company is living their values.”

NEXT STEPS As CSR matures in Australia, Black said there will be more calls for transparency, reporting and accountability. For example, the Federal Government is currently debating whether Australia should have a modern slavery act, which would require companies to report on how they are avoiding complicity in human rights abuses.

Xylem’s McAndrew viewed reporting as completing the cycle of CSR and moving towards best practice.

“It’s important to share with stakeholders our goals and what we’ve accomplished. We want to extend that commitment to our supply chain, ensuring we partner with those who share our values,” she said.

As CSR continues to evolve, Wheen sees ample opportunity for the water industry to take charge of the conversation around sustainability.

“Water more broadly is going to be the new conversation in terms of sustainability. More organisations are having to report on their energy use, and I think the next big thing will be looking at water use,” she said.

“It’s something where the industry can lead the way.”

The Australian Water Association is facilitating a pilot project to bring membrane water treatment technology to rural areas of Vietnam’s Son La Province, with the hope to upscale treatment technology in the areas of most need. To learn more about this project and the Association’s CSR initiatives, visit: bit.ly/waterkiosks

THE WORLD’S TO-DO LIST On January 1, 2016, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) officially came into effect. Many companies are now adopting them to benchmark their own CSR strategies.

“Previously we had a range of initiatives that came under the CSR banner, but our commitment to the SDGs provided us with a framework against which to focus our work and measure our success,” said Melbourne Water’s Heron.

This is a trend the ACCSR’s Black has observed across the board, and it’s reflected in their Annual Review of the State of CSR in Australia and New Zealand 2017.

“A lot of the issues we used to ask people about have been superseded by the SDGs,” she said.

According to the review, the SDGs of most concern to the water industry (utilities in particular) are: • Sustainable cities and communities;

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Clean water and sanitation; Good health and wellbeing; Gender equality; and Industry, innovation and infrastructure.

WaterAid’s Wheen said the SDGs are a web with many touch points for industry organisations. Clean water and sanitation (SDG6) has crossover with good health and wellbeing (SDG 3) and its links to sanitation and hygiene.

And education (SDG 4) is closely tied with gender equality (SDG 5) since women and girls often bear the brunt of collecting water. They also spend more time caring for sick children affected by water-borne illnesses, and some miss school while menstruating due to lack of access to toilets.

“The clock is ticking on the SDGs, so we need leadership and support from the water industry to think about different ways to achieve them,” Wheen said.

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Extreme weather

OUR WATER INDUSTRY IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH WHAT EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS MEAN FOR FINANCIAL, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL BOTTOM LINES.

By Cecilia Harris

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hen it comes to wild weather, Australians didn’t come down in the last shower. From bushfires to floods, cyclones to droughts – we’ve lived through it to tell the tale many times over.

But there’s a troubling trend developing: extreme weather events are now being exacerbated by climate change. According to the Climate Council, trends towards more intense and more frequent extreme weather events are appearing – and the water industry is front-and-centre of how Australia will adapt to manage this threat.

W

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Whether it’s challenges with post-event water treatment, infrastructure failure, reputational damage, supply and demand balance, resource security or ecological change – the forces of nature reach every corner of a water utility’s management strategy.

UNSW Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Stuart Khan said the difficulty with preparing for extreme weather rests on the sheer abnormality of such events.

“An extreme weather event is something that takes a water utility outside of its normal boundaries of operation,” Khan explained.

Dealing with them therefore becomes a case-by-case issue.

“There’s is no specifics in terms of number of millimetres of rainfall or a certain duration of drought because different utilities, based on their geography, have different exposure to what they’re used to.”

Individual extreme weather events can strain a utility’s ability to maintain supply and quality, Khan said, but

“things really fall over when you get unpredicted outcomes, such as where you have combinations of extreme weather events”.

ONE-TWO PUNCH Griffith University National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility General Manager Dr David Rissik said a combination of events can strain networks and systems, multiplying financial and social risks to levels never before experienced.

This makes assessing risk for multiple outcomes hard.

“When combination events happen, the risk increases substantially and the implications are really huge,” he said.

This is compounded when there is a switch from one extreme to another within a short timeframe. Jumping from a drought to a flood can stretch already strained resources.

“It’s stretches the way people work and think; this is likely to become more prevalent as we get more variances in extremes,” Rissik said.

Climate Risk Science and Systems Director Dr Karl Mallon said that cross-dependency is becoming a huge consideration for planners, especially in the case of disruptions to interdependent services.

DIFFERENT UTILITIES, BASED ON THEIR GEOGRAPHY, HAVE DIFFERENT EXPOSURE TO WHAT THEY’RE USED TO. STUART KHAN, UNSW

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Extreme weather

“If the electricity stops, the pumps don’t work and communications break down. If you can’t control valves, you can’t control the system as whole,” Mallon said.

Extreme events such as cyclones and floods have been on the industry’s radar for a long time, and most organisations have incident plans and emergency management systems in place to address issues as they arise, such as portable generators or alternative water supply systems.

However, these are short-term solutions. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme events mean utilities must take a big-picture, long-term approach if it hopes to deal with dependency issues effectively and efficiently, Mallon said.

“We can’t look at the resilience of a utility without looking at the resilience of its peer utilities; we have to look at this in a very collaborative way if we’re to cover all of our bases,” he said.

“This is uncharted territory, but it’s a big opportunity for collaborative

HISTORY HAS BECOME A POOR GUIDE FOR OUR FUTURE. CAMERON WEARING, SEQWATER adaptation. If you’ve got multiple groups who benefit from the options of one player, they can all contribute to the cost.”

ADAPTATION PATHWAYS Preparing for extreme weather events is different for each utility because of things like environmental contingencies and resource restraints. However, one similarity is that planning can often boil down to adequate forethought and effective decision-making.

“One of the key things about assessing different adaptation pathways is keeping in mind that the short-term decisions we

make now limit what we can do in the future,” said Seqwater Principal Policy Officer Cameron Wearing.

“Plotting out adaptation pathways to key risks that have been identified through a risk assessment is really important for each individual utility.”

In the event of a single extreme weather occurrence, the risks applicable to a utility’s infrastructure, treatment processes, supply management and community rapport are many and varied.

Add in an unforeseen complication, such as a combination extreme weather event, and the risks are multiplied in scope and form. But implementing an adaptation pathway approach can help utilities manage their unique risk profiles more effectively.

“Adaptation pathway approaches enable us to develop a sequence of actions that can be implemented over time,” Rissik said.

“These actions might be increasingly intense, expensive and challenging, and do not need to be implemented until a certain set of pre-conditions are

SEQWATER’S CLIMATE RESILIENCE FRAMEWORK As a result of the Queensland floods in 2011 and 2013, Seqwater began the process of developing a resilience framework to help prepare for future extreme weather risks.

“Those events exposed weaknesses in our water supply system, particularly in 2013 when the Mt Crosby Water Treatment Plant had to be taken offline,” Seqwater Principal Policy Officer Cameron Wearing said.

“We have done a detailed risk assessment for the entire business and found hundreds of individual risks, which isn’t surprising because water is climate dependent.

“It’d be a nightmare to develop a plan for every single risk. We needed to be strategic, so we identified six key business enterprise-level risks, which enabled us to move forward with a framework.”

Seqwater’s Climate Resilience Framework has eight modules, with each identifying the climate risk to which it is exposed and the best pathway towards resilience. The

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modules include: orientation, governance, scope, risk analysis, resilience planning, business case, implementation and evolution.

“Each one of those eight modules has different tasks within it, and those are developed to ensure the business can see we’re developing some resilience,” Wearing said.

“The modules have also been really effective in bringing the right stakeholders along on the journey and helping to get all areas of the business on the same page.

“This is crucial work. Cyclone Debbie [in March-April 2017] reconfirmed the importance of climate resilience in our business.”

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Extreme weather

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO COMMIT FUNDING IN PREPARATION FOR A ONE-OFF, FREAK EVENT. DR K ARL MALLON, CLIMATE RISK met meaning we don’t act until we have more information.”

Where there’s uncertainty if something will happen, he recommended starting with adaptation options that will have an immediate benefit, which are often easier to fund.

This approach also provides time to consider whether new solutions have become available in the interim, and if they are worth exploring.

“It’s about working out ways we can improve our ability to respond to a sudden change in events, rather than waiting until it happens,” Rissik said.

According to him, some examples of cost-effective adaptation planning are: taking soft options to infrastructure protection and saving harder – and more expensive – options for the future; helping prepare communities through awareness programs, which also help build community trust; and being agile enough to constantly adjust an action plan in case something unexpected happens.

“Having a clear idea of how to respond to different situations, including having

clear risk thresholds, helps with effective decision-making,” Rissik said.

FUTURE FORECAST While the benefits of being proactive are clear, there are still plenty of barriers for water organisations to overcome in the face of a variable future.

“Utilities need to justify what they spend their money on, and making big infrastructure changes on the basis of an unlikely event is a difficult thing to justify,” UNSW’s Khan said.

Climate Risk’s Mallon agreed: “Decision-makers can see what the solution to a problem might be, but it is very difficult to commit funding in preparation for a one-off, freak event.”

Aside from money, internal and external cooperation can be tricky, particularly concerning political considerations. Water businesses, councils and governments often struggle with decision-making when competing priorities are at play.

These sensitivities are easier for larger utilities to navigate, as they often have more resources at their disposal.

“[Smaller utilities] don’t have the same capability to change their systems to become more resilient because they don’t have access to the same level of expertise and they don’t have the same levels of funding,” Khan said.

Rissik agreed, and said adaptation plan by default will require planners, environmental experts, engineers and finance departments to be on board and have some input into the process; otherwise you just don’t get traction.

“A challenge we face is when people don’t make a decision because either they can’t due to a lack of information, or because the organisation doesn’t support them to make it,” he said.

Many sectors are grappling with the challenge of adapting to increasing incidences of extreme weather events around Australia.

However, the water sector faces a particularly hard test: the sector has thus far planned for extreme weather fall-out based on past events, which no longer stand as a reliable precedent.

“We operate in a regime based on government and community expectation, and those expectations are guided by history,” Seqwater’s Wearing said.

“With a changing climate, history has become a poor guide for our future. We need to move with the times – otherwise we’ll be found wanting.”

The Australian Water Association continues to assess shifting priorities for the industry, and support utilities, researchers, policy makers, engineers and others working to ensure Australia’s water security in the face of climate change.

To learn more about our work, visit: bit.ly/discussionpapers

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Extreme weather

RISKY BUSINESS A 2016 WEF STUDY NAMED WATER CRISES, FAILURE TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AS THE TOP RISKS FOR THE NEXT DECADE. WHAT IS THE COST OF DOING NOTHING?

The number of global weather related catastrophes increased from

300 800 to

between 1980-2012:

400 300 100

meteorological events (storms)

hydrological events (floods, mass movement)

Climatological events (extreme temperatures, droughts, forest fires)

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IF CO2 CONCENTRATIONS REACH...

MORE THAN

450

550

up to

34%

increase in cost of water supply up to 4% up to 5% increase in increase in due to reliance cost of water cost of water on alternative sources supply supply

PPM

0.7%-2.5% DROP IN GLOBAL GDP IF TEMPERATURES RISE BY 2.5ºC, AMOUNTING TO UP TO

TRILLION

72 US$

PPM (NO MITIGATION) PPM

2050 2100

33

$

BILLION

PROJECTED COST OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN AUSTRALIA

BY

BY

226

$

BILLION

in coastal physical assets will be threatened by a sea rise of 1m

AVERAGE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES COULD RISE BY

5.1ºC

HEAT RECORDS BROKEN IN 90 DAYS DURING THE “ANGRY SUMMER” OF 2013-14

BILLION

14.1

$

Total economic cost of the 2011 Queensland Floods

Sources: Deloitte Access Economics The Economic Cost of the Social Impact of Natural Disasters report; The Investor Group on Climate Change; OECD; Climate Council; The Climate Institute Australia’s Financial System and Climate Risk report; Committee for Economic Development of Australia The Economics of Climate Change report; World Economic Forum The Global Risks Report 2016.

www.awa.asn.au

49

Water policy

PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER POLICY WAS FRONT AND CENTRE AT OZWATER’17. WHAT IS REQUIRED TO MAKE COMPREHENSIVE WATER POLICY A REALITY?

By Rachael Brown

W

ater security is a timeless issue, but a changing climate, population growth and ageing infrastructure are forcing things to a head sooner rather than later.

The effects of these events are acknowledged within the industry, but government policies are at risk of lagging behind.

A WRINKLE IN TIME In the 1990s the term ‘water security’ was mostly used to express a general vision, but in the past 10 years it’s been used more explicitly to articulate the goals the water industry wants to achieve, said Nick Schofield, former director of the Global Water Institute, current CEO of the Australian Water Partnership and chair of the Ozwater’17 policy stream’s session on water security.

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At the heart of the issue are two important questions: How long can we guarantee our water supply? And what do we need to do to extend the timeline?

The parameters for assessing water security are amorphous at the moment, said Carmel Krogh, director of Shoalhaven Water, and that’s part of the problem.

“We don’t have a consistent definition of what water security means. Is it running out of water in the next 12 months?

Does it mean having enough water to last us through another Millennium Drought? We don’t have those parameters, and even within a single state there are different levels of ‘security’ for different water supply systems,” she said.

The lack of standardised approaches for assessing future water security are compounded by a growing list of political,

exnate nobis enestiby wanate nobis enestibal

WATER IS A NATIONAL THING AND RESEARCHERS, UTILITIES, POLITICIANS, COMMUNITIES AND OTHER INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS NEED TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH TO MEETING WATER SECURITY CHALLENGES. DASARATH JAYASURIYA, BOM

social and cultural challenges. However, the variability of water supplies – from coast to coast, state to state and region to region – makes a united front difficult.

“You have urban communities and rural ones, agriculture and irrigation, industry and energy generation, so when you talk about water security there are trade-offs that will have to be made,” said Dr Dasarath Jayasuriya, assistant director for water forecasting at the Bureau of Meteorology.

CREATURE OF CONTEXT One key piece of water legislation in recent years is the National Water Initiative (NWI), but it is quickly losing relevance as a product of its time.

The NWI played a crucial role in creating active water markets and it shined a light on rural water. However, it’s only a short- to mid-term approach to Australia’s water security, said NixonClarity Principal David Nixon, an Ozwater’17 water security panel member.

For instance, it did little to address urban water management, which is a major concern considering the country’s rapidly growing metropolitan population.

Climate change was also not very prominent in the NWI, but following predictions for increasingly extreme weather events, measures to ensure sustainable adaptation to these changing conditions must be considered, said Schofield

SOLUTIONS IN SIGHT One idea that was floated during the water security panel discussion was the creation of a Water Security for All Australians statement declaring access to clean water as a fundamental right.

Taking this ‘top down’ approach to water security would supplement the ‘bottom up’ work that’s already happening.

“States and utilities need to maintain focus on the mid to long term, but governments, particularly the Federal Government, should ensure that we’re looking at water security for the next hundred years,” Nixon said.

Krogh agreed, and said that the industry needs to remain vigilant to prevent complacency from setting in.

“Particularly from a utility perspective, we’re doing what we can do on the ground to ensure our supplies. But from an overarching national perspective, that’s where the longer-term vision is missing.”

Creating a statement would also allow for gaps left by the NWI to be filled, and it would equip policymakers with a toolkit from which they can work on holistic solutions.

“When we’re talking about water security, we’re not just talking about the quality and quantity – we’re talking about Indigenous issues, environmental sustainability and more. It needs to be all-encompassing,” Nixon said.

www.awa.asn.au

51

Water policy

Attendees at the Ozwater’17 policy stream.

EVEN WITHIN A SINGLE STATE THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ‘SECURITY’ FOR DIFFERENT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS. CARMEL KROGH, SHOALHAVEN WATER

For example, the country still has some way to go in effectively engaging Indigenous communities in water management, as well as addressing ongoing issues with water quality in some rural and remote communities.

“Although there has been significant policy progress, this hasn’t always been effectively implemented; further protections and a bigger focus on restoration are required,” said Schofield.

TAKING THE LEAD A proactive approach to water security won’t happen by accident, said Krogh. It will only be possible if the water industry and policymakers are informed and agile enough to allow their thinking to change over time.

“Any strategy to address water security needs built-in flexibility to adjust course and shift our thinking as more information is made available to us,” she said.

The Australian water sector needs to continuously review the veracity of its water management systems and collectively identify the next critical steps forward, Schofield added.

“Whether it’s increased customer focus, improving environmental stewardship or climate change forecasting ... politicians will respond to the urgent issues of the day,” he said.

“When we look at water security in the long term, we need to determine where we want to be and what our future vision is, and then the steps we’ll need to take to get there.”

Historically, investment in water infrastructure has come as a reaction to water shortages, but the industry has matured, allowing for more focus on prevention rather than cure.

“We have better access to information on our water situation today, what it’s likely to be in coming weeks and months, and more available and integrated information that can be communicated to multiple users in different situations,” said Dr Robert Argent, assistant director for water information services for the Bureau of Meteorology.

“Federal and State Governments can make use of the knowledge we have on demand and supply management.”

Advancements like this make it easier to predict what will have the biggest impacts on water supply in the near future, but they also highlight the need for an integrated approach.

“Water doesn’t always sit within prescribed boundaries. It’s a national thing and researchers, utilities, politicians, communities and other industry organisations need to have a partnership approach to meeting water security challenges,” Jayasuriya said.

One thing everyone can agree on, though, is that water security is too important to leave off the agenda.

As Argent said: “There’s a general realisation that water resources are not something we can have a great deal of disagreement about – it’s too important to us.”

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THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework through which the industry can place its efforts in a global context.

“The main thing here is how we map the strategies of our organisations against the SDGs,” said Adam Lovell, executive director of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA).

In the context of water, Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) is obvious, but he said all 17 SDGs have impacts across the industry.

For example, organisations can commit to empowering women to contribute to SDG 5. And a key component of liveable cities, SDG 11, is urban water management.

“Once you get past SDG 6, there are clear touch points with other industries,” Lovell said.

“It’s good for Australia’s competitiveness as well; achieving the SDGs will provide a more liveable country, and it will provide impetus for the best and brightest from around the world to come and live here and help our country grow.”

The Federal Government is the glue that binds these efforts together, but the SDGs also bring together the private and public sectors.

“Now it’s a matter of leaders advertising their commitment to the global compact,” Lovell said.

“We are gathering case studies about what organisations are doing here, so people have evidence about how this improves business.”

On a global scale, the SDGs are an opportunity for the Australian water industry to tap into an international network and contribute their expertise across the APAC region.

Many Australian utilities have twinning arrangements to facilitate knowledge sharing.

“I think this is a real opportunity to try and get this debate going at the highest level,” said Shoalhaven Water’s Krogh.

“The SDGs tend to be associated with developing countries, but if we look at it from a holistic perspective, that’s when we can engage at a high level to say this is not just a regional, state or national issue – it’s global.”

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53

Liquid Labs

DOSING

DETECTIVES UNDERSTANDING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES LIVING IN SEWER NETWORKS TO IMPROVE CHEMICAL DOSING EFFICACY.

By Rachael Brown

here are thousands of kilometres of sewer pipes snaking across Australia, but monitoring and maintaining their quality is an expensive and time-consuming endeavour.

Elizabeth Mathews, an environmental microbiology PhD candidate at La Trobe University, is working to prevent these fixed assets from crumbling under our feet.

Specifically, she is studying microbial induced corrosion caused by communities of sulfate-reducing bacteria living in concrete pipe network.

This type of bacteria transforms sulfate into sulfide, which then forms hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas not only causes that rotten egg smell, but once it oxidizes it forms sulfuric acid, which eats away at the pipes.

“The concrete basically just crumbles, and that’s what leads to the pipe collapsing and causing sinkholes or burst pipes,” Mathews said.

T

APPLIED SCIENCE To replicate real-world conditions as much as possible, Mathews is working closely with Western Water – which manages about 1200km of sewer pipes in the outer Melbourne region – to study the microbial communities present in the sewer network.

“The issue is that it corrodes concrete structures, so that means pump stations, manholes and concrete pipes in the network are at risk,” said Dean Barnett, manager field services and network operations for Western Water.

Like most utilities, Western Water uses chemical dosing to control the production of hydrogen sulfide and the related

54

www.awa.asn.au

odour. This can be a costly, but rehabilitating concrete structures because of corrosion is costly as well.

Western Water engaged La Trobe almost two years ago to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical dosing, as well as opportunities for alternative solutions.

Samples are taken every two weeks during dosing trials, along with an occasional biofilm sample. These samples are analysed for evidence of microbial activity. Odour loggers also test for the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas before and after dosing to make correlations between community numbers and gas production.

To gain a comprehensive view of the sewer’s microbial ecology, Mathews uses a fingerprinting technique called Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA).

This technique takes advantage of slight differences in microbial DNA fragment lengths.

Once fragments are extracted from the DNA, they are run through a gel. The prevalence of each fragment length is then translated into a graph that shows the differing abundances of each type of microbe present.

It’s relatively cheap and quick, and it provides a general overview of the unknown bacteria in a microbial community.

“It can’t tell us who they are, but what it can do is show us differences over time, between locations, and before and after a dosing so we can see if things in that community are changing,” Mathews said.

“Since the microbial communities present in the sewer drive the corrosion cycle, it’s paramount to understand both their structure and their function.”

3 H2SO4

H2S

2

1

AT THE SOURCE Studying the effects of sulfate-reducing bacteria at a network-wide scale means they can study the influence of different supply streams on hydrogen sulfide production. For example, industrial wastewater will have a different composition than wastewater coming from a residential area.

“We might find that if we have a particular problem at one site, we can compare it with another and see what the differences are to identify the problem microbial communities,” Mathews said.

Sampling is also showing that weather events such as heavy rainfall can affect the composition of the microbial communities in sewer networks due to the increased amount of water moving through the network.

A PERFECT PAIRING This research highlights the importance of collaboration between industry and academia. Mathews and her supervisor, Associate Professor Ashley Franks, have worked closely with Barnett and his team, composed of a field technician and an engineer.

“It’s a better way of bringing science out of the lab and applying it to real-world problems,” Mathews said.

“We are trying to work from an industry perspective because they need this to work across their whole system. We try to supplement the knowledge they already have by providing answers about the microbial communities in their sewer networks to remove some of the uncertainty and narrow the scope of dosing.”

Reducing the need for dosing would allow Western Water to reduce its operational costs. Additionally, reducing odour issues

Due to its alkaline nature, concrete is susceptible to damage from acids. Sulfuric acid softens the concrete and causes crown corrosion.

Sewerage releases the hydrogen sulfide as a gas, which oxidises either spontaneously or by contact with sulfur-oxidising bacteria to form sulfuric acid.

Communities of anaerobic, sulfate-reducing bacteria convert sulfate into hydrogen sulfide.

brings the network a step closer to becoming an “invisible asset” for the community it serves.

“If we’re thinking of the customers as the endgame, then it benefits the whole business if we can bring down our costs,” Barnett said.

“Dosing chemicals are very expensive and they need to be added continuously, so if we can find a way to determine where and when we need to dose or alternatives to dosing we can use, that helps the bottom line.”

Elizabeth Mathews is a PhD candidate at La Trobe University. She works in Associate Professor Ashley Franks’ lab, which investigates the fields of environmental microbiology and ecology.

Dean Barnett is the manager field services and network operations for Western Water. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry, working across operations and systems maintenance.

www.awa.asn.au

55

Advertorial

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T H E AU ST R A L I A N WAT E R A S S O C I AT I O N M AG A Z I N E

T E C H N I C A L PA P E R S SUMMARIES OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND INSIGHTS FOR WATER PROFESSIONALS.

58 60 61 62 63

DEVELOPING THE NORTH Groundwater abstraction in the Roper Region of the Northern Territory.

AGRICULTURE ASSISTANCE Case studies to determine the economic feasibility of managed aquifer recharge.

MEASURED AND MANAGED The role of active monitoring in smart metering programs.

ACE-ING IT Three pillars for implementing an effective risk management plan.

BEYOND DOLLARS AND CENTS How integrated profit and loss captures a company’s value to society.

64 65 66 68 70

THROUGH THE FILTER A practical application for gas-transfer membranes for aquifer recharge.

A SOLID FOUNDATION How to build a resilient town with integrated water cycles.

SAMPLING SAVVY Want the right result? Then sampling preparation is key.

MOVING TOWARDS BEST PRACTICE Views on the National Water Quality Management Strategy.

DECADES IN REVIEW The Goulburn Broken Water Quality Strategy: 20 years on.

For extended papers on the latest research in the Australian water sector, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal www.awa.asn.au

57

executive summary groundwater

Striking a balance GROUNDWATER ABSTRACTION IN THE ROPER REGION OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. S MacFarlane, C Fairfield

hen assessing the sustainability of water resources in the Roper Region Tindall Limestone Aquifer (TLA), it is essential to balance the integrity of the environment with maximising the potential of the available water resource.

The TLA is one of the NT’s best-quality, highest-yielding groundwater resources. The current NT Government (NTG) is committed to continue its water allocation planning to ensure ongoing management of such resources.

Legislation and planning regulations must reflect local use to mitigate wastage and inappropriate use of water.

Water resources should be allocated among competing demands to meet socioeconomic and cultural aspirations, minimise pollution, support ecosystems and sustain industry. Water is allocated to end-users based on current and historic information relating to the local availability of water; such data form the basis for water extraction licences.

W

GROWING PAINS In the NT water planning is in its infancy.

Water allocation planning (WAP) for the TLA Mataranka began in 2008, with no WAP yet declared. To date, 19 groundwater licences appear on the Groundwater Extraction Licence register for the TLA Mataranka.

Water licences give the NTG an independent mechanism with which to reduce water allocations as a result of reduced annual aquifer recharge.

58

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Aerial photographs taken of Mataranka.

formations and their permeability.

With visual on-site inspection and an aerial survey, borehole SWL data can confirm wetland/swamp areas; the prominent vegetation types are typical of paperbark and eucalypt woodland with palms.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Water resources should be allocated among competing demands.

Historical records of the Roper region TLA are sparse: the most current, modelling report on the Roper River Catchment is the Gulf Water Study.

This karstic aquifer undergoes chemical weathering resulting in more permeable, cavernous strata to a depth of 150m.

Recent bore drilling in the region has allowed a more accurate assessment of its water resources.

Borehole standing water levels (SWL) were used to identify geological

The intensification of agricultural production in northern Australia provides opportunities for economic development.

The National Water Commission concluded that only 5% of the 20% available water in the region was allocated (the 80:20 guideline used in the absence of a declared WAP allows for 80% of aquifer water being left to the environment and 20% abstracted; WAP areas account for 160,005km2, or 11.3%, of the NT).

As of October 2016, there was an increase in the amount of water allocated in the TLA, although the increase in consumption has been minimal. Recent developments in the Mataranka area highlight the abundance of water available for abstraction from the TLA. Borehole yields reached 130 l s-1, exceeding all prior modelled yield projections in the Mataranka region.

Water resources should be allocated

Dook Creek Fm groundwater extent (22 200 km2)

DARWIN

Roper River catchment (81 800 km2)

Dook Creek Fm

The Roper River catchment and groundwater basins (Knapton, 2009).

KATHERINE Mataranka Daly Basin

Tindall groundwater model extent (159 000 km2)

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Data from borehole testing, accredited Bureau of Meteorology weather stations, river gauging stations and soil testing can help to understand the TLA. Further investigation of the annual recharge of the TLA is essential, with a focus on recharge via sinkholes.

Wiso Basin Georgia Basin

equitably among competing demands to sustain the agricultural industry, produce more food, be energy efďŹ cient, minimise pollution, support ecosystems, and meet social and cultural aspirations.

A coupled understanding of the groundwater and surface water regimes in the TLA should become the focus of future research.

Sky MacFarlane is completing the final year of her Bachelor of Engineering degree at Charles Darwin University.

Charlie Fairfield is a xhartered engineer and holds the Power and Water Corporation Chair in Sustainable Engineering at Charles Darwin University.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water-ejournal

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executive summary managed aquifer recharge

Developing northern Australia’s agriculture CASE STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE. R Evans, L Lennon, G Hoxley, R Krake, D Yin Foo, C Shelfhout, J Simons

anaged aquifer recharge (MAR) is commonly used in many countries to artificially increase the recharge rate over the wet season, thus increasing the groundwater available during dry times.

Considering northern Australia’s long dry season and relatively short wet season, MAR has the potential to play a major role in water resource development.

M

ATTRACTIVE OPTION The fundamental advantages of MAR based developments over conventional water sources (typically large dams) are the cost of transporting water, lack of evaporative losses, scalability of MAR projects and the variability of the magnitude of the wet season.

Conversely, impediments to irrigation based MAR schemes in northern Australia are believed to be primarily the economic feasibility of the total irrigation development, which includes a MAR component, not technical feasibility.

When other water supply options are compared, MAR can be attractive both economically and environmentally.

The notion underpinning this is mosaic irrigation is preferred to large-scale

development. Mosaic irrigation is where individual, relatively small-scale irrigation developments are spread over large areas, and in aggregate represent a significant area of irrigated agriculture.

Mosaic irrigation has been discussed by several researchers, who point out the advantages over traditional large-scale, predominantly surface water-based development. The mosaic concept allows the development to gradually grow in proportion to income generation.

The Pilbara in WA and the Daly catchment near Katherine and Central Australia (Ti Tree) in the NT were assessed to identify MAR-based irrigation regions.

Typically shallow weirs, infiltration trenches and injection bores were considered as the main MAR methods.

Five sites were assessed in the Pilbara and six across the NT. After considering a range of factors such as available source water, soil suitability and irrigation demand, six sites were considered feasible: three in the Pilbara and three in the Daly catchment.

A cost-benefit analysis was completed on the feasible sites to determine the capital, and operation and maintenance costs of water supply and on-farm benefits.

Abstraction well

Infiltration structure

Injection well

COST ANALYSIS Preliminary costings in the Pilbara show that with a weir, the annualised (levelised) cost to supply water to irrigate range between $77-$282/ML. The calculated net benefit of the irrigation configuration tested for fodder cropping is $76/ML. This is a small benefit, which when compared to the cost of water supply, makes the investment marginal.

In the Daly catchment, preliminary costings show that with a weir, the annualised costs to supply water for irrigation ranges from $166-$575/ML. The calculated net benefit of fodder cropping is $110/ML. However for horticulture this ranges from $2000-$10,000/ML. All sites in the NT were found to be economically justified given the estimated cash flows, including recharge trenches near Ti Tree with an annualised cost of $2800/ML. The prefeasibility assessment undertaken to date indicates that further and more detailed investigations are justified. Depending on the capital cost of the MAR scheme and the crop selected, it might be technically and economically attractive.

Dr Richard Evans is principal hydrogeologist at Jacobs.

Louise Lennon is a section leader for groundwater practice at Jacobs

Soil

Greg Hoxley is a principal at Jacobs’ Melbourne office.

Recharge

Groundwater

Original

water

table

Ryan Krake is a section leader for civil and water at Jacobs.

Groundwater

Recharge Recovery Schematic example of Managed Aquifer Recharge via injection or filtration

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To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

executive summary smart water metering

You are measuring it, but are you managing it?

THE ROLE OF ACTIVE MONITORING IN SMART METERING. G Hauber-Davidson, I Singh ater security and demand management are prominent issues when discussing Australia’s future. Smart metering has emerged as an integral tool in this regard.

It provides users with the ability to monitor their consumption patterns and avoid wastage. Significant time has been invested in exploring different types of smart metering technologies.

However, there has been little research on methods that will help employ these technologies to get measurable results.

It is a common misconception that smart metering largely works on a ‘plug and play’ basis. This paper argues that the true benefit of smart metering lies in utilising the data obtained. Due to workload and other priorities it is hard for users to exercise diligence in doing so. This paper presents a possible solution by engaging an external party to provide that service. This is known as the active water analysis, risk and efficiency (AWARE) service.

W

THE RESULTS ARE IN

THE METHOD

At the end of study one, it was found the average water use at stores without AWARE was 170kL/month/ store compared to 143kL/month/ store at the stores with AWARE. The average amount of leakage found those without AWARE was 64kL/month/store compared to 20kL/month/store at those with AWARE. The number of leaks at stores without AWARE was six times higher than stores with AWARE. The study found that the service was saving $2 for every $1 invested in the program.

Study two found that without AWARE, a leak cost a hospital $8436. Six months previously, the hospital was covered by the AWARE service. A leak on the same meter was found and resolved within one month resulting in savings of $7000.

Study three explored issues with maintaining 280 loggers at 90 schools.

Three studies were conducted to demonstrate the advantages of the active monitoring service.

Study one compared the water usage, amount and number of leaks at 43 supermarket stores not covered by the AWARE service versus 123 stores with it.

Study two compared the consumption patterns at a hospital with and without AWARE, six months apart.

Study three explored what was needed to ensure the continuity of smart metering data acquisition at 90 schools.

A clear ROI from smart metering can only be obtained by actively using the data collected.

Cases such as vandalism and replacing meters, among others, are discussed highlighting cost and issues experienced to maintain the system.

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS The three studies demonstrate that a clear ROI from smart metering can only be obtained by actively using the data collected. Employing the AWARE service described ensures this. By taking complete responsibility for water management, it provides organisations time and resources to focus on more important issues. It helps customers avoid bill shocks and risks of property damage.

The service also helps justify budget allocation towards remote monitoring technologies and boosts the organisation’s sustainability profile.

Allocating resources for the active management of data collected is essential to achieve the savings and risk reductions possible from smart metering.

Guenter Hauber-Davidson is the managing director of WaterGroup.

Ishita Singh is an environmental consultant at WaterGroup.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

www.awa.asn.au

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executive summary risk management

Is the risk-based management plan going to work?

PILLARS FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION. T Hasan

oorly managed water supplies present a risk to the safety and aesthetic quality of drinking water. The greatest risk is from microbial contamination.

In response to managing the risks and for protection of public health, having risk-based management plans for drinking water quality is recognised as the most effective means in the Australian water industry, as well as the global community.

With the risk-based management plan in place, the question becomes: Is it going to achieve the desired benefits or outcomes?

This paper discusses how to ensure effective implementation, which is the important piece of the puzzle between having a plan and achieving the desired benefits or outcomes.

P

ACE-ING IT The ACE pillars needed for effective implementation are: 1. Adequate plan or system 2. Champion to drive implementation 3. Enabling environment ADEQUATE PLAN OR SYSTEM: Garbage in, garbage out describes what is being referred to, which is basically that the output is no better than the input. The risk plan should be adequate to manage risks, from catchment to consumer. This can be ensured through considering the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines as a reference

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when preparing the plan, undertaking comprehensive periodic reviews of the plan and internal/external audit of compliance with the plan.

CHAMPION TO DRIVE IMPLEMENTATION: This is usually where implementation lags or fails. Often there is no person in the organisation who assumes or is given the role of a champion to drive implementation of the developed plan. A champion is therefore needed to coordinate implementation of the various elements of the plan and provide motivation for its implementation.

The champion also acts as the link between the operational team, senior management and the regulator.

ENABLING ENVIRONMENT: Success is dependent on whether an organisation provides the champion with the support needed

With the risk-based management plan in place, the question becomes: Is it going to achieve the desired outcomes?

for plan implementation. An enabling environment is required to support the champion in implementing the plan effectively, including, for example, finances, resources, skilled staff, executive support and time.

STICKING THE LANDING For effective implementation, there should be an adequate risk-based management plan that the champion will coordinate implementation of through an enabling environment.

Without effective implementation, supported through the ACE pillars, the plan will not achieve the desired benefits.

Tasleem Hasan is a consultant working with Australian drinking water providers.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

executive summary integrated profit and loss

A new way to measure value HOW INTEGRATED PROFIT AND LOSS CAPTURES THE VALUE TO SOCIETY. F Pamminger, P Sukhdev, C Baldock ritical to every company is knowing the value it creates.

Historically we have relied on traditional profit and loss statements to measure performance and rate success. Although this has served us well, it only provides one perspective of value: monetary return to the shareholder.

C

REVISING RETURNS Today we want to know if society gains value from the company’s existence. We want to know what our contribution is towards liveability, and we are all seeking to place customers at the centre. But how can we measure all of these?

One method that does include a broader perspective for measuring value is integrated profit and loss (IP&L). This measures a company’s impacts on natural capital, social capital and human capital, together with financial capital.

Each capital requires parameters to be selected that capture the potential impacts. For example, natural capital at Yarra Valley Water is experienced through

land clearing, pollutants discharged into waterways, water extraction and greenhouse gas emissions.

Each is quantified, and each requires a separate analysis to determine the environmental impact. In many cases this is done by drawing upon previous modelling done elsewhere and translating it to this site. For each of these, an economic value is then determined, also using the best available methodology.

TAKING STOCK Trucost and GIST Advisory compiled Yarra Valley Water’s IP&L account for its 2014-15 financial year. In a year where traditional financial accounting methods recorded a profit of $50 million, the IP&L account was $446 million: $374 million in financial capital, $53 million in natural capital, $13 million in human capital and $6 million in social capital impacts.

The profit to the shareholder using traditional accounting is 11%, while the value to society recorded using the IP&L makes up the balance of 89%. Having

access to such information provides insight to inform strategic decision-making to grow the integrated value.

Finally, an IP&L Report provides business a new way to measure the value a company creates. It might be the deeper discussion that such an analysis opens up, rather than the actual results that are of greatest value. After all, for utilities seeking to place customers at the centre, we need a different way to assess the value we provide our shareholders, and also the community and society.

Francis Pamminger is manager research and innovation at Yarra Valley Water.

Pavan Sukhdev is founder and CEO of GIST Advisory in Bangalore, India.

Christopher Baldock is a consultant at S&P Trust in London, UK.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

Get in touch with your microbes.

MicroDiagnostics, Bench Tests, Cultures, Isotope Probing, Nutrient Formula Get in touch with us. Australia’s own bioremediation support services and culture provision. p +61 2 4869 3261 e info@novorem.com.au w novorem.com.au www.awa.asn.au

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executive summary water resource management

A practical application of gas-transfer membranes DEOXYGENATION OF COAL SEAM GAS-ASSOCIATED WATER FOR MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE USING MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY. B Murphy, K Yerrell

oal seam gas (CSG) is formed nearly entirely of methane. It can be found as a gas, but also in a nearliquid state in the pores of coal and adsorbed into the coal’s surface.

The gas is secured to its location with the surrounding pressure of the reservoir and water. To capture the gas, the water pressure within the coal seams must be released. Hydraulic fracturing is carried out to achieve this.

The volume of associated water involved in CSG extraction varies and is dependent on the hydrogeology, but recent estimates are in the order of up to 300GL/yr. This water requires treatment so it can be used for managed aquifer recharging (MAR).

The receiving hydrogeological properties of the aquifer are very important. The compatibility of the injectate must be in line with the receiving water so as to mitigate the risk of encrustation, precipitation, scaling and bio-fouling. This is achieved through conventional physico-chemico treatment and reverse osmosis filtration.

C

PRESSURE CHECK Redox, or reduction-oxidation, can require an amendment to the dissolved oxygen content of the associated water.

The amount of oxygen dissolved in liquid can be derived from Henry’s Law. This states, “at a constant temperature, the amount of a given gas dissolved in a given type and volume of liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas in equilibrium with that liquid”.

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To define the partial pressure of a gas we look to Dalton’s Law, which states, “the total pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of the component gases”. At 25ºC there are 8.52 parts oxygen per million parts water.

Gas transfer membranes differ from standard liquid-solid separation in that they do not operate at high differential pressures in the liquid phase. The driving force is instead instigated at the boundary wall of the membrane, which consists of hollow hydrophobic polypropylene fibres. This allows for mass transfer between the phases without one phase infiltrating another.

The MAR deoxygenation package was designed to reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water prior to re-injection.

The required reduction in DO was to achieve a discharge level of less than 0.5mg.L-1, or 500 ppb.

The efficacy of utilising gas-transfer membrane contactors for dissolved oxygen removal was established during the course of the project.

PLANT PERFORMANCE The deoxygenation plant consisted of several major components including: eight 90kW multi-stage centrifugal feed pumps; micron filters; HMI/PLC/DCS; analysis instrumentation; membrane contactors; air compressors; air dryers; air accumulator; PSA nitrogen generator; and a complete clean-in-place system.

The efficacy of utilising gas-transfer membrane contactors for dissolved oxygen removal was established during the course of the project. The MAR deoxygenation package operated to design levels at a flowrate of 375kL/hr against a pressure of 2100kPa and a reduction in dissolved oxygen of 98.4% to a value of 0.098mg.L-1 of DO in the treated CSG associated water.

Plant operating analysis elucidated on the importance of vacuum line integrity to the process and that the purity of the nitrogen sweep gas and vacuum pressure were vital to high-end performance.

Brian Murphy is a senior engineer and project manager with Waternish Engineering.

Kevin Yerrell is an equity owner and engineering operations manager at Waternish Engineering.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

executive summary water resources planning

Building a water resilient town INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE SAVES WATER AT GOOGONG. C H Wong, K Hurley, C Harris

n the 2000’s Australia experienced the Millennium Drought, which affected water supply to almost all major cities.

In the midst of the drought, a new township was being planned near the inland city of Queanbeyan, some 25 minutes’ drive southwest of Canberra.

Being an inland city, seawater desalination is not a water supply option for the new township of Googong.

To drought-proof the new town, embedded in the township’s master plan is an integrated water cycle (IWC) that comprises a variety of water conservation measures.

I

AVAILABLE OPTIONS At the infrastructure level, the IWC includes: a water recycling plant; dual reticulation system for recycled water and potable water (including dual water reservoirs); a bulk water supply connection; three sewage-pumping stations; and water sensitive urban design for stormwater management.

At the residential level, all dwellings need to comply with a design guide that mandates a minimum residential BASIX water score of 50. This promotes the uses of water efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting and uses of recycled water.

The IWC means that recycled water and rainwater will be used in place of precious drinking water for things like open space irrigation, flushing toilets, watering gardens, washing machines and fire fighting.

All together these reduce potable water consumption in the community by up to 60%.

This paper reports on the key challenges and lessons learnt for the planning and implementation of the IWC.

Googong’s integrated water cycle is an example of a progressive approach to create a water resilient inland community.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES At the planning level, one of the major challenges is to balance the competing effluent quality requirements for phosphorous and total dissolved solids (TDS). In a semi-closed water cycle, TDS will accumulate in the water cycle unless it is adequately managed.

Dynamic models for water and TDS balances were employed to elucidate impacts of treatment technology and choices of end uses on the competing effluent quality objectives. Key outcomes include selection of phosphorous removal technology that uses the least amount of chemicals, adjusting recycled water end uses and appropriate lot sizing to maximise irrigation of recycled water.

At the concept design level, the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process was selected to minimise the footprint of the WRP. The entire plant was covered and acoustically treated to minimise the odour and noise footprints.

At the community engagement level, a recycled water education strategy was jointly implemented by the developer and the local council. This included community workshops, production of

key fact sheets and letterbox drops to educate the residents on appropriate uses of recycled water.

To date, stage one of the IWC infrastructures have been delivered.

These include a state-of-the-art water recycling plant, two sewage pumping stations, interim water reservoirs and dual water reticulation networks that supply more than 500 homes. To validate the design assumptions, flow monitoring is currently in place to elucidate actual consumption of potable and recycled waters, as well as wastewater generation from the township.

In summary, Googong’s IWC is an example of a progressive approach to create a water resilient inland community.

When fully developed, the township of 18,000 people will use the same amount of water that 6500 normally would.

Chiew H Wong is a principal engineer at Stantec Australia.

Katherine Hurley is a civil engineer at Stantec UK. Craig Harris is assistant project director at Googong Township Pty Ltd. To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

www.awa.asn.au

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executive summary water quality

Getting the right result THE IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLE PREPARATION. M Drikas, C Kapralos, E Kozlik, R Fabris

nalytical water quality is determined by measurement of a range of parameters. Many of those parameters need to be determined following filtration to remove suspended matter and obtain a result for the dissolved component.

Filtration through 0.45μm membrane filters is the internationally accepted standard for analysis of dissolved parameters. Although this appears to be a simple and straightforward aspect of sample preparation, we have shown it can have a significant impact on parameters such as colour, UV absorbance and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurement.

These are critical factors for optimisation of coagulation in drinking water treatment and removal of DOC to improve disinfectant stability and reduce disinfection by-product formation.

A

PAST APPROACHES Historically filtration has been undertaken using membrane filters and then applying a vacuum.

Recently the use of syringe filters has also been adopted, particularly when filtering small volumes for convenience, particularly when in the field.

Differences obtained using vacuum versus syringe filtration were observed when undertaking analyses for UV absorbance at 254nm (UV254) and DOC when analysing turbid raw water.

Previous investigations undertaken when developing a suitable method to analyse true colour showed that differences in colour could be attributed to ineffective filtration caused by colloidal particles passing through the membranes.

This resulted in the recommendation that the residual turbidity after membrane filtration should be less than 2% of the colour in Hazen units.

In ensuing years, measurement of UV254 and DOC to assess the organic character of water, both alone and in combination, has increased.

RESULTS IN REVIEW The impact of filtration within these parameters has been assessed by other researchers. What resulted was the development of a standard methodology to highlight the impact of filtration when measuring UV254.

A range of filter types, including glass fibre, polycarbonate, polyethersulphone and hydrophilic polypropylene, are recommended for use.

However, the method also states that other filter papers that neither absorb UV-absorbing organics nor leach interfering substances might be used, and that filter pore size will influence test results, particularly in raw waters.

The method also states that polypropylene syringes might be used instead of vacuum filtration.

Review of this data has proved that effective filtration is critical when preparing samples for analysis to ensure accurate and consistent results.

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This study measured colour, UV254 and DOC on a range of water sources following filtration with both vacuum and syringe filtration using 0.45 and 0.22μm mixed cellulose esters (MCE) and polyethersulphone (PES) membranes.

This showed that the filtration step impacted the resulting water quality results due to a range of causes, including fouling of the membrane, ineffective removal of turbidity, leaching of organics and/or over-pressuring during syringe filtration.

Review of this data has proved that effective filtration is critical when preparing samples for analysis to ensure accurate and consistent results. Although the use of 0.22μm PES membranes provided similar results, the use of 0.45μm membranes is consistent with international standards.

Therefore, it is recommended that filtration for preparation of samples to be analysed for true colour, filtered UV absorbance and DOC be undertaken with 0.45μm PES membranes using vacuum filtration.

Mary Drikas is the manager of water treatment and distribution research at SA Water Corporation.

Con Kapralos is a senior technician with the SA Water Corporation.

Edith Kozlik is a senior technician and laboratory coordinator of the Water Treatment and Distribution Research unit at SA Water Corporation.

Rolando Fabris is a senior scientist at SA Water Corporation.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

T H E A U S T R A L I A N WAT E R A S S O C I AT I O N M A G A Z I N E

Current

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THE AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE THE AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE F e b rM u aaryy 22001177

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The Australian Water Association provides members with a range of resources, tools and information to assist them in their day-to-day roles and long-term professional deployment.

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executive summary water quality planning

Moving towards water quality best practice A PERSPECTIVE ON THE NATIONAL WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. B Bycroft

espite the importance and prevalence of catchment-based water quality planning in Australia, many applications lack a consistently logical and systematic approach, and are therefore likely doomed to fail.

Based on formal and informal observations over many years, major flaws in current practices and proposed better practice were identified. These better practices are not novel, but are unfortunately rare. Although the discussion is based around water quality, many of the principles are also applicable to related planning endeavours.

The approach is based around the water quality management framework described in the National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS).

D

COMMON MISTAKES Common failures fall into three categories: • There is a lack of explicit management goals or outcomes described. Too often, there is reliance on vague and unquantifiable outcomes, and the use of terms such as “minimise” or “provide a balance” means that success can never be verified. Sometimes this has been done deliberately to avoid possible accusations of failure.

Ideally this could lead to the development of nationally applicable guidelines for water quality planning.

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Simplified NWQMS water quality management framework.

Current understanding Implement management strategies

Set Management Goals Refer to relevant guideline values

Evaluate management strategies

Not Acceptable

Define water quality targets

Current water quality of targets

• There is a failure to develop an effective, efficient and comprehensive suite of management strategies that can meet scientifically derived water quality targets. Although program logic is often lauded, all too often it is absent; that is, even if the management strategies are implemented, then the water quality target might not be achieved. This is compounded by lack of a robust and transparent trade-off process. Costs and benefits of achieving proposed management goals should be clearly identified so the decision for a particular course of action is justified.

• Improper consideration is given to uncertainty and how to incorporate it into the decision-making process. In this instance, both scientific and policy considerations are important. For example, the question of water quality value meeting a target needs

not only application of the best scientific information, but also a policy decision.

The matters in this paper are not to be seen as the last word, but are put forward to encourage debate with the view to improve current water quality planning practices in Australia. Ideally this could lead to the development of nationally applicable guidelines for water quality planning, which could be valuable for all jurisdictions.

Brian Bycroft is an independent water quality specialist and an adjunct at the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

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executive summary catchment water quality

The Goulburn Broken Water Quality Strategy: 20 years on PRESENTING OUTCOMES OF LONG-TERM NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN A LARGE VICTORIAN CATCHMENT. P Feehan, M Turner he Goulburn Broken Water Quality Strategy (WQS) was originally developed in the mid-1990s. Strategy implementation was expected to occur over 20 years, finishing in 2016.

The 1996 version of the WQS was reviewed in 2002 and 2008. The original strategy focused on reducing the risk and impacts of blue green algal blooms by reducing the inputs of nutrients, especially phosphorus, to waterways and water bodies.

Many of the actions in the WQS were incorporated in the Goulburn Broken CMA Regional River Health Strategy 2005-2015 (now updated as the Goulburn Broken Waterway Strategy 2014-2022).

The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) undertook a review to assess WQS progress in 2016. Changes in catchment conditions suggest that modifications in the approach to water quality management might be warranted.

T

CAUSE AND EFFECT A substantial program of works has been implemented. In dry-land areas, 818km of stream buffers have been established; in irrigation areas, 3475 water reuse systems and 34 high flow storages have been installed, and a number of wastewater management facilities have been upgraded.

Over the 20-year period of WQS implementation, numerous changes have

affected nutrient delivery to waterways.

These changes affect planning and implementation and include: • drier climate; • wastewater treatment plants discharging to land rather than to a stream; • very large reduction in irrigation water availability and subsequent focus on water use efficiency; • steady increase in urbanised areas, and a large increase in urban area in the south due to Melbourne expansion; • 20 years of catchment and waterway management activities; and • education and best-practice development and adoption.

WATER QUALITY CHANGES Current and past estimates of nutrient loads discharged to waterways shows that since WQS implementation began: • wastewater treatment plants are no longer a major nutrient source in the catchment; • irrigation drainage contribution has reduced substantially; • the ratio of irrigation drain to dry land source has changed, such that dry land is now the major nutrient source (in 1996 the ratio of irrigation to dry land was 1:5 and in 2016 it was 0:5); and • loads from intensive animal industries and urban stormwater are unlikely to have changed much over time.

Over the 20-year period of WQS implementation, numerous changes have affected nutrient delivery to waterways.

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Assessment of water quality against objectives in the State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria) shows a slight improvement in the number of sites that do not meet water quality objectives. Total nitrogen, total phosphorus and turbidity are the parameters most frequently in excess of desired objectives.

Decommissioning of Lake Mokoan in 2009 has led to a major improvement in water quality in the Broken River, Broken Creek and the Goulburn River at Shepparton.

THE NEXT 20 YEARS Water quality will continue to be one of many issues to be considered when managing catchment land and water resources. Activities that focus on the things that make a difference, no-regrets approaches and implementing resilience and adaptive pathways approaches should result in water quality improvements. Maintaining and extending partnerships to ensure a strong caretaker ethic for the quality of the region’s water will be critical to achieving this.

Pat Feehan is an independent consultant, a Director of Water Stewardship Australia and co-Chair of the Australian Water Association Catchment Management Specialist Network.

Mark Turner is the River and Wetland Health Program Manager and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.

To read the full article, visit the Water e-Journal at bit.ly/water_ejournal

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National winners of the 2017 Australian Water Awards, from left: Cail Rayment (YWP of the Year); Robert Britto, Power and Water Corporation (Infrastructure Project Innovation); Kaitlyn Bell (Student Water Prize); Peter Hadfield, Sydney Water (Program Innovation); Sandy Hooft, Water Corporation (Water Industry Safety Excellence); Craig Simmons (Water Professional of the Year); and Shihu Hu, University of Queensland (Research Innovation).

74 76

EVENTS PLANNER Plan your continuous learning with the latest listing of the Association’s event calendar.

OZWATER’17 Water professionals from far and wide converged on Sydney for the largest water conference this side of the equator.

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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING What is the interface between technology and ethics? WA’s water industry discussed the topic.

82 85

CONSTRUCTION TO PRODUCTION Improving efficiencies, planning ahead and boosting output in regional Queensland.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT Victoria’s YWPs get their hands dirty restoring habitat for a rare butterfly.

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Association events

EVENT CALENDAR

AUGU ST

03 15

VIC: 55TH ANNUAL DINNER

18

SA: STATE CONFERENCE Water in the Community

24

TAS: WHERE THE WATERS MEET BREAKFAST AND CONFERENCE

28

WA: STUDENT WATER PRIZE EVENING

S EP T EM B ER

VIC: BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL SEMINAR

ACT

QLD

07

ACT: WATER LEADERS DINNER AND AWARDS NIGHT

07

VIC: YWP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR 2

08 13

QLD: GALA DINNER & AWARDS NIGHT WA: YWP SITE TOUR: Fiona Stanley Hospital

NT

7 September Water Leaders Dinner & Awards

12-13 October Water in the Bush 2017

Don’t miss out on attending the Water Leaders Dinner, where the winners of the ACT Water Awards are announced. Alongside the awards, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources the Hon. Barnaby Joyce will give the keynote address, and will discuss the Australian Government’s vision to increase investment in water infrastructure in Australia.

The annual Water in the Bush Conference is back for its 28th rendition.

Water in the Bush brings together water professionals and community and industry from across northern Australia. With more than 180 delegates attending last year’s conference, this year is sure to be even bigger.

WA

FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER, VISIT: bit.ly/AWAevents

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FROM NETWORKING TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN WATER ASSOCIATION’S CALENDAR IS OVERFLOWING WITH EVENTS FOR EVERY TYPE OF WATER PROFESSIONAL.

N OV EM B ER

O CTO B ER

12-13 20

NT: WATER IN THE BUSH WA: WATER AWARDS GALA DINNER

3-4 8-10 17 20-21 23 30

QLD: QWATER’17 INT: VIETWATER’17 SA: WATER AWARDS GALA DINNER NAT: WORLD TOILET SUMMIT VIC: YWP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR, PART 3

TAS: GALAH DINNER & DEBATE SEMINAR

SA 17 November Awards Gala Dinner

SAVE THE DATE

Come down to the Adelaide Convention Centre to celebrate South Australia’s achievements in the water sector.

6-10 NOVEMBER Fourth Australian Delegation to Vietwater Conference and Expo

FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER, VISIT: bit.ly/AWAevents

www.awa.asn.au

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Ozwater’17

KEYNOTES AND CONFERENCE SESSIONS

he conference’s keynote speakers, session presenters, workshops and panel discussions carried the theme of Embracing Innovation and Disruption for a Smart Water Future throughout the event’s three days. Each of the nine streams drew on expertise from across sectors and discussed how the industry can proactively shape its future.

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Lucy Turnbull AO discusses changing cities and the role of innovation.

Dr Jordan Nguyen talks disruptive challenges and opportunities.

Young Water Professionals Program delegates.

Panel discussion on day two of the conference.

Dr Sander Klous shares his insights on big data.

Jane Huxley sets the scene for the conference’s theme of innovation and disruption.

Delegates plan their agenda using the Ozwater program.

OZ WATER’17 PRINCIPAL SPONSORS:

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Dan Gregory spoke about the importance of ‘innovation on purpose’.

GALA DINNER AND AUSTRALIAN WATER AWARDS

he cherry on top of the water industry social season is the Australian Water Awards and Gala Dinner, generously sponsored by ANZ and TRILITY. It was certainly a night to remember as the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest innovators and disruptors were acknowledged for individual accomplishments and project excellence.

T National winners of the Australian Water Awards.

Fiery displays opened the Gala Dinner and Awards Night.

Attendees mingle during the Gala Dinner.

WATER LEADERS FORUM Dr Sander Klous, KPMG, presents during the Water Leaders Forum.

Jim Athanas, Xylem.

hat are the water industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest data challenges? How can it prepare for an uncertain future? These questions and more were discussed at the invitation-only event on the first day of the conference, and proudly sponsored by GHD.

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Panellists left to right: Dr Sander Klous, KPMG; Roch Cheroux, SA Water; Joanna Batstone, IBM; Kumar Parakala, GHD; and Dr Fang Chen, Data61.

www.awa.asn.au

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Ozwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;17

EXHIBITION HALL

ore than 1800 free-trade exhibition visitors and 1000+ delegates were treated to demonstrations of the latest innovations in water technology, asset management research and more from 243 exhibitors. Poster presentations were also held in the Exhibition Hall, and the Association played matchmaker between international delegates and Australian businesses.

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Indonesian Government representatives attend Ozwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;17.

Delegates hack water industry challenges at the inaugural Water Hack.

Delegates and trade visitors navigate the Exhibition Hall.

The latest technologies were on display in the Exhibition Hall for attendees to try.

Twinning partners, from left: Water Corporation and Hue Water Corporation; Wannon Water and Binh Duong; Cairns Regional Council and Son La Water Company; Coliban Water and Phu Tho Water Supply; and Seqwater and Saigon Water.

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SOCIAL EVENTS

Welcome Networking Evening.

elegates headed to the Grand Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency to toast the start of Ozwater’17 over canapés and drinks at the Welcome Networking

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Evening, sponsored by Comdain. Then after a jam-packed first day, delegates unwound with some fun at games – and a drink or two – during happy hour at the Clubhouse, sponsored by Gentrack.

Tony Cartwright receives life membership from Peter Moore at the President’s Dinner.

From left: Sharon Hoang, Stefanie Moebus, Kirsty Blades, Melania Berehovy and Stephen Comey from the Australian Water Association during Happy Hour at the Gentrack Club House.

See the full program, event highlights, images galleries and more online.

Visit: bit.ly/Ozwater

Out and about

WATER SECURITY: TECHNOLOGY & ETHICS | PERTH

ater professionals in Western Australia gathered to hear the latest information about the interface between smart technology and ethics, as well as the risks and opportunities of smart water systems.

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From left: Anthony Wong, Tsz Ho Chan and Tak Yip Choy.

Attendees heard from the Hon. Dave Kelly MLA during breakfast.

Conference Co-Chairs Stefan Davidov (left) and Lisa Chan.

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Rhys Gustafsson (left) and Peter Rice.

Blair Shackleton (left) and Ashwin Nayak.

Conference Co-Chair Stefan Davidov (left) and Jason Antenucci.

Jeremy Lucas (left) and Fabiana Tessele.

Chris Vains (left) and Tony Wise.

Odouridder® & OdaVent®

Biofiltration Systems Association Chief Executive Jonathan McKeown discussed the Channeling Change program.

Guenter HauberDavidson.

Hilary Nath (left) and Dean Oates.

Water security panel from left: Daniela Tonon, Martin Anda, Francois Gouws, Ashley Vincent and Greg Claydon.

• Biological treatment of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and volatile organic compounds • Innovative patented design • Proven H2S removal efficiency >99% • Modular and transportable construction • Small footprint • Low capital and life cycle costs • Long media life (3-5years).

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Out and about

NORTH QUEENSLAND REGIONAL CONFERENCE | QLD

his year’s conference, generously sponsored by Mackay Regional Council, headed to the heart of Mackay to discuss the latest topics, projects and products centred around the theme of improving efficiencies “from construction to production”.

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JP Piping Systems on display in the Exhibition Hall.

From left: Joshua Smith, Simon Wood, Lynne Powell and Don Pidsley.

From left: Yestin Hughes, Nicole Davis and Joshua Lake.

From Tracey Doyle, Jasmine Burrows, DeGa.left: Andi ut essequiam laut et et quo eni conseri onsecup tatatur, Junu Parajatati andsus Sonja Hollenbeck. conessit dolorum, eatur ma ipsanihita into et,

From left: Rodney Wellings, Barry Holcroft and John Graham at the Royce Water Technologies Exhibition Booth.

Steve Tansley welcoming everyone to the conference dinner at Sorbello’s Italian Restaurant.

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From left: Rob Davies, David Ollerton, Janice Wilson and Emma Schmitz enjoying the conference dinner.

Dinner entertainment provided by the very talented musical duo Significant Other.

Kylie Rogers presenting Smart Sewers, which received a high commendation for the Best Paper Award.

Jason and Nanette Devitt.

Mayor Greg Williamson opening the conference in Mackay.

ALS Environmental showcasing their services.

Michael Jacklin and Sonja Hollenbeck.

Chris Holmes and Chris Cooney on the Alliance Automation stand.

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www.awa.asn.au

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8-10 May 2018 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international water conference & exhibition

CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS & WORKSHOPS NOW OPEN Submissions close Friday, 8 SEPTEMBER Visit www.ozwater.org for themes and submission templates.

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Out and about

YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONALS VOLUNTEER E VENT | VIC

ictoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s YWPs planted more than 500 trees to boost the population of one of the Altona regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rarest species: the Altona skipper butterfly.

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Volunteers with their planted trees at the end of the day.

Gerard Morel of Melbourne Water showing volunteers how to plant the trees.

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Derek Young of Jacobs drills holes for the 500 plants.

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www.awa.asn.au

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The Last Drop

MAREE ABOOD

FOR MAREE ABOOD, THERE’S NEVER A DULL DAY IN THE WATER INDUSTRY – FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO FLOOD MODELLING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, THERE’S ALWAYS A NEW CHALLENGE TO SOLVE.

I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING in the water industry, starting with my undergraduate degree in fluvial geomorphology and biology. I did my Honours research in the upper Nepean and my Master of Science (honours) research degree on the impact of gross pollutants on water quality.

I’m also a qualified teacher, and I have taught geography, environmental science and biology.

I have always been interested in assessing the competing demands of people, the environment and economic sustainability for water. This segued into considering infrastructure solutions for water security and sustainability.

Now, I’m executive director of strategic water planning and infrastructure at Infrastructure NSW, leading the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Directorate.

FORWARD THINKING Because of its topography, the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley has the single greatest risk exposure in NSW. Flooding here similar to the 2011 Queensland floods would require evacuating 64,000 people.

Because of my background and my connection to the Hawkesbury-Nepean, I was asked to undertake a review of the issues, which commenced in 2012. Since then, I’ve been focused on developing and implementing solutions.

You can’t eliminate all risks, but you can try different solutions to mitigate them. Some of those are policy, some are behavioural changes through education or engagement, land use and infrastructure; you need to come up with the right mix given a set of parameters.

In May 2017, the NSW Government released a Flood Strategy for the region.

It has nine outcomes, and my role is to provide oversight and ensure we are coordinating with all of the players who are responsible for different aspects.

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I’m proud of the work I’ve done in Hawkesbury-Nepean because it’s a classic example of how the water industry contributes to solving social, political, environmental and economic problems.

GOLDEN APPLE Stakeholder engagement and communicating these outcomes to others is therefore a crucial part of the work we do – you need to use a strong evidence base to inform others to build understanding and trust. My technical expertise and my background in education helped me understand issues from a variety of standpoints.

You can’t eliminate all risks, but you can try different solutions to mitigate them.

You have to be quite clear in your thinking when you pitch complex, technical topics. Otherwise, you’ll lose people. You need to ask yourself ‘what do I want people to take away from this?’.

NO TWO ALIKE No flood is the same, so we must know the variability and respond accordingly.

A lot of the work I do is about building resilience, and infrastructure is part of that. But it’s also about making sure that we’re planning correctly so we can minimise impacts. If you’re not prepared, you could experience a very long recovery process.

To be proactive about these things you need to have the right people with the right skill sets to undertake these challenging tasks. Particularly in this space, you need people who have strategic capability as well as the analytical ability to delve into the details.

Scenario planning is really important.

You need to understand current conditions or current risks, and you also need to understand what the potential future landscape is going to look like.

We need to make sure the assumptions underpinning our models are tested because we are dealing with uncertainty.

It’s interesting for me to look at the nexus between technology and modelling ability. Even three or five years ago we wouldn’t have been able to do some of the modelling because our technological capability couldn’t keep up. Now you can get more data points quickly, but unless you have the analytical ability to know what you’re looking at and make sense of the information, it won’t be useful.

Water is such an essential part of everyone’s life, and for me it’s more of a social issue than anything. Water has value for people – intrinsic, spiritual, economic, environmental … you name it.

It’s very dynamic and it’s never boring.

I would love to continue working in this space because I think that there’s always going to be tensions around water. It’s about making sure we have the best evidence base possible to make the best decisions. We operate under a lot of variability and uncertainty; it’s hard to predict if a flood will happen tomorrow, next week or next year. But we know it will happen.

Maree Abood is executive director for strategic water planning and infrastructure for Infrastructure NSW. In 2016 she won the Premier’s Award for Excellence in Public Service for Building Infrastructure (individual) for her work leading the Hawkesbury-Nepean Flood Risk Management Strategy. She also received the NSW Water Award for Project Innovation in 2012.

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A CRUISE SHIP THAT MOVES THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS. And a large-scale project where we were on board from the beginning.

Why does the world-renowned Meyer Werft shipyard team up with Viega time and again for numerous projects of this scale? In addition to the extremely reliable piping systems made from copper, copper alloys or plastic materials, Viega also supplies the know-how to go with them.

Viega. Connected in quality.

Meyer Werft shipyard, Papenburg, Germany

viega.com.au/About-us