CRC for Water Quality and Treatment 2003
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Annual Report 2003 - 2004 CRC for Water Quality and Treatment Private Mail Bag 3 Salisbury SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5108 Tel: (08) 8259 0211 Fax: (08) 8259 0228 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.waterquality.crc.org.au Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment Annual Report 2003 - 2004 Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment for Water Centre Cooperative Research The Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment is an unincorporated joint venture between: ACTEW Corporation Queensland Health Pathology & Scientific Australian Water Quality Centre Services Australian Water Services Pty Ltd RMIT University Brisbane City Council South Australian Water Corporation Centre for Appropriate Technology Inc South East Water Ltd CSIRO Sydney Catchment Authority Curtin University of Technology Sydney Water Corporation Department of Human Services Victoria The University of Adelaide City West Water Limited The University of New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency Queensland The University of Queensland Griffith University United Water International Pty Ltd Melbourne Water Corporation University of South Australia Monash University Water Corporation Orica Australia Pty Ltd Water Services Association of Australia Established and supported under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program Power and Water Corporation Yarra Valley Water Ltd Mission To assist the Australian water industry produce high quality drinking water at an affordable price. We Received Other 10% Cash from Grant Vision 18% By 2010, the Australian water industry will have achieved a high level of community confidence in the safety and quality of the country’s water supply systems. Research undertaken In-kind from Cash from Participants Participants by the Centre will have laid a solid foundation for evidence 57% 15% based investment decisions for water infrastructure, as well as providing innovative solutions for achieving enhanced aesthetic water quality that meets community needs. Objectives We Expended • Undertaking a high quality, targeted research program that Communication & Commercialisation 3% seeks to provide the knowledge and innovative solutions Administration 10% required to meet national and water industry objectives for drinking water quality in the major urban centres and in regional Australia, including small rural and indigenous communities. Education Research 9% 78% • Building on the success of the existing cooperation activity between the Parties to incorporate evidence-based guidelines into the Australian drinking water regulatory system. • Involving a high proportion of the water industry end-users in the development, conduct and utilisation of the research and other activities of the CRC for Water Quality and We Received $M Treatment. Cash from Grant $2.50 • Enhancing the strategic international alliances to ensure Cash from Participants $2.07 that CRC for Water Quality and Treatment activities are In-Kind from Participants $8.14 well founded on the best experience and knowledge already available, and to provide, where appropriate, the benefit Other Income $1.34 of Australian experience and opinion in the formulation of Total $14.05 international water quality management strategies and guidelines. We Expended $M • Providing high quality, well trained and informed Research $11.53 professionals as future leaders in the industry through an Education $1.28 extensive postgraduate student program. • Effectively communicating the outcomes of the CRC for Administration $1.54 Water Quality and Treatment research activity to the Communication & Commercialisation $0.47 industry and the community. Total $14.82 Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment Annual Report 2003 - 2004 Our CRC Introduction by the Chairman 2 CEO’s Report 3 Highlights 4 Research Projects 5 Structure and Management 9 Commercialisation, Technology Transfer and Utilisation 14 Research Program Group One: Health and Aesthetics 16 Program Group Two: Catchment to Customer 28 Program Group Three: Policy, Regulation and Stakeholder Involvement 63 Sharing Knowlege Education and Training 70 Collaboration 78 Management and Operating 79 Specified Personnel 80 Publications and Patents 81 Public Presentations, Public Relations and Communication 92 Grants and Awards 95 Performance Measures 97 Finance Budget and Resources 104 Auditors Report 125 Abreviations 127 1 1 Introduction By The Chairman This report describes the third year of the current seven-year Under the terms of its agreement with the Commonwealth, agreement with the Commonwealth for the funding and operation the Centre was subject to a second year review during this of the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and reporting period. That review produced a strong endorsement Treatment. I encourage a careful reading of this report, outlining of the Centre’s management, research programs, education and as it does the Centre’s many achievements during the past year. training, knowledge transfer and related activities. The first agreement with the Commonwealth under the During the past year, City West Water Limited has become a party Cooperative Research Centres Program ran from July 1995 to the Centre. Furthermore, an application to become a party to June 2001. Under the terms of that agreement, in a unique to the Centre was also received from University of Technology collaboration, public health researchers worked with water Sydney. This takes effect from the end of this reporting period. scientists, technologists, engineers and managers to tackle a portfolio of issues that were impacting upon the ability of the The Associates Program of the Centre has continued to develop. water industry to provide good quality water to Australian This mechanism enables small to medium organisations to link to consumers at an affordable price. Much was achieved in that time the Centre and contribute to some of its activities whilst deriving but much remained to be done. a broad range of benefits. The Centre has welcomed three new associates in Esk Water, Pine Rivers Shire Council and GHD Pty The current Centre still has at its core that same unique Ltd during this reporting period. Also, Barwon Region Water collaboration but additional skills have been brought into the mix Authority and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, to tackle new issues facing the industry. The pressure of drought Mines and Energy will become associates at the end of this and population growth, sustainability and the growing customer reporting period. focus of water authorities have raised additional issues. The research programs of the Centre have been focussed on these One of the strengths of the CRC Program is its focus on matters. postgraduate education. I believe the Centre’s Education and Training Program delivers real value for the Australian water The current agreement with the Commonwealth will expire in industry. This year, the Centre has produced a further eight June 2008. In the past year, the strategic research needs of the postgraduates with others awaiting their PhD thesis outcome. industry beyond that date have become the subject of close Since 1995, thirty-one postgraduate students have completed attention by industry leaders and by the Governing Board of this their postgraduate degrees through the Centre. These highly Centre. skilled professionals have much to offer the nation, now and in the future. The activities reported on here reflect the knowledge, experience and effort of many people, the willing collaboration between On behalf of the Governing Board, I must congratulate the industry and research parties in the current Centre, and personnel located in Centre parties around the country for all relationships with a range of other organisations, both within that has been achieved during the past year, and I acknowledge Australia and internationally. the contribution of my colleagues on the Governing Board to the continued success of the Centre. I believe the Board has shown All of these activities are aimed at helping the Australian water real leadership in directing Board policy to achieve our mission. industry provide high quality water at an affordable price. They benefit this nation through the protection of public health, through Chief Executive Officer, Professor Don Bursill has continued to saving on infrastructure costs, and through the enhancement of lead the Centre with vision and commitment. scientific and technological capacity. To conclude on a personal note, this is the ninth occasion on which In the past year, the Governing Board has sought to quantify the it has been my pleasure as chairman to write an introduction to benefits that the Centre’s research has brought and is bringing to the Centre’s annual report. I know that the Centre’s continuing the water industry and to the nation. Further effort will be directed research efforts have brought great benefits to the Australian towards this goal in the next year. However, based on recent water industry and to Australians generally and I have been and overseas experience, the total cost of the Centre over the past continue to be honoured by my association with them. nine years is less than the likely impact of one major water quality incident in an Australian community. For example in Canada, an incident in a town of only 5,000 people cost that nation the equivalent of over $170 million Australian dollars. Every such incident that is avoided by the application of the knowledge generated by