Financial Year Highlights

Highlights over the financial year included:

• Being invited to present at the inaugural meeting of the newly convened Cross Government and Cross Urban Water Sector Group which took place in March 2023. The group was a commitment from the DG of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (RDMW) at the 2022 Water Skills Forum and includes Queensland Health, the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT –now DYJESBT), RDMW and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (DSDIGLP).

• Presenting to the Regional and Remote group at the LGAQ Conference in October 2022. This presentation highlighted the resourcing issues and the added complexity of being regional and remote.

• Representing the urban water sector at a Water Engagement Forum (WEF) workshop to review and refresh the Queensland Bulk Water Opportunity Statement (QWBOS), a framework designed to deal with bulk water trading and bulk water supplies as a resource.

• Welcoming a record number of participants from Queensland Health, RDMW, DYJESBT, LGAQ and Urban Utilities on the 2023 Water Connections Tour visiting eight councils in the Central Queensland region, giving agency staff the opportunity to directly engage with regional/ remote members around challenges.

• Working closely with RDMW and LGAQ on a strategic plan and renewed vision and mission statement for the QWRAP program to fully utilise the program as a vehicle for change and innovation in small and remote communities.

• Continually building relationships with other key agencies including Queensland Treasury Corporation to review pricing models and establish links with the Local Government Financial Professionals.

• Coordinating an engagement workshop on skills and training in February 2023, with State Government, LGAQ, RTOs and key representatives of members. This workshop provided an opportunity to view the challenges from different stakeholder perspectives.

• Securing a record number of responses to data requests for the 2022 Workforce Composition Snapshot Report.

• Representing the industry on the Asset Management Institute Stakeholder Interest Group.

• In partnership with WSAA, liaising with Workplace Health and Safety QLD to provide advice on the proposed exposure levels for chemicals included in the Workplace Exposure Standards, including hydrogen sulphide and chlorine, following a Preliminary Impact Assessment by Safe Work Australia.

• Continued engagement with the Drinking Water Advisory Panel to provide coordinated industry feedback on the revised Drinking Water Quality Management Plan Guideline, with related activities including potential revisions to guidelines for PFAS limits in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

• Drafting a submission on the Draft PFAS NEMP 3.0, which telegraphs some important changes to the way that biosolids and water could be regulated in the future. The submission was developed in consultation with our members and other urban water industry partners nationally.

• Engaging with WSAA and WSSG around mutual aid guidelines and flood response, particularly around chemical supply chain impacts.

• Continued advocacy on High Pressure Water Jetting exemptions.

• Agreement from the Department of Energy and Public Works to meet with multiple industry reps and step through MP1.4 of the Queensland Development Code (building over infrastructure) to consider the case for change where it is currently not working with Building Certifiers.

• Continue to work with WSAA on an industry response to federal Telecommunications legislation

• Reviewing the principles and framework for Sunwater pricing through the Urban Water Pricing Working Group

• Providing SWIM data on existing charges, asset / renewal information, proposed/published price paths, revenue and costs to help Sunwater calculate customer pricing impacts of any bulk water price changes, as per their ministerial direction.