June 2014 Branch Newsletter

Presidents Report By Col Lewis

Branch News successful event, even given the quiet times we are experiencing in the Water sector. This event was My two-year term as Branch President finishes at the another wonderful opportunity to foster and share end June 2014 and on reflection I wonder where the knowledge as well as to catch up with other water two years has gone. professional from around Australia and Overseas that I would like to take this opportunity to firstly thank our you do not get to see at other times. Branch Manager, Sharon Ible, for all her assistance throughout my term and certainly without her efforts Industry our branch would not have been as successful as it has been, she certainly keeps the committee in order. As an Association we recently had the opportunity to provide feedback on the State Governments draft Also I have been fortunate over the two years to have a WATERQ, a 30-year Strategy for Queensland’s water wonderful committee to work with everybody being sector, which is due for release soon. involved and committed. Their support and hard work has made my role so much easier and I count it as a Some sectors of the Water industry are still very privilege to have had the opportunity to lead such a subdued and a lot of companies are feeling the pain of great team over the last two years. lack of projects where as others are going well. Unfortunately all levels of Government are looking at Would be remiss of me not to acknowledge those who deferring investment in capital works and this is led the branch before and their excellent work that we certainly not helping the situation. I believe there is still have been able to build on over the last two years and I a role for State & Federal Governments to take a role have no doubt that Matt Dawson, incoming President in developing projects to ensure that economic and the new committee will only build on the previous development is not stalled. The challenge for the successes. Industry is how to encourage increased private investment and this was discussed at the Water On reflection I look back at what we set out to achieve Leaders Forum at Ozwater14 and considered over my term and one of the major goals was to again superannuation funds as an alternative source of engage with the State Government and to ensure as capital. In Queensland the real issue with encouraging an Association we had the opportunity to be involved more private investment into the water sector is in the and lead the conversation on water issues to ensure regions where projects are of smaller value which are that we achieve a sustainable water future. To this end not as attractive to private investment. I believe we have achieved the goal with our regular meetings with the Minister and his staff and should An important part of this process is to ensure that we acknowledge Minister Mc Ardle and his willingness and have consistent economic regulation across different openness to engage with us at many events over the jurisdictions. past two years. I have enjoyed my two years serving as President and Also we set out to engage with the CSG/Mining working with everybody I have come across over that industry in a meaningful way and as part of this we time and look forward to supporting Matt Dawson over held an exciting event in June this year – the CSG the next two years as immediate Past President. Technical Workshop and Water in Mining and Energy Regulation Briefing, which has had great support from It has been a great journey made all the more the industry in developing the workshop as well as enjoyable being able to work with a wonderful group of participation in the event. people.

Since the last issue of WaterTalk we have had Look forward to catching up at our future events. OZwater14 held in which was another

2 Colin Lewis Branch President AWA Central Queensland Technical Seminar, Gladstone

On 12 June AWA hosted a technical seminar in Gladstone. The event was organised to complement Qld Water Directorate’s Central Queensland Mini Conference on the 13 June. Delegates were treated to three excellent presentations, which drew out relevant aspects for Central Queensland:

 Water Infrastructure: Contingency Planning for Flood Emergencies, presented by Dr Haydn Betts from KBR (left below).  Upgrade of the Glenmore High Lift Water Pump Station, presented by Dr Jason Plumb from Fitzroy Jenifer Simpson Awarded River Water (Centre below).  Mt Isa Sewerage Upgrades, presented by Peter the Order of Australia Baker and Mark Thomas from Harrison Grierson. (Right below) (General Division)

Gladstone Regional Council also organised a “site tour” for Long time AWA member and supporter, Jenifer delegates, which consisted of a harbour tour viewing a Simpson has been awarded a Medal of the Order number of the important and impressive projects going on of Australia (General Division) in the Queen’s in and around Gladstone. This culminated with a “sail Birthday Honours List for being a conservation past” of the three LNG plant sites under construction on champion. The Courier Mail noted that if Jenifer Curtis Island which are an awe inspiring sight from close Simpson was a super hero she would be called up. The context for water professionals was set by a “Water Women”. Jenifer’s career in the water discussion from Gladstone Regional Council on the water industry started in 1992 when she decided to put on and sewerage servicing strategy for Curtis Island. a forum to better inform people on the Sunshine Coast about how water is managed. The title for Many thanks must go to our host, Phil Boschoff from the forum was “Are we going up the spout and Gladstone Regional Council and his team. Thanks also to down the drain”. She has been working to improve the team at Qld Water Directorate for the continued water education ever since and has written a cooperation in running joint regional events and their number of books to help people understand what is efforts for this event in particular. Our thanks also to Trility in water and how we take it out. for organizing the lunch on the harbour tour.

3 Matt Dawson Branch President Elect

Matt Dawson is the new Queensland Branch A few of Matt’s key priorities, as President of the President-elect. He will officially take-up office on 1 Queensland Branch will be to continue the push for July 2014, following on from the great work of Col AWA to: Lewis. Matt is a civil engineer graduating from the University of Auckland in the late nineties [Matt  Become more relevant to regional members. notes though that he is Australian and is strictly still He sees opportunities to spread events eligible to play in the State of Origin series!]. He has across the state, work closely with the worked in the water industry for his whole career Queensland Water Directorate, encourage a and has “water in the blood”. His first job was with series of local AWA champions in different MWH working in network planning and asset regions and make better use of technology to management. With opportunities emerging in engage with regional members Australia during the height of the millennium drought  Continue to engage with current and potential Matt took the opportunity to transfer to the MWH’s AWA members working in the CSG sector. Brisbane Office. He was appointed as study leader  Increase its involvement in representing for a variety of Queensland and Local Government members on key strategic and policy issues water demand studies particularly focused on and continuing to build the relationship with demand management, drought response and post the and senior drought scenarios. He found this period of his executives from water utilities. career to be highly rewarding.

In 2011 an opportunity came up to move to TRILITY People who know Matt will also know of his keen as Strategy and Development Manager. What interest in fostering the Regional Conferences at attracted Matt to this new role was the greater various centres around the State and he expects a diversity of skills required (including operations, focus on continually enhancing these events. construction and financing) which built on his consulting background. Since joining TRILITY he Matt lives on the Sunshine Coast. He and his wife, has worked on a variety of interesting opportunities Trina, who he met in Auckland have two children, one including low energy regional wastewater treatment eleven and one twelve. When not spending time with plants, a range of municipal water treatment plants, the family Matt likes nothing more than to surf, go large and complex O&M contracts and a variety of mountain bike riding or play a round of golf. interesting CSG sector opportunities. He finds that the diverse geographic spread around Queensland and the work across multiple sectors complements his AWA role very well.

4 Jeff Ballard Chair of the 2014 NQ Water Conference

Jeff has been on the Organising Committee for the amalgamations in 2008 saw Jeff’s role being NQ Water Conference for nine years. This year he is transformed into a senior engineering role within the Chairman. He is again hoping for a bumper newly formed Townsville Water. Conference attracting well over 100 delegates. His original interest in AWA stemmed from his attendance Jeff then decided to set up his own company, at an AWA Technical Meeting and Dinner at Grafton Northern Water Management that has kept him quite in Northern NSW in 1998. At that time there was a lot busy for the past three years. Through his company of interest in stormwater management and water he was successful in winning a five yearly inspection sensitive urban design and the AWA meetings filled a of the Ross River Dam. This work involved setting up void. procedures and methodology, and then carrying out internal and external inspections. Internal inspections Jeff originally graduated as a Civil Engineer from required accessing confined space concrete James Cook University in 1994. He also completed a chambers and pipework within the dam wall and Masters Degree from the University of New South spillway. Jeff found the project challenging and Wales in 2002 where he majored in water and rewarding, as there were a number of technical and wastewater treatment and environmental logistical challenges. He is also passionate about management. He took up his first job with Ullman and drinking water quality. Nolan in Mackay. The first few years largely concentrated on geotechnical work but water sparked Outside of work Jeff is married with two children. He his interest when he was involved with the Sarina and his wife enjoy mountain bike riding and kayaking Wastewater Treatment Plant sewerage rising main when time permits, and take their kids away on and golf course dam project. From Mackay he spent adventures with their camper trailer. They recently three years with John Holland and then moved to competed in an eight-hour ride (sharing the ride with Lennox Head for two years where he worked for a two others) in a team aptly named “Dam Failure” (the small town planning company. Here he undertook a ride was held at a dam). Most of all Jeff enjoys hiking number of stormwater, erosion and sediment control, and freshwater fishing and every year takes his mates and recycled water projects. He then returned to on a three-day trip up the Herbert River. One year (so North Queensland in 2000 where he was raised. He he tells us) they caught and released 88 Sooty took up a position with Citiwater Townsville, and then Grunter! He insists that the crocodiles were relatively with NQ Water four years later where he fulfilled a docile when he saw them. dual role as Infrastructure Engineer and Dam Safety Engineer. This role saw his involvement as the Client Representative for the Ross River Dam upgrade, which was completed in 2007. The council

5 The Rubyanna WWTP is a $92M project Rubyanna WWTP that is designed to meet the long-term growth and development needs in the Project, Bundaberg eastern and coastal parts of the region. The first stage of the project entails three Regional Council components:

1. Pumped transfer system from the existing Bundaberg East WWTP to the site of the proposed Rubyanna WWTP, approximately 5km to the north east 2. Stage 1 of the Rubyanna WWTP with a capacity of 50,000 persons including 1,000 ML/yr Class A recycled water for sugar cane irrigation 3. 3.6km gravity outfall from the plant to the Burnett River including submerged outfall

Council obtained Development Approval for the project in late 2013 after completing a comprehensive Review of Environmental Factors supported by the necessary environmental and technical studies.

Selwyn McFaul has been appointed by Bundaberg Regional Council to manage the project, which is due to be completed by late 2017. “This is an exciting project that will delivery long term benefits to the Bundaberg region. I’m looking forward to working with the local community to deliver value-for- money wastewater infrastructure that leaves a lasting legacy for the Bundaberg community”

Whilst the pipelines will be delivered by a traditional Construct to Design contract, the WWTP will be undertaken as a Design & Construct using an Early Contract Involvement model. The WWTP contract will also include an initial 3 year O&M phase with a 7 year optional extension. The submarine outfall will be delivered under a more conventional D&C contract.

The new WWTP will be located on land previously owned by Bundaberg Sugar and has a number of nearly residents. A long standing Community Reference Group has been actively involved in the approval of the development which will encompass strict odour and noise control measures and visual screening of the plant.

6 Point Lookout Wastewater Treatment Plant

Redland City Council is proposing to upgrade the Point The new plant capacity will be 7600 EP allowing for Lookout Wastewater Treatment Plant later this year. A future development and for peak loads. It will be new plant will be constructed to replace the existing constructed adjacent to the existing plant. It is three package plants that have laboured over the years proposed that the plant be an MBR type plant. to cope with the high peak tourist loads. Tourist loads Consideration will need to be given to the method of can be up to four times the non-peak loads and the handling the peak loads at the design stage due to the transition from non-peak to peak loads can occur short transition time between the non-peak and peak almost overnight. Effluent from the existing plant is loads. filtered before being discharged to infiltration ponds at the treatment plant site. It is proposed that the new Odour and noise control will also be a focus of the plant’s effluent will continue to be discharged to the new plant considering the proximity of the existing infiltration ponds however, effluent quality will be neighbours. substantially improved. The project will be competitively tendered as a design The effluent plume passes through a deep sand aquifer and construct package of work following an and travels in a northerly direction to ultimately Expression of Interest (EoI) process. The EoI is discharge into the Pacific Ocean. Extensive expected to commence in September 2014. groundwater and environmental studies have been Estimated cost $14-15m. used for guidance in assessing the plant effluent standard. Redland City Council is also currently carrying out other associated work such as pump stations The original concept was to locate the new plant at a improvements and planning for connection of some new site to the east of the existing site and closer to the additional non-sewered properties to the sewer in the East Coast Beach. Investigations have shown that future. locating the plant at the existing site will be of lower cost and have less impact on the environment.

7 Queensland Urban Utilities The Sewerage Projects

Queensland Urban Utilities has been investigating options for upgrading the sewerage systems for a number of towns in the lower and central Lockyer Valley. These towns include Gatton, Laidley, Forest Hill and Plainland. Gatton, Laidley and Forest Hill are all serviced with individual sewerage systems with local treatment and disposal of effluent. Plainland is not sewered. The original proposal was to sewer Plainland and transfer the sewage, along with the sewage of Laidley and Forest Hill townships to Gatton STP. This would result in the closure of the Laidley and Forest Hill STP’s. The Gatton STP was to be upgraded and the existing effluent reuse scheme was to be expanded to service more customers.

Initial investigations showed that the centralised scheme was of high cost and essentially unaffordable. In addition the unit cost for supply of effluent to existing and new customers in the vicinity of Gatton became prohibitive.

Queensland Urban Utilities then carried out a full review of all aspects of the project. The result was the retention of the three existing plants at Gatton, Laidley and Forest Hills and the implementation of improvements to those plants to enable them to achieve licence and to deliver reuse water of suitable quality to existing and a limited number of additional customers. Plainland’s sewage is to be piped 7.5km to the Laidley STP. At Forest Hill and Laidley STP’s, Pall membrane filtration units were added to the end of the existing lagoon systems to improve effluent quality to meet licence and effluent reuse requirements (this was also the upgrade strategy adopted for Boonah and Kalbar lagoon plants in Scenic Rim). For Gatton, only minor improvements to the plant were necessary to improve pH and disinfection control. Additional minor augmentation at the existing plants is being planned, to improve inlet screening and SCADA connectivity to the QUU network. The need for an extensive and costly transfer system between Plainland, Forest Hill, Laidley and Gatton was avoided with this finally adopted scheme. Overall the original $100m project is estimated to be delivered for less than $15 million.

The AWA is holding a Technical Presentation on this and other projects on 8 October 2014.

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This newsletter has been compiled from information supplied; hence AWA cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of any information so supplied or for any loss or damage which may arise from errors or omissions.

QLD Water Awards Nominations open 23 June for our annual Awards Program which celebrates the outstanding work of our water community, both individuals and organisations. The Queensland Awards presentation will be held at our premier event, the Annual Gala Dinner, 12 September 2014. The deadline to submit nominations is 1 August 2014

Upcoming Events Tues, 22 July 2014 Detailed Total Water Cycle Management planning for Moreton Bay Regional Council, Brisbane Qld 30 July – 31 July 2014 North Queensland Regional Conference, Mackay Qld

Wed, 27 Aug 2014 Seqwater’s D & C Contract for Fluoride Dosing Facilities - a brush with relationship contracting Friday 12 Sept 2014 Gala Dinner and Awards Night, Brisbane Qld

Wed, 8 Oct 2014 Queensland Urban Utilities - Thinking outside of the box ,Brisbane Qld

Australian Water Association PO Box 1148, Wynnum QLD 4178 We are looking for Contact Sharon Ible articles on your Telephone 07 3396 4880 projects. Please Mobile 0407 585 052 Email [email protected] contact Sharon Ible

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