WAWATER Western Australia Branch Newsletter

Water – an Even More Valuable Resource?

I caught up on some reading while I was recently on leave. Does

everyone in AWA read about water when they are on holidays? Although

the articles were from several unlikely sources, the increasing value and

appreciation of water was a common thread.

Some years ago the concept of virtual water seemed to have some

prominence and was regularly cited in the popular press. Has it gone out

of favour or just evolved?

Virtual water, also known as embedded or embodied water refers to the

“hidden” water in commodities which can be traded from one place to

another. Professor John Allan from King's College, London, the recipient

of the Stockholm Water Prize (2008) introduced the virtual water concept,

to support his argument that countries in the Middle East should save

their scarce water resources by relying more on imported foods.

There are, however, signi7cant de7ciencies with the concept of virtual

water which mean that there are potentially risks on relying on such

measures to guide policy. Accordingly, Australia's National Water

Commission considers that the measurement of virtual water has little

practical value in decision making regarding the best allocation of scarce

water resources. I’m not sure if this view is widely held.

One of my concerns was that commodities were often all lumped together

so that the virtual water of a tonne of wheat (for example) was considered

to be the same regardless of whether that wheat was cultivated under

irrigation or “naturally” watered by rainfall. The differences in the virtual

water of beef produced in feedlots or rangelands would even be greater. I

imagine this disparity may have been part of the reason that the term

appears to have fallen out of favour.

There are however, several more recent articles that could be linked to the

concept of virtual water. An article by Dr Nawshad Haque from CSIRO

outlined a technique that more accurately de7nes the water footprint of

key mineral commodities (Haque, N., “Water Use - the Whole Picture”.

Resourceful, Issue 5, November 2013. CSIRO). Dr Haque’s team

illustrated how water could be accounted for over the life cycle of each

commodity. As an example the article compared the water required to

produce a kilo of copper from mine to product. When one considers that

the average car contains 19 kilograms of copper an amount equivalent to

an average of 1600 litres of water the imbedded value of that water

becomes apparent. Similar volumes are able to be estimated for the other

metals.

Jill Grif7ths (“Environment – managing biodiversity and water.” Future

Farm. Issue 16 April 2014) revealed the direct correlation between water

outcomes, biodiversity and farm management practices. Western

Australian researchers including Ken Wallace from the Department of

Parks and Wildlife and Ryan Vogwill from UWA have shown that the

linkages between biodiversity conservation and sustainable water

resource management are closely linked. Signi7cantly, modern practices

can be implemented that deliver signi7cant and simultaneous bene7ts to

farm production and at the same time ensure conservation of biodiversity

and water resources. (Continued overleaf)

Australian Water Association

Western Australian Branch

Web: www.awa.asn.au/wa.aspx

Head Of7ce: 1300 361 426

WAWater contributions to:

Email: wabranch@awa.asn.au

Fax: (08) 6210 1675

Keeping you informed in WA Water

Groundwater Replenishment Project wins top prize

Water Future Forum Report

Water in Mining and Energy Regulation Brie'ng

WA Water Industry Lunch with Minister for Water

North News

National Water Week Conference

International and Innovation News

Notices and help BOM

Sustainability and Catchment Management

Research, NRM and Green Army

Members’ Page

Noticeboard

INSIDE

June 2014

Thoughts from your WA Branch President

1 Jun-14

News

Thoughts from your WA Branch President

(continued) I also read an account of the experiences of Dan Flynn (Gettner, L. “Bottler of an idea to save the world’s thirsty.” Management

Today. April 2014. Also see the article in last month’s AWA WA Branch Newsletter). Flynn is the recipient of the 2014 Young Victorian of the Year who co-founded Thankyou Water. He was appalled to 2nd that found that Australians spend $600M a year on the indulgence of bottled water while 900M people don’t have access to safe clean water and that “four and a half thousand children die every single day from water-borne diseases.” As a result Flynn set up a charitable trust where bottled water (and now other consumer products) is produced to generate a direct be2t back to those communities that are less fortunate than ours. Thankyou Group has now contributed to more than 100 water projects across nine countries and has helped over 73,000 people to gain safe, sustainable water access. Daniel’s motto is "Impossibility is only someone’s opinion, not a fact” will, I am sure we will see more great work in this space.

I personally believe that bottled water is an unnecessary product for those of us fortunate

enough to live here and would rarely advocate purchasing it – but if you feel inclined to do so I am sure that Thankyou Water would be an admirable option. Photo source: www.Thankyou.com

Around 2500 years ago Plato stated that “only what is rare is valuable and water which is the best of things… is also the cheapest”. Perhaps at this time Plato seemed wise. In today’s increasingly water challenged world he may be considered less well informed.

Peter McCafferty AWA WA Branch President pmccafferty@chemcentre.wa.gov.au

Orange County ground-water replenishment project wins top prize

Water Corporation congratulated the Orange County Water District (OCWD) in California on being awarded the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2014 at Singapore International Water Week. The OCWD received the award for its groundwater replenishment project and the extensive community engagement undertaken to gain public acceptance on water recycling.

Water Corporation Chief Executive Of2cer Sue Murphy said the groundwater replenishment scheme in Orange County formed the foundation for the technology to be used in Perth.

“Congratulations to Orange County Water District for achieving this top honour and transforming the way recycled water for drinking is viewed,” Mrs Murphy said. “It is great to be able to say that you have visited Disneyland you have probably been drinking recycled water.

“We modelled our own scheme and community engagement strategy with our customers and key stakeholders on the work carried out in Orange County and it has proved successful here too, with an average 72 per cent community support rate in Perth.

“Groundwater replenishment ticks all the boxes for sustainable water use. We are able to treat wastewater to drinking water standards, store it in an aquifer beneath our feet for when it is needed, then abstract the water, treat it and distribute it through our existing supply scheme.

AWA welcomes the release of the Green Paper on Developing Northern Australia

The Australian Water Association (AWA) welcomes the release of the Green Paper on Developing Northern Australia for comment and congratulates those appointed as Advisory Group Members.

The key issues articulated by the Green Paper, including delivering economic infrastructure, improving water access and management, improving land use and access, promoting trade and investment, fostering education and innovation, and enhancing governance, are aligned with the key areas that AWA believes need to be the focus to develop a prosperous Australia.

Australian Water Association Chief Executive, Jonathan McKeown, said that ensuring the involvement of the public and industry groups in developing the White Paper is imperative in ensuring the Paper released later this year is evidenced-based and improves the prosperity for all Australians.

“The Australian Water Association offers their assistance in providing information and know-how to the Advisory Group on the key issues identi2ed in the Report. The Association especially wants the Panel to understand the true value of water as an economic driver, and its importance across all key themes.

“Sustainable water management is of the highest priority, however, it should be also noted that water is the single biggest driver for economic prosperity in Australia. The food and beverage industry, agribusiness, power and energy, mining and tourism, all depend on water and its proper management to succeed. With Northern Australia’s access to Asia there is opportunity for unprecedented economic growth, however we must ensure we get the development plan right to guarantee long-term prosperity with no ongoing negative environmental consequences,” said Mr McKeown.

2 Jun-14

This year’s Young Water Professionals’ Water Future Forum was held on Thursday 29 May 2014 at the City West Function Centre in West Perth, and proved to be a highly engrossing and rewarding event for all who attended. This half day conference is held every one to two years to provide young water professionals an opportunity to present on a theme. This forum’s theme was “Adapting to Change” and was attended by approximately 40 professionals and students, including both AWA members and non-members.

Five interesting and varied presentations were given over the course of the forum, which was not limited to just young water professionals! While Dr Olga Barron from CSIRO was unfortunately unavailable to make the event, Liz Pattison (RAESP Operations Manager, Parsons Brinckerhoff), Donna Buchanan (Manager People and Culture, Water Corporation), Amanda Fell (Senior Environmental Engineer, GHD), Kathryn Heaton (Water Source Strategy Advisor, Water Corporation) and Alistair Mann (Lord and Company, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys) delivered fascinating presentations, sharing their experiences in water industry related projects and topics.

Liz spoke of the logistical challenges and successes in delivering a safe water supply and maintaining service level standards to the 91 remote Aboriginal communities across the Pilbara, Kimberley and Gold2elds for which the Department of Housing is responsible. Overcoming major issues such as prioritising limited funding, and provision of critical water infrastructure to ensure community health was not put at risk under cyclonic and Jood-prone conditions kept the audience engrossed.

In contrast, Donna’s presentation focussed on the cultural challenges of ensuring the success of the Aroona Alliance, a consortium selected by the Water Corporation in 2012 to deliver its operations, maintenance and asset management services in water and wastewater collection and treatment. Donna expressed the challenge of getting the consortium participants (Trans2eld Services, Degremont Pty Ltd and the Water Corporation) to move towards one outcome and improve ef2ciencies via strategic integration and relationship building over time with clarity and humour, providing a number of everyday analogies to entertain us.

Amanda gave us an interesting insight into the potential delivery of alternative servicing strategies in the Stirling City Centre (anticipated to be Perth’s second CBD!) and the Canning Bridge Activity Centre, as our population is predicted to expand in line

with the Department of Planning’s Directions 2031 framework. While the use of recycled wastewater through sewer mining and its lifecycle and capital costs was presented as a viable future method of meeting potable water demands, the possibility of implementing such strategies is still uncertain. Amanda gave us much food for thought as to what still needs to be addressed in terms of the potential for funding through methods such as Developer Contribution Schemes, the possibility of a new utility provider, and what approvals would need to be obtained from the ERA, EPA and Department of Health to implement such strategies.

After our requisite afternoon tea break of tea, coffee, and delicious biscuits, attendees enjoyed some time to network and partake in a good old-fashioned icebreaker game. This involved the collection of as many business cards as humanly possible from forum attendees while retaining at least one piece of information about the person from whom you received said business cards. This challenge was relished by some more than others and the winner easily managed to out-network everyone else in the room!

Kathryn Heaton began the second half of the forum with a presentation on the Water Corporation's Water Forever Strategy to secure water supplies across the south west of WA to 2060 in the context of declining rainfall patterns and increasing demand. The use of a combination of strategies including additional groundwater sources, micro-desalination plants, dams, dam catchment management through removal of selected regrowth vegetation, water ef2ciency initiatives, and recycling through groundwater replenishment, managed aquifer recharge (for agricultural use and prevention of saltwater intrusion into the aquifers), and recycled water on public open space, treelots and golf courses. Kathryn Jagged that climate change was having the biggest impact on declining groundwater levels, especially on the Blackwood Plateau, and this was a public communication challenge. The current allocations of groundwater for drinking water were suf2cient to meet the needs of the south west until 2060, except for in the Bunbury area where most of the population growth is expected, however new sources of water (desalination, groundwater replenishment) would 2ll this supply gap. The project had and will continue to attract strong interest and opinions from local communities.

The 2nal speaker for our forum came from a more atypical part of the water industry, that of the legal 2eld in Alistair Mann, a patent attorney with signi2cant experience in intellectual property and patenting law. Alistair provided a thorough explanation for the mostly science and engineering-types in the room on the legal basis for trademarks, copy rights, registered designs and patents. Due to the historic and continuing innovation in the water industry, such information proved especially interesting to those inventors amongst the attendees! Alistair also gave us some interesting facts regarding the Water Corporation’s own patents, including the ‘line stopper’, an ingenuous mechanism designed by the utility in the late 90s to easily clean clogged pipelines. Who knew!

All in all the afternoon proved a rich source of information from a wide range of speakers about recent projects and issues associated with adapting to change in our water industry, now, and into the future. Even the presence of Black Hawk helicopters hovering overhead as part of the SAS’ military training that same afternoon did not stop us from taking in these interesting presentations!

2014 YWP Water Future Forum provides insights on ‘adapting to change’ by Halinka Lamparski, Essential Environmental, WA YWP committee member)

3 Jun-14

Technical Event

With recent regulatory changes - can you afford not to attend?

The Australian Water Association (AWA) invites you to the Water in Mining & Energy Regulation Brie#ng. With the introduction of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) (Mineral Industries) Regulations 2013 last October, requirements for mines in terms of ground stability and impacts on water quality have changed. Additionally, mine water managers need to be across the new compliance structure.

This evening brie2ng session, hosted in partnership with Norton Rose Fulbright, will be held on Wednesday, 25 June 2014 at

Norton Rose Fulbright, St Georges Terrace. To view the topics of discussion, visit the event website.

You will also hear from the following notable speakers about regulatory and legal overviews on relevant federal and state legislations:

• Jeff Haworth – Executive Director of Petroleum, Department of Mines and Petroleum

• Marnie Leybourne – General Manager Administration and Reform, Department of Mines and Petroleum

• Tad Bagdon – Executive Director, Policy and Innovation, Department of Water

• Charmian Barton – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

• Mike Harold – Principal Advisor, Rio Tinto Ensure you’re up to date with current water regulation changes affecting the mining and energy sector.

http://www.awa.asn.au/EventDetail.aspx?id=4294979246 for more information and register today.

4 Jun-14

The WA Branch of the Australian Water Association invites you to:

AWA WA Annual Water Industry Lunch

Wednesday 30 July 2014, Noon - 2pm Hon. Mia Davies MLA, Minister for Water

Location Argyle Ballroom, Parmelia Hilton Hotel, Mill Street, Perth

Agenda

12.00pm Arrival, Registration and drinks

12.30pm Lunch

2.00 pm Finish

Bio

This is THE networking event for the WA Water Industry and we are pleased to announce that the Hon Mia Davies MLA, Minister for Water is the guest speaker for 2014. Previous Speakers at this popular event have been: Hon. Dr Geoff Gallop, Sue Murphy, Maree De Lacey, Hon. Bill Marmion and last year, Hon Terry Redman addressed over 130 guests. Mia Davies MLA, Member for Central Wheatbelt, has responsibility for the portfolios of Water and Forestry. Ms Davies MLA started her political career in the Legislative Council in 2008 when she was elected to Parliament for the Agricultural Region. She resigned in February 2013 to successfully contest the Lower House seat of the Central Wheatbelt. Following the resignation of Brendon Grylls, Ms Davies took on the Water and Forestry portfolios from Mr Terry Redman.

Registration Fees

Members: $90

Non Members $120

Students/Retired/YWP $75

Corporate Table of 8 $800

Enquiries Marnie Cooper Phone: 0448 146 222 Email: mcooper@awa.asn.au

RSVP Friday 25 July 2014

ONLINE REGISTRATION

http://www.awa.asn.au/Events/Eventdetail.aspx?even_eventid=6214&dotnetdll=Event.Dll&dotnetfunc=RunDataPage

Please contact mcooper@awa.asn.au if you can’t Dnd your 6 digit logon or password

Sponsors

Herbert Smith Freehills has kindly sponsored this event. As one of the world’s leading law 2rms, they provide clients from both public and private sectors worldwide with advice on infrastructure development, policy development, 2nancing, M&A, mining matters and dispute resolution relating to the water and wastewater sector.http://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/

Event

5 Jun-14

News

Effective planning for Pilbara’s viability

Timely development of physical infrastructure and effective economic diversi2cation can secure the long-term future of the Pilbara. This is amongst the conclusions drawn in a new Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) report Pilbara 2050: Ensuring the long-term viability of the Pilbara. The report investigates what type of future could be created for the Pilbara beyond the current iron ore and natural gas boom.

CUSP Senior Researcher, Jemma Green said the Pilbara could be seen as the region that has won the lottery twice, 2rst through the discovery of iron ore in the 1950s and later when natural gas was discovered in 1971.

“It is a classic example of prosperous growth in a natural resources region, with the boom outstripping the ability to develop infrastructure to service it properly. History shows that this classic mine-and-boom phase is either followed by an evolution into multiple but related industries, or a decline into ghost town and tumble weed,” Ms Green said.

“When a boom dries up what is often left is secondary and tertiary infrastructure. This can be enough to sustain a region, but only if such infrastructure has already been created. The obvious solution for the Pilbara is to facilitate the growth of a mining / natural gas ecosystem in order to avoid the ghost town scenario,” Ms Green said.

Pilbara 2050 argues that the Pilbara region has yet to determine a comprehensive economic vision which quanti2es the economic size of opportunities and targets, along with pathways to get there. It stipulates the Pilbara needs to invent a future –diversi2ed from gas and iron ore – and 2nd new means to cut costs and maintain pro2t margin.

The paper includes an audit of Pilbara infrastructure, policies, programs and initiatives, a gap analysis of need, and a comparison against other places in Australia and around the world. Researchers have developed a wish-list of what needs to materialise to ensure the Pilbara’s long-term economic viability, supported by an investigation about how these could work.

Ms Green said major diversi2cation opportunities exist around tourism, industrials, technology and agriculture.

“The government should steer infrastructure development in the region and ensure that private sector-led developments favour infrastructure, representing the best interests of the region, rather than those that have the most political appeal,” Ms Green said. The complete Pilbara 2050 report can be downloaded at www.pilbara2050.net

Government Moving to Develop Northern Australia The Australian Government's vision for opening northern Australia to development is taking shape with the Green Paper on Developing Northern Australia released by Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss in Townsville on 10th June.

CSIRO will also conduct a “rapid’’ study of all water catchments across northern Australia to identify potential new dam sites as part of the Coalition’s plan to dramatically increase the development of the region. The water study could be used to develop plans ranging from small-scale on-farm infrastructure to large dams and reservoirs. The government is also considering the establishment of a water project development fund for northern Australia to drive new projects.

“The development of northern Australia is a priority for the new Australian Government,” Mr Truss said. “Farmers and business developers in southern parts of the country will be eyeing the opportunities in the north to expand and diversify their interests. This has been part of our plan to put regional Australia at the heart of a national economic recovery.”

Mr Truss said the government wants to:

• Develop a food bowl, including premium produce, which could help to double Australia's agricultural output;

• Build an energy export industry worth $150 billion to the economy, with a major focus on clean and ef2cient energy, providing major increases to resource exports; and

“It's a vision that is achievable and embraces the north's strengths and natural advantages in agriculture, cattle production, energy generation, tourism growth and education and health service expansion. The Green Paper reminds us that northern Australia is vital to our national economy, with 55% of exports shipped through northern ports and agricultural production in the north worth over $5 billion.

The Government's Green Paper sets out six policy directions to develop northern Australia further, and invites public comment and debate on these by 8 August 2014. The options include:

• delivering economic infrastructure;

• improving water access and management;

• improving land use and access;

• promoting trade and investment, and strengthening the business environment;

The Northern Australia Advisory Group will provide expert advice on developing northern Australia to the members of the Strategic Partnership—the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Premiers of Queensland and Western Australia and the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory. For a copy of the Green Paper and to lodge submissions by 8 August 2014, please visit: www.northernaustralia.dpmc.gov.au

6 Jun-14

Climate Update

WA National Water Week Conference 23 October 2014 This year the WA National Water Week Conference is being held on Thursday 23rd October in the Hilton Hotel Perth. Please contact the Branch if you would like to present a paper on any topic that suits the theme “Water Sources: there are more than you think”. We will also have a session on North West Water Issues as part of the program. wabranch@awa.asn.au

7 Jun-14

News

Most Progressive Water Utility in Africa" Wins 2014 Stockholm Industry Water Award

eThekwini Water & Sanitation, a part of Durban Municipality in South Africa, is named the 2014 winner of the Stockholm Industry Water Award, for its transformative and inclusive approach to providing water and sanitation services.

"This recognition reJects the work of our whole team over the past 22 years and is a tremendous honour for all of us here in Durban," says Neil Macleod, head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation.

South Africa's constitution from 1996, praised as a model for inclusion of social rights, enshrined the human right to water. Local government was tasked with putting it into practice. Soon after, Durban, one of the country's main urban centres, expanded its administrative boundaries to include 3.5 million people, some of them living in poorly serviced rural areas with huge water and sanitation challenges. The eThekwini municipality decided to face these challenges head-on.

In the past 14 years, 1.3 million additional people in greater Durban have been connected to piped water and 700,000 people have been provided with access to toilets. Access to basic water supply and sanitation is provided for free to poor families, while higher levels of service and consumption are charged at full cost.

eThekwini Water and Sanitation stand at the forefront of exploring social and technical solutions, one example being mini-turbines installed in pipes running down steep hillsides, utilising excess pressure to generate electricity for the city's low tension grid. The result is one of the most progressive water and sanitation utilities in the world.

"eThekwini has championed the approach to provide suf2cient water to sustain human life, as expressed in the South African constitution, now embedded in national policy. The methods used and results achieved by eThekwini Water and Sanitation serve as a sterling example for the many communities worldwide facing similar challenges," states the Stockholm Industry Water Award (SIWA) jury in its citation.

eThekwini Water and Sanitation will receive the Stockholm Industry Water Award at a ceremony on September 2, during World Water Week in Stockholm. The award, presented annually by Stockholm International Water Institute, honours the business sector's contribution to sustainable water management.

Soil contamination detector launched in the US A handheld detector that reduces both the cost and time taken to remediate sites contaminated by petroleum products has been launched to market in the United States. The device, RemScan, developed by CSIRO and industry partner Ziltek, uses an infrared signal to directly measure petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil, giving a result in around 20 seconds.

The ability to rapidly and accurately detect petroleum contamination on site, instead of the traditional method of sending soil samples to a laboratory and waiting days for results, will enable industry to close projects or declare sites contaminant free, faster and with a greater degree of certainty. The technology has the potential to save the environmental remediation industry millions of dollars per year in laboratory and project costs globally.

Petroleum contamination as a result of leaking tanks or industrial spills is a widespread global issue with potentially serious impacts for groundwater, human and environmental health.

RemScan can be used as a quick in-2eld screening tool to characterise contaminated sites, to validate spill clean-up areas, or to monitor ongoing contaminant degradation. In remote areas, where laboratory analysis is either not available or is prohibitively expensive – RemScan demonstrates its true value as a quick, easy to use and accurate instrument. The technology is particularly useful for the quantitative measurement of diesel, oil and crude products in soil, but can also be used as a screening tool for lighter fuels such as jet fuel and gasoline.

Apart from oil detection, CSIRO is continuing to work with Ziltek to extend the technology to enable rapid detection of other soil contaminants.

Development of RemScan was supported through the HazWaste Fund (EPA Victoria), Bio Innovation SA and the Australian Government through Commercialisation Australia and Enterprise Connect.

Supercritical steam solar - new frontier for power , CSIRO has used solar energy to generate hot and pressurised ‘supercritical’ steam, at the highest temperatures ever achieved in the world outside of fossil fuel sources. Supercritical steam is a breakthrough for solar energy and means that one day the sun could be used to drive the most advanced power stations in the world, currently only driven by coal or gas. CSIRO's Energy Director, Dr Alex Wonhas said this milestone is a game-changer for the renewable energy industry.

"It's like breaking the sound barrier; this step change proves solar has the potential to compete with the peak performance capabilities of fossil fuel sources. Instead of relying on burning fossil fuels to produce supercritical steam, this breakthrough demonstrates that the power plants of the future could instead be using the free, zero emission energy of the sun to achieve the same result," Dr Wonhas said.

Supercritical solar steam is water pressurised at enormous force and heated using solar radiation. Around 90 per cent of Australia's electricity is generated using fossil fuel, but only a small number of power stations are based on the more advanced supercritical steam. Commercial solar thermal power plants around the world use subcritical steam, operating at similar temperatures but at lower pressure. If these plants were able to move to supercritical steam, it would increase the ef2ciency and help to lower the cost of solar electricity.

The $5.68 million research program is supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and is part of a broader collaboration with Abengoa Solar, the largest supplier of solar thermal electricity in the world. CSIRO and Abengoa Solar, with support from ARENA, are developing advanced solar storage to provide solar electricity at any time, day or night. The breakthrough was made at the CSIRO Energy Centre, Newcastle, home to Australia’s low emission and renewable energy research. The Centre includes two solar thermal test plants featuring more than 600 mirrors (heliostats) directed at two towers housing solar receivers and turbines.

Although there is still work to be done before this technology is ready for commercialisation, ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht acknowledged the signi2cant achievement saying it demonstrates the importance of research and development.

8 Jun-14

Notices

Groundwater in Mining This NCGRT 3-day course is designed for professionals

and students keen to learn about groundwater in

mining. While a focus of the course will be mine

dewatering, other key topics will include management of

waste rock and tailings, management of groundwater as

part of site-wide operational management, environmental

impact assessment, and planning for closure.

Perth: 16-18 June 2014

http://www.groundwater.com.au/events/11

Understanding Surfacewater-Groundwater Interactions ICEWaRM Principals for Planners and Managers

Nearly all surface water features (streams, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, and estuaries) interact with

groundwater. The course will concentrate on relevant principles of physical and chemical hydrogeology

and address contentious management issues.

Perth: Wed 23 Jul - Fri 25 Jul

http://www.icewarm.com.au/short-courses/courses/SGI/register

Participate in a review of the Bureau's urban water information products and services

The Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau) is currently undertaking a study on its urban water data and information products and services. The Bureau is investigating ways to improve the provision of the urban data and information it collects and the services it provides around these. Central to this is developing a better understanding of their current and potential user needs to ensure the products and services reflect these.

The Bureau has engaged the consulting firm Aither to scope opportunities for improvement on the Bureau’s behalf. Through this work Aither will be providing structured and independent advice to the Bureau on the current and future urban water information needs of the urban water sector along with an assessment of opportunities for the Bureau to modify existing products and services and provide new ones.

By providing more relevant and targeted products the Bureau hopes to reduce the burden associated with sourcing urban water data and information and deliver greater value by better supporting the industry across a range of functions.

To support greater understanding of user needs and potential opportunities for improvement, the Bureau would like to invite the WA Water sector to participate in a stakeholder questionnaire. It should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and can be accessed via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z7D2RYN.

Please forward this questionnaire link to any colleagues within your organisation or externally who have an interest in urban water information, and might be willing to complete the questionnaire.

If you have any questions about this project or any problems with accessing the questionnaire, please do not hesitate to contact

Daniel Baker (0430 102 611 or daniel.baker@aither.com.au) or Ryan Gormly (0407 456 117 or ryan.gormly@aither.com.au).

9 Jun-14

News

Report reveals major uncertainties of mining in Sydney's water catchment

The New South Wales (NSW) Branch of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) applauds the recommendation in a new report by the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer calling for a ‘whole of catchment approach’ to addressing risks facing Sydney’s water supply. However, PHAA has serious concerns regarding the report’s suggestion that ‘current activities should proceed while this data is gathered’.

Prominent among the activities of concern are underground coal (longwall) mining and proposals to commence coal seam gas mining in the Special Protected Areas and the entire catchment. PHAA (NSW Branch) spokesperson, Associate Professor Melissa Haswell, said: “This report is about the future of our most important health resource for the Greater Sydney, the Illawarra and Blue Mountains region. We are talking about water security, safety and affordability for 4.5 million people, about 20% of Australia’s total population, and a million more by 2026. All require clean and suf2cient water for health and wellbeing. PHAA (NSW Branch) argues that now is the time to be seriously questioning the continuation of underground coal mining and commencement of unconventional gas activities in the catchment.

“We already know that important rivulets and vital swamps that deliver water to the catchments in dry times are severely damaged and the ecology disturbed through subsidence from longwall mining. This damage is irreversible and should be stopped as soon as practicable.

“We also object to the introduction of coal seam gas mining activities in the catchment. Among many health concerns, coal seam gas operations carry serious risks of surface and ground water contamination through overJow in Joods, spills from handling and leaks, through holding pond liners etc. We reject the argument that these risks become acceptable if we can ‘probably’ catch and treat contamination that does occur. This is certainly not acceptable when we are talking about toxic chemicals in people’s drinking water.

“Monitoring and understanding these systems better, whilst important, cannot undo or repair permanent damage once it has occurred. Furthermore, in the absence of a 2rm, legislated moratorium on mining in the catchment areas, there is ongoing pressure from coal and gas mining companies to allow them, not just to continue, but to expand their activities. “Repeatedly in this report we are told that there are signi2cant uncertainties and a lack of understanding about critical aspects of how these activities have already - and would continue to - affect the quality of water, especially under expanded mining and extreme climate circumstances. Given what is already known, PHAA urges the NSW Government to prioritise full protection of this vital asset for the health and wellbeing of a 2fth of the Australian population. Its protection should not be based on the hope that things will be okay in the face of major uncertainty,” said Associate Professor Haswell.

Making a difference through sustainability

While climate change remains a contentious political subject in Australia the hip pocket bene2ts of being more sustainable in business and everyday life are already proven. From sustainable groundwater management to skyscrapers clad in solar glass progress is being made.

Rainfall in south west Western Australia has already reduced by around 15 per cent since the 1970s, leading to reduced dam levels and increased use of groundwater resources for drinking water.

Since then there have been much publicised plans for canals to transport water from the State’s north and billion dollar desalination plants. But water planning expert Professor Geoff Syme said with better management of our current groundwater there could be no need for those expensive projects.

“One of the most promising innovations is managed aquifer recharge where rainfall or wastewater is fed back into groundwater aquifers for storage,” he said.

This option has twofold bene2ts in that it reduces evaporation from more traditional forms of storage such as dams as well as improving water supplies for groundwater dependent bushland and wetlands.

Professor Syme said Perth’s groundwater resources have been historically overused, leading to the demise of 90 per cent of the city’s wetlands but efforts are being made to reverse that trend.

However Professor Syme said there are actions which can be taken by all of us to make better use of our precious water resources.

He advocates for water ef2cient appliances and drip irrigation in gardens as well as home water tanks – which are already compulsory in new homes in Queensland and are proven to reduce groundwater consumption and save money.

In a massive step forward for renewable energy, an innovation in solar technology from ECU researchers could cut the energy costs of high rise of2ce towers by 40 per cent.

These photo-voltaic windows developed at ECU’s Electron Science Research Institute work by sandwiching a layer of nanoparticles between two traditional sheets of glass and using it to generate electricity.

Professor Kamal Alameh is one of the researchers behind the project and said the sheets produce about 50 Watts of electricity for every square meter of glass.

“That might not sound like a lot but a 30-story building could generate as much as 500 MegaWatt-hours per year,” he said.

There’s also a strong business case for investing in the glass. Professor Alameh hopes on current projections the panes could pay for themselves in as little as two years.

It’s hoped in coming years the glass will improve the sustainability of domestic and commercial buildings by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy.

10 Jun-14

Work begins on new world-class marine research centre The development a new $62 million marine research centre at The University of Western Australia will create a world-class facility that will position the State - and the nation - as a leading oceans researcher within the Indo-Paci2c region. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Curtin MLA Julie Bishop unveiled a foundation stone to mark the start of work on site. Local company BGC Construction is building the new six-storey Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, which will bring together 240 of the world's leading scientists. The focus for research will be in the areas of oceanography, marine ecology, 2sheries, geochemistry, governance, marine technologies and engineering, enabling critical studies into the sustainable use of resources, environmental protection and climate change. Winthrop Professor Peter Davies, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) at UWA said the centre would signi2cantly advance Australia's marine science capability. "The Indian Ocean remains one of the world's largest and least explored marine environments," Professor Davies said. "Managing this globally signi2cant marine estate requires a world-leading marine research capability and with this new centre, we will undoubtedly have that capability."

Designed by Ferguson Architects, the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre will target a 5 Star Green Star rating - a benchmark in sustainable development. Featuring a sandstone 2nish and terracotta wall panels, the building will incorporate castings representing marine life at the entrance to the building.

The new centre - expected to be completed by mid-2016 - is being built as part of collaboration between UWA, CSIRO and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). It has been made possible by a $34 million grant from the Australian Government as part of the Education Investment Fund, and contributions from the three organisations.

Located on the western side of UWA's Crawley campus, it will be complemented by a seawater facility at Watermans Bay which is currently undergoing an $11 million refurbishment, funded by UWA, CSIRO and the State Government, through the Department of Fisheries.

New groundwater discovery provides turnaround for Albany’s future water needs New groundwater discoveries at Albany have allowed the State Government to defer for at least a decade the need to build a $250million desalination plant to meet the community’s scheme water needs.

Speaking in Albany, Premier Colin Barnett and Water Minister Mia Davies said the news was signi2cant as water supplies for the Albany and Lower Great Southern scheme had been at risk of not meeting the area’s growing demand.

“This is great news. It’s a major turnaround from three years ago when a staged desalination plant was seen as the most likely option for this region beyond 2016,” Mr Barnett said. “In 2010, the town bore2eld was at maximum allocation, but following a four-year assessment program commissioned by the Department of Water, we are now able to con2rm the long term availability of an initial 0.5GL of groundwater that takes us through to beyond 2025.”

Ms Davies said other investigations funded by Royalties for Regions had found: an extra 50GL per year of water in the West Canning Basin Sand2re, opening up a range of development and improvement opportunities for communities like Port Hedland, including a future common-user pipeline option; and, promising results in the Hamersley Ranges to underpin community, industrial and agricultural opportunities for Karratha and Onslow.

The Premier and Minister also launched the Department of Water’s Water for Growth document, outlining the State’s water resources to assist business and investment decisions. It links to a fully comprehensive ‘atlas’ of all the known water resources in Western Australia. Water for Growth and atlas can be accessed at http://www.water.wa.gov.au/

Green Army to clean riverbanks and creek beds

Last week people and communities around Australia, and the globe, celebrated World Environment Day recognising that quality of life is intrinsically linked with the health of the natural environment. In the coming months, Green Army teams will be rolled out across Australia to clean up riverbanks and creek beds, revegetate sand dunes and mangroves, manage weeds and invasive pests, and protect local signi2cant heritage sites. The Green Army will become Australia's largest-ever team supporting environmental action across the country, growing to 15,000 young people by 2018. The Government has also committed to planting 20 million trees to green our growing urban areas and will be appointing a Threatened Species Commissioner to help stem the loss of endangered native animals and Jora.

WA Regional NRM's Appoint New Executive Manager The collective of seven Regional NRM Organisations in WA has appointed a new Executive Manager, Dr Kathleen Broderick. AWA Member Dr Broderick has previously been employed in a broad range of NRM-related roles including with the Tasmanian Regional Organisations, as a CEO of a Regional NRM Organisation, as policy advisor to the Minister for the Environment in WA, and with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The WA Regional NRM Organisations work collaboratively across the State to provide a voice and collaborative hub for NRM.

News

11 Jun-14

Membership News - June 2014

Please welcome the members who have recently joined the WA Branch.

Member Type First Name Last Name Organisa�on Member Since

Corporate Plus Chris�an Dube Veolia Water Solu�ons & Technologies 4/06/2014

Graduate Terri Rothnie BHP Billiton 1/06/2014

Individual Discount Michael Braccia Department of Water 27/05/2014

Corporate Plus Chris Davison AECOM 26/05/2014

Corporate Plus Patrick McCaffrey PIHA Pty Ltd 13/05/2014

Individual Adam Marr StepBeyond 11/05/2014

Individual Discount Maneesha Ginige CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country 11/05/2014

Individual Discount Daniel Nevin Department of Water 7/05/2014

Corporate Plus Donella McLean PIHA Pty Ltd 6/05/2014

Members’ Page

MASTER CLASS: UNDERSTANDING GROUNDWATER LAW As part of AWA’s ongoing relationship with the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), we are running a joint Master Class on 11-12 September this year in Canberra – Understanding Groundwater Law.

This course provides an overview of the laws relating to groundwater resources in Australia with a particular emphasis on the regulatory and policy frameworks that regulate groundwater extraction, use and management at the Federal and State level. It also addresses the challenges associated with the development of catchment management systems and the concept of environmental Jows.

The course will provide important insights into the application of groundwater law in key areas such as groundwater trading, mining and coal seam gas extraction.

On completion of this course attendees can expect to be more con2dent in their ability to understand and apply the concepts, frameworks and policy tools that inform that management of Australian groundwater resources. Details on web: http://www.awa.asn.au/Groundwater_Law/

New WAter Ways Training Sessions - Perth

New WAter Ways Training Sessions aim to provide introductory information on processes and concepts for local government and industry planners, engineers, landscape architects, asset managers and developers. There is no cost for attendance at these sessions. Please RSVP to info@newwaterways.org.au as soon as possible as places are strictly limited.

Groundwater management for urban

development When: Tuesday 17th June 2014, 9.30am – 11.30am Where: Department of Water, 168 St Georges Tce, This introductory session discusses concepts associated with development in areas of high groundwater. It provides an outline of the Department of Water guideline Water resource considerations when controlling groundwater levels in urban development (2013) and highlights issues and options for design of groundwater management systems.

Local Water Management Strategies - how to

get it right - NEW in 2014! When: Tuesday 22nd July 2014, 9.30am – 11.30am Where: Department of Water, 168 St Georges Tce, Do you know how to develop a local water management strategy? What are the important elements that need to be addressed? What are the aspects that are important to the Department of Water and the Local Government? Who should you talk to? These questions and more will be answered in this introductory training session on local water management strategies. And remember - it is not just a matter of saying the right things. You need the technical information to back it up!

Busselton Water’s Waterwise Business in Action

Wyndham resort and spa has been named Busselton Water’s latest Waterwise Business in Action in recognition of their mindful water smart and environmentally green practices.

Area general Manager Mr Rolf Bucher has worked hard with staff at the resort developing initiatives to promote waterwise awareness throughout the business and to actively support the waterwise message. Through considerately implemented business practices the Resort shows a strong commitment to being environmentally responsible, they contribute to waterwise awareness and protect our precious water resource.

12 Jun-14

AWA WA Branch President: Peter McCafferty, ChemCentre PMcCafferty@chemcentre.wa.gov.au

Vice President Deanne McDonald, Tenix Deanne.MCDONALD@Tenix.com

Immediate Past President Denis Ericson, Pentair denis.ericson@pentair.com

Treasurer Barry Sanders, Consultant

Correspondence to : Content Curator, Cath Miller, Fax: 08 6210 1675 wabranch@awa.asn.au

Noticeboard

General Committee Members Peter Addison, Addecet Consulting Jason Antenucci, Hatch Vince Cinanni, PDC Group Amanda Hazell, Water Corporation Des Lord, DA Lord and Associates Oana Lord, Lord and Company Richard Lynn, Ecolutia Tung Nguyen, Water Corporation Daniela Tonon, Herbert Smith Freehills

Committee Members Roles and Responsibilities

• Accept appointment to one of the sub-committees and actively participate in that sub-committee

• Be an active and enthusiastic member of the sub-committee and the Branch committee

• Provide industry expertise, advice, ideas and initiatives to assist with the planning of Branch events and activities

• Attend meetings and participate in decision making processes

• Provide articles for WAWater

• Promote AWA membership within their workplace and industry sector

WA Technical Event: Water Management in Shale Development 18/02/2014

CEDA WA Water Challenges Series, Urban Water Security 21/03/2014

WA Technical Event: Greg Claydon Water in WA Cities of the Future 18/03/2014

YWP My Water Career: Matthew Hunt and Shelley Shepherd 27/03/2014

WA Technical Event: Michael Bennett & Alex Gardner (UWA Law School) 20/05/2014

YWP Water Future Forum 29/05/2014

WA Technical Event: Water and Mining 25/06/2014

AWA Water Industry Lunch 30/07/2014

WA Technical Event: - Asset management August

YWP tour August

AWA members Cocktail Party 11/09/2013

WA Technical Event: NWC Assessment September

National Water Week Conference NW Water 24/10/2014

AWA YWP My Water Career November

AWA Undergraduate Water Finalist Presentations

WA Water Awards 2014 Gala Dinner 28/11/2014

Proposed Event Calendar for 2014. Events in Red are external events that may be of interest and events in Green are organised by the Young Water Professionals

13 Jun-14

The YWP committee would like to thank all the presenters and attendees for making our Water Future Forum such a success this year. Please keep your eyes peeled for the next YWP event later this year!