WaterRA offers various levels of service to our members for the different CRC bids, depending on the funding that can be achieved. This means that our members can participate in several CRCs through WaterRA and benefit from interim outcomes more readily.
Types of CRC Opportunities and WaterRA's role:
| Primary opportunity | WaterRA will act as the water industry consortium lead for a specific CRC. This is contingent on WaterRA receiving enough collective funding from our members, which will be used to elevate WaterRA to a Tier 1 or 2 participant and hence represent our members at that status. While different CRCs expect different annual contributions for those tiers, a Tier 1 or 2 status generally requires an annual contribution ranging from $100,000 to $250,000. As a Tier 1 or 2 participant, we will be influential at the program design and execution stages, representing the water industry’s research needs by ‘sitting at the table’ throughout the entirety of the CRC. | |
| Secondary opportunity | If a CRC receives some interest from our industry members and the collective funding does not reach the Tier 1 or 2 level, WaterRA can work with the interested members to decide what type of participation is desired. Our secondary offers can range from an engagement and knowledge sharing role in a CRC or student programs to a focused role on one particular research area or program which is of interest to those members. |
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We have developed an easy CRC Proposal Management Process and assembled information below on the CRCs bids below where the bid team has directly approached WaterRA for involvement. So we can organise interested parties in a timely manner, please review the new opportunities below and if you are interested please click on the appropriate links below by July 16, 2021. |
Round 23 scheduled dates:
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CRC SAAFE | WATER SECURITY CRC | ONE BASIN CRC | CRC PLASTIC WASTE | CRC ZERO WASTE
| Description |
SAAFE (Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food, and Environments) will address the long term challenge of antimicrobial resistance for Australia’s agribusiness and food industries while aligning with Australia’s national One Health AMR strategy. |
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| Lead researchers |
University of South Australia, Dr Erica Donner. |
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| Industry relevance |
By addressing factors that can reduce disease burden (such as water quality and waste management), developing alternative interventions, and ensuring appropriate and efficacious treatment, the CRC will deliver both immediate and medium term benefits to industry, through outcomes such as improved treatment options, and water recycling benefits to the agribusiness community. Additionally, through better pathogen and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) management practices, the CRC aims to protect Australia’s reputation and status as a provider of high quality water and agricultural products internationally, long term reliability of water reuse and reducing the risk of AMR-related agricultural trade barriers. |
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| Current WaterRA proposal |
Tier 1 member |
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| Associated documents | Brochure | One Water-One Health factsheet | Solving Antimircobial Resistance in Catchment, Source and Stormwater |
Express your interest in CRC SAAFE
| Description |
The Water Security CRC recognises that water security remains a national priority and that value from existing water security investments can be maximised and adapted. Industry and other end users must continuously adapt and invest to maintain water security by selecting investment pathways that reduce water risks at least cost over time. The CRC proponent is also keenly aware that infrastructure-centric solutions alone will be insufficient to address the water security challenge form any of our cities and regional towns. Current water security challenges still persist despite investment in previous research programs, since most have only focused on a single aspect of water security. The Water Security CRC will build on these initiatives but taking a more holistic ‘whole of catchment’ perspective (from source to end use) acknowledging the need for:
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| Lead researchers |
Griffith University, Dr Stuart Bunn. |
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| Industry relevance |
The CRC will consider the national research priorities for the water industry developed by WSAA and WaterRA (which will be published in the very near future). Program areas are: service delivery, supply optimisation, circular economy, liveability, customers, workforce. |
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| Current WaterRA proposal |
Tier 1, 2 or lesser Tier member (focusing on specific subprograms and/or knowledge sharing) |
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| Associated documents | Brochure |
Express your interest in Water Security CRC
| Description |
The aim of ONE BASIN CRC is to connect communities, industry and researchers to manage climate and water risks in the Murray-Darling Basin. The CRC bid team has now being asked to further refine its bid for Round 23. This CRC is exploring how water security risks can be addressed in the Murray Darling Basin, one of the key productive watersheds riddled by complex water management challenges. This CRC bid is now preparingto resubmit its proposal for Round 23 and is seeking to engage the water industry more holistically. |
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| Leaders researchers |
University of Melbourne, Professor Michael Stewardson. |
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| Current WaterRA commitment |
WaterRA has already signed up in-principle to provide outreach and knowledge transfer for the benefit of its members, primarily through the Australian Water School platform (in-kind only). Benefits for our members will flow through this avenue. With reconciliation action plans of our water utilities now progressing very actively to include traditional owners in their business, WaterRA is ready to offer to our industry members to investigate additional opportunities to increase the research opportunities for and with traditional owners in the Murray Darling Basin. |
Express your interest in One Basin CRC
| Description |
The Plastic Waste CRC will rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics to create a viable and valuable circular economy for plastic, and a cleaner, safer environment. |
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| Lead researchers |
Griffith University, Professor Chengrong Chen. |
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| Industry relevance |
This CRC will have a very clear focus on developing various novel, practical and economically viable technologies to utilise waste water, sewage sludge etc. to explore the production of affordable bioplastics. It will also explore the effective removal of microplastic contaminants to enhance the commercialisation of biosolids. Of specific interest may be: a) Novel biotechnology to convert biosolids to biodegradable bioplastic: Biotechnology can be developed using some specific, salt-tolerant bacterial strains (e.g. Zobellella denitrificans) to produce polyhydroxybutyrate under stressful environment (nutrient unbalance) that is an emerging class of bioplastics. b) Advanced decontamination (e.g. PFAS, PFOS, microplastic) biotechnology: A suite of advanced technologies will be developed to engineer multiple-functional biopolymers produced from locally available, low cost organic wastes to adsorb and destroy PFAS and PFOS, and novel plastic-degrading enzymes and microorganisms from extremophile microbiomes will be explored and developed to remove microplastics in biosolids to convert biosolids into the high value fertiliser products. c) Circular design and material selection for wastewater sample bottle to be re-used. d) Advanced technologies for renewable energy generation and energy conversion. |
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| Current WaterRA proposal |
$100,000 contribution (plus focusing on subprograms) |
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| Associated documents | Brochure | Investment Proposal |
Express your interest in Plastic Waste CRC
| Description |
The Zero Waste 4.0 CRC represents a systemactic approach to rebuild how the waste system works. It will include aspects such as:
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| Lead researchers |
University of Newcastle, Professor Ravi Naidu. |
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| Industry relevance |
This CRC will explore how to turn a particular waste stream into a particular product, using specific investment analysis tools. It will also use AI to further predict the outcomes of interventions or changes in the environment most importantly including the learning and observations over time. This program stream “safe waste streams” focused on identification, tracking and treating emerging and existing contaminants from wastewater. The creation of new, high value products from recycled materials will form part of the transition to a circular economy under their banner. |
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| Current WaterRA proposal |
New bid; no preference yet |
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| Associated documents | Brochure |
Express your interest in CRC Zero Waste
| Description |
As the CRC CARE is officially winding down, a new CRC CARE initiative is being launched by the University of Newcastle, retaining the original name “CRC CARE”. The ”CRC CARE” water industry consortium is being led and coordinated by WaterRA. This new CRC CARE aims to target the most pressing, critical and unmet needs in the field of contamination and remediation. The previous work of the CRC has already resulted in cost savings for industry and government and has contributed to a cleaner, safer environment for people and communities. The effort now is to maintain the momentum and in the technology and knowledge space and implement these more in Australia. WaterRA’s water industry consortium has the opportunity to develop a water industry-focused program and sub projects under this new initiative. Once the annual funding goal has been reached (~$200K), participating water industry members will be able to co-design the program with the goal to gain the most value of these projects for their own industries. There are good levering opportunities with other industries who have similar research challenges in the water and wastewater space (eg, defence, mining). The water industry program is currently devised and will initially have a three-year term to more specifically develop projects. |
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| Lead researchers |
University of Newcastle, Professor Ravi Naidu |
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| Current WaterRA commitment | Work has recently commenced and there is still scope for increased participation by our industry members.
If you are interested in becoming an industry member of the new water industry consortium under this CRC Care click on the link below. |
Express your interest in CRC CARE
| Description |
The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub (SCWH) is a seven-year, multi-disciplinary and multi-institution initiative delivering innovative sustainability technologies, knowledge products and services for urban and regional communities and the waste management sector. It has received Commonwealth Funding of $17 million over seven years. The Hub is committed to deliver:
The hub will also drive coordinated research across all four new hubs under NESP’s ‘waste impact management’ cross-cutting mission. This research will support policy development, program management and regulatory processes in both marine and terrestrial environments. The Hub leaders are charged in providing program level planning, but are currently waiting for Commonwealth approval to move forward. Workshops are currently being held in all states to consolidate knowledge needs. |
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| Lead researchers |
University of NSW: Professor Veena Sahahwalla, CSIRO, Swinburne University, Monash Univ., Curtin Univ. University of Tasmania. |
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| Current WaterRA commitment |
WaterRA has expressed its commitment to participate in the NESP 2 Hub as a water industry consortium lead to identify research gaps that the HUB could address. We are awaiting the next steps in the process to more clearly articulate our contribution. As no agreements have been signed yet, there is ample opportunity to influence the program so it is addressing water industry needs. Please indicate your interest to join in here: |