HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
to new
$5 million home Townsville Laboratory Services to remain on cutting edge
(left to right) Scientist Heather Welladsen, Scientist Alicia Wood, Senior Laboratory Technician Callie Domin, Scientist Amy Dunkerton, Laboratory Assistant Bob Ballais, Trainee Laboratory Techniques Zoe Accornero
IN 1984, TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL ESTABLISHED A LABORATORY IN A SMALL DEMOUNTABLE BUILDING ADJACENT TO THE DOUGLAS WATER TREATMENT PLANT AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT STUART. It housed one chemist and two lab assistants, and tests were limited to pH, alkalinity and chlorine. For other tests, samples were sent off to Brisbane. Fast forward 37 years and a new $5 million laboratory has been opened on the site, a facility that will keep Townsville on the cutting edge of scientific analysis for decades to come. The new lab is home to a technical team of six scientists and eight technicians and assistants providing a range of analysis services including perand polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) analysis, low level nutrients, hexavalent chromium, algal toxins, disinfection byproducts, trace metals for water, saline waters and biosolids and extensive microbiological testing. In fact, Townsville Laboratory Services is the first and only local government lab to hold comprehensive PFAS testing accreditation in the whole of Australia. Laboratory coordinator Edgar Salvador, who has worked at the lab for more than 20 years, said the new laboratory would allow the lab to increase its capability and capacity.
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“In the old lab we were limited in what we could do as there was literally no more room on the bench,” Mr Salvador said. “These days we are getting engaged by a lot of state and local governments and private companies, and now we have the space we should be able to expand even more - not only in what we currently do but in other areas of testing like hygiene, emerging contaminants and food testing.” Mr Salvador said the new laboratory also gave the team space to house the large amount of equipment needed to complete the large number of tests needed for Council and external clients. “We have a range of chemical and microbiological equipment we use every day for analysing drinking water, wastewater, environmental and pool waters,” he said. “We also have a wide range of instrumentation that we use for analysing the highly difficult inorganics and organics and even emerging contaminants.” “This new lab allows us to have room to take on more clients and to continue to provide comprehensive testing not only for Townsville City Council but for other councils and private clients as well. “It’s been worth the wait for the team and I to be able to move into this impressive new building so that we can continue providing high-quality testing.”
