Archived Industry News for Water Professionals - April, 2012
The Federal Government has outlined $66 million in budget spending to improve water management over the next four years, with State Water Minister Peter Walsh saying the move will establish the state as a world leader in water practice.
"Over the next four years $50.4 million will be invested to improve water resource measurement and management," Mr Walsh said.
"This money will be used to improve surface water monitoring and data management, groundwater monitoring through the State Observation Bore Network, the Victorian water register and integrated water analysis and reporting.”
Australia helps East Timor with groundwater management
Mount Gambier and the wider South East community recently hosted a water official from East Timor who was keen to learn from local experts about water resource management in the region.
Nominations open for Water Wise Award
The Federal Government has opened nominations for the 2012 Prime Ministers Water Wise Award for commercial and industrial companies that can demonstrate significant recent water savings.
Abigroup wins wastewater treatment contract
Sydney Water has awarded Abigroup Water a new scope of works for the construction for a wastewater treatment plant in Sydney as part of the ongoing Odour Management Program Alliance.
Australia declared drought free
The Federal Government has announced the country is drought free for the first time in over a decade after the two final Exceptional Circumstances (EC) declarations expire.
GHD announces water breakthrough
Global engineering consultancy firm GHD has announced a new technological innovation that will allow continuous water pump monitoring in real time.
Australia joins Sanitation and Water for All Partnership
Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr announced Australia will join the global Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Partnership. Being a member of SWA will allow Australia to add its voice to the global call to support the world's poor with improved access to safe water and basic sanitation.
Bottled water consumption drops
It appears that fewer Australians are taking up bottled water and are instead opting for the environmentally conscious option, tap water.
Drinking supplies in SA's Eyre Peninsula secure until 2024
The annual review of the Eyre Peninsula Demand and Supply Statement, released today, shows that the South Australian region’s drinking water supplies are secure until at least 2023-24.
ESC approves water price hike
Victoria’s Essential Services Commission (ESC) has proposed to approve an additional three per cent increase to water prices for Barwon Water customers in the 2012-13 year to reflect the cost of the Melbourne to Geelong Pipieline.
Geelong parks greener thanks to stormwater
Geelong's Botanic Gardens and Eastern Park in Victoria will be greener thanks to the construction of new stormwater irrigation infrastructure.
MDB communities flourishing due to water
Water trade proving a valuable tool for Basin communities, where the society, environment and economy is able to sustain because of it.
Victoria releases new Melbourne water plan
The Living Victoria Ministerial Advisory Council has released the final report into the future of Melbourne’s water.
WA releases Warren-Donnelly water plan
The plan effects around 400 landowners who have constructed 500 on-stream dams to capture and store water.
Government launches Australian Water Supplier Compact
The Federal Government has released the Australian Water Supplier Compact, which will aim to encourage the country’s water suppliers and urban utilities to meet the needs of Australia’s urban water supply.
Queensland releases irrigation efficiency tool
The Queensland Government has announced the launching of a new tool to assist irrigators calculate when and how much water their crops require.
No water ordered from Victorian desalination plant
The Victorian Government has announced it will not place an order from the Wonthaggi desalination plant for the coming financial year.
NWC releases report into water markets
The National Water Commission (NWC) has released a report into water trading in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, finding that water markets helped the region remain productive, even during severe drought periods.
Gascoyne Irrigation Pipeline Project opens
“This project represents water security for fruit and vegetable producers in the Carnarvon area - without it, any expansion of the Gascoyne food bowl would not be possible,” State Minister for Agriculture and Food Terry Redman said.
SA demands changes to MDBA draft plan
The South Australian Government has issued 71 recommendations to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s Draft Plan, saying more must be done to ensure the health of the river system is maintained.
VFF doesn't support basin plan
Between 500 and 800 billion litres of water could be saved by more efficient management of the Murray Darling Basin’s rivers and environmental water, according to the Victorian Farmers Federation, but the savings have not been facted into the MDBA's plan.
“It’s a fundamental flaw in the plan,” VFF President Andrew Broad said.
He said the VFF did not support the draft basin plan in its current form as most of the burden of diverting 2750 billion litres of irrigators’ water to the environment would fall on Victorian and Riverina communities.
“We’re calling on the Authority to enshrine more efficient use of environmental water and river operations in the final basin plan.”
“We’re sick of the argument being framed as a battle between irrigators and the environment,” Mr Broad said.
“Farmers are practical environmentalists and they care about the river. A good plan can be achieved if we put in the infrastructure to support it.
“The draft plan fails to include infrastructure and that’s why we’re so disappointed. In its current form, it will simply strip water to appease city votes.
“Just like farmers have improved their infrastructure by putting things like tape and drip irrigation on their farms, so too can the environment. The current plan has failed to recognise that.
“Let’s create the framework so we can spend the money on infrastructure, restore the environment and keep our regional communities viable,” Mr Broad said.
MDBA Chairman Craig Knowles has said these environmental works would be considered as part of a review of the basin plan in 2015.
“But that’s not good enough. We want these works enshrined in the plan, to be released later this year,” Mr Broad said.
“We’re not going to accept a ‘pat on the head’ and be expected to trust Craig Knowles, this government or whoever is running the country in 2015.
“The fact is, once the plan is enshrined in law it will be very difficult to change.”
The VFF has finalised its submission on the draft basin plan, which has been lodged with the MDBA.
Initial analysis shows between 500 – 800 billion litres of efficiencies can be delivered by: