Archived Industry News for Water Professionals
Australian researchers are close to commercial trials of an exciting new material that can soak up oil spills.
Sand mine slammed for flood risk
The director of a company hoping to set up a sand mine in Queensland has referred to his own son’s battle with leukaemia to claim the mine will not harm children.
EPA says wrong river looking good
The NSW Environment Protection Authority appears to have bungled part of its investigation into water pollution on the Central Coast, by conducting water quality tests on the wrong river.
Farmers slam new SA fees
Farmers struggling in drought conditions have been hit hard by the South Australian Government's decision to raise Natural Resource Management (NRM) water levies.
International deal for urban aquifer help
The battle to recharge urban aquifers has become the focus of a two-year research collaboration between Australian and German water ecology experts.
Light talking spied in marine mantis
Australian experts have discovered that the ocean lights up with secret forms of communication between marine animals, and they might have applications in satellite remote sensing, biomedical imaging, cancer detection and computer data storage.
NSW boosted by high-tech protection
“Smart” drum lines that tell authorities when a shark is hooked are among the high-tech innovations behind rolled out on NSW beaches.
WA whale studies with high-tech edge
Australian marine experts are working on new ways to monitor whales non-invasively, sending airborne drones to have a look.
Water Act changes force more reporting
The Northern Territory Government has moved to include the mining, oil and gas sectors under the regulations of the Water Act.
Costly Brazil spill reaches coast
Toxic sludge from Samarco’s burst dam in Brazil has reached the Atlantic Ocean, in what could be the worst environmental disaster the country has seen.
BHP gets first bill for Brazil spill
Brazilian mining company Samarco has agreed to a $366 million damage bill after its tailings dam burst, spreading toxic waste over hundreds of kilometres, killing 10 people, and flattening entire villages.
Call for independent asbestos check in WA
The West Australian Opposition says there must be a full independent inquiry into the potential exposure of 138 Water Corporation employees to asbestos.
Drones drafted for frozen foray
Tasmanian experts are back from an Arctic research project where they used a variety of robots to map sea ice.
Clean water cracked in shocking new machine
As populations grow and the planet dries, the need for safe, potable water will only continue to expand.
Climate models bring calls for council response
New climate models have been released that predict sea levels will rise high enough to flood parts of Batemans Bay on the New South Wales south coast.
Wagons circle to charge up 'Charlie'
Progress has been made on a $1.7 billion development in western Queensland, which proponents says will see 300 to 400 natural gas wells created, along with 1600 production jobs.
Experts experiment with bottled Pilbara sunshine
A high-tech pilot project in WA will test a system that uses solar power to purify seawater and then convert it to hydrogen fuel.
Ship shift draws union rage
A major maritime union wants to Federal Government to stop aluminium producer Alcoa from using a foreign-crewed ship to move cargo from refineries in Western Australia to its smelter in Victoria.
Murray Darling money marks better PS deals
Insiders say the Murray Darling Basin Authority will offer employees a 6 per cent pay increase over three years.
BOM brains foresee rainfall
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says the current El Nino weather system should break down early next year, leading to some substantial rainfall.
Four unions seek new deal for water workers
A ballot for industrial action by members of the CFMEU at NSW utility Essential Water has been approved.