Week in water: updates from across the water community

This week in water, the winner of the IXOM 2024 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition has been revealed, Sydney Water submits a pricing proposal to IPART, work in Queensland is underway to rehabilitate platypus habitats and NSW’s public consultation on amendments to water metering regulations has commenced. Internationally, researchers in Israel explore the integration of ecosystem services in water management, while global climate discussions heat up ahead of COP29. 

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National

Winner of national tap water taste test revealed
Isaac Regional Council in Queensland has won the IXOM Best Tasting Tap Water competition, earning the title of Australia's finest tap water.

Hosted by TasWater in Hobart, the event took place at the JackJumpers Family Day and showcased the dedication of water providers.

Isaac Regional Council will now represent Australia at the prestigious Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Competition in the USA in 2025.

TasWater General Manager Operations Brendan Windmeyer said:  “The competition is a chance to commend the unseen efforts of water service providers and their workforce, whose dedication makes Australia’s tap water reliable, safe and enjoyable to drink".

States and territories 

Unitywater environmental works restore platypus habitat 
In a proactive step to support the Sunshine Coast's near-threatened platypus population, Unitywater has partnered with ECOllaboration to rehabilitate Petrie Creek in Nambour. This initiative is crucial for platypus conservation, as their numbers are under pressure from habitat destruction and pollution. 

Unitywater Environmental and Cultural Heritage Planning Specialist Emma Newton said:  “Unitywater is committed to enhancing the environment in our region through green spaces and cleaner waterways, and working with ECOllaboration to restore this section of Petrie Creek has enabled us to demonstrate this responsibility". 
 
And in more news from Unitywater, the utility’s Digital Metering Program – with 10,000 water meters installed across Moreton Bay, Noosa, and the Sunshine Coast – has saved customers $3.8 million and conserved 646 million litres of water. 
 
Unitywater Executive Manager Customer Delivery Rhett Duncan said: “Our Digital Metering Program has been a huge success for our customers impacted by leaks, and we’re keen to expand to further suburbs”. 

“The technology is simple but effective, with huge benefits to our communities. That’s $3.8 million that would have otherwise been on customers’ bills.” 
 
Enhanced monitoring for Great Barrier Reef catchments 
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) data scientists have developed a new statistical method to improve water quality monitoring for streams and rivers flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. While current sensors provide near real-time data, their accuracy is often compromised by obstructions. 

QUT School of Mathematical Sciences Dr Edgar Santos-Fernandez said: “The Reef’s resilience and biodiversity is threatened by land run-off of pollutants, such as fine sediment, excess nutrients and pesticides, into the many rivers and streams that flow into the Reef". 
 
“We have developed a new system that continuously detects and corrects errors and anomalies in the data from water-quality sensors to significantly improve the reliability of that data,” he said. 

Partnering for healthy water and Country 
Coliban Water and DJAARA (the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) have entered a partnership to jointly care for gatjin (water) on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, aiming for mutual benefits for both communities and the environment. 

Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter highlighted the importance of collaboration: “We work ngaldururrong (together) with Coliban Water to establish processes to share our knowledge to help heal our water systems and benefit people, animals, and the broader landscape”. 

“Since Dja Dja Wurrung People were excluded from caring for Country with colonisation, our land and waterways became sick,” he said.   

“Through our partnership with Coliban Water, Dja Dja Wurrung knowledge and aspirations for water will work hand in hand with Coliban Water’s operations on Country, for the benefit of Country and all who live and spend time here." 

Coliban Water Managing Director Damian Wells said:“Our partnership is a first for both organisations, and we are adapting and learning as we strengthen our ways of working”. 

“We are committed to a long-run, intergenerational partnership with DJAARA so that we can be stewards of our region’s water resources together,” he said.

Milestones achieved in major Otways project 
In the Otways, Barwon Water’s Gellibrand Water Treatment Plant is moving closer to completion. The new $10 million facility will replace an outdated plant, promising improved water quality and operational resilience.  

Barwon Water General Manager Planning, Delivery and Environment Seamus Butcher said: “This major upgrade is part of our customer promise to continue to deliver high quality and reliable water services across the region". 
 
Sydney Water’s price proposal opens for public consultation 
Sydney Water has submitted a price proposal to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to support its infrastructure needs amid climate challenges and population growth. 

Over the next five years, the utility plans to invest $26.4 billion to ensure reliable water services across Greater Sydney, Illawarra, and the Blue Mountains. This investment aligns with customer priorities, including service reliability, water quality, and environmental protection, identified through Sydney Water’s ‘Our Water, Our Voice’ program.

The proposal could raise typical customer bills by 18% in 2025-26, with annual increases of 6.8% until 2030, though Sydney Water pledges continued financial assistance for affordability. Through IPART’s consultation period you can add your voice to Sydney Waters plan by making a submission. Public consultation closes 9 December 2024.
 
NSW water metering reforms open for public consultation 
The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has opened consultations on draft amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018. 

These updates aim to simplify compliance while advancing the goal of metering 95% of licensed water entitlement by December 2026. These amendments, in response to the Review of the non-urban metering framework, are part of broader measures to strengthen water management in the state. Public submissions are open until 8 December.

Hunter Water’s new conservation campaign to save water 
Hunter Water has refreshed its water conservation campaign, urging the Lower Hunter community to adopt water-saving habits regardless of the weather.  

Hunter Water Executive Manager Strategy and Engagement Emma Berry highlighted the importance of conservation, especially as pressures from climate change and population growth mount.  

“Water is life. As the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO have highlighted in their recent ‘State of the Climate Report’, we’re facing unprecedented pressures from climate change, population growth, and evolving community needs,” she said.

International  

Climate action spotlight: COP29 in Baku 
Held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024, COP29 is bringing together global leaders and climate experts to address critical environmental challenges.  

Currently underway, the conference focuses on setting new climate finance targets, especially for developing nations, and advancing commitments to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.  

Key topics include enhancing adaptation strategies, boosting renewable energy and ensuring equitable funding to support climate resilience worldwide. 

Integrating ecosystem services into water economy 
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have introduced a model that includes cultural and recreational services within water allocation decisions. Their study reveals that recognising activities like fishing and boating in policy frameworks shifts water allocation significantly.  

Leading researcher Aliza Fleischer said: "The results of our study show that water management policies can no longer ignore the value that recreational activities provide to communities." The approach could lead to a 24% reduction in water diversion from rivers, benefiting both communities and ecosystems. 
 
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