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Collaboration on Sewage Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 (ColoSSoS)
Water Research Australia led an innovative, and collaborative Australia-wide investigation that developed novel methods for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater…
Technical Competency Benchmark for Water Industry Operators
This project proposes to bring industry and regulators together to develop minimum standards for technical competency that facilitates a more consistent approach towards technical competency…
Treatment strategies to remove microplastics from whole of water supply cycle
This project investigated the fate and transport of microplastics in the whole of water supply cycle…
State of Knowledge of Scope 1 emissions from Sewage Treatment Plants
This research project examined the challenges Australian water utilities face in achieving net-zero emissions, focusing on reducing direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — specifically carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide — from sewage treatment processes…
Scalable and environmentally sensitive algae management tech: H2O2 dosing
This project assessed the feasibility of using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an algaecide to control cyanobacteria in the treated effluent lagoons at Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant (WTP)…
Fate of PAPs and short-chain PFAS in biosolids amended soils
Biosolids are an important source of nutrients supporting the agricultural industry…
AquaWatch end-users community of practice: Driving collaboration and innovation in water quality monitoring
CSIRO’s AquaWatch mission is a system intended to deliver near real-time data for the monitoring and managing the quality of water systems throughout Australia and the world…
A practical guideline to monitor and quantify nitrous oxide emissions from full-scale wastewater treatment plants
Water utilities around the world are determined to achieve net-zero emissions. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions often account…
crcCARE: Water Industry Consortium research program
WaterRA is leading a Water Industry Consortium (WIC) to deliver a research program through the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (crcCARE)…
Nanobubbles for effective and energy efficient water treatment
Australian water utilities largely rely on precipitation to replenish their drinking water sources, but this dependence makes them vulnerable to sudden and prolonged droughts…
Investigation of the photolysis of emerging contaminants in the Western Treatment Plant lagoons
This project focused on understanding how sunlight can break down emerging contaminants (ECs) in wastewater held in large, shallow lagoons at Melbourne’s Western Treatment Plant (WTP)…
Development of a WaterVal Granular Filter Validation Protocol
Conventional media filtration is one of the most widely used methods for removing pathogens and solids from water, serving as a critical barrier in ensuring safe drinking water…
AI-based cell imaging approaches for identifying and quantifying microorganisms in water and wastewater
Algal and cyanobacterial blooms are natural phenomena, but their frequency and intensity are increasing due to…
Sewage treatment fugitive carbon footprint reduction
The project quantified the direct fugitive greenhouse gas emissions of the Canberra’s sewage treatment at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (LMWQCC), identified potential fugitive emission reduction initiatives, and advised on the implementation of mitigation strategies…
Satellite remote sensing for water management – A review of trends, capabilities, and applications for water utilities and authorities
Satellite earth observation technologies have developed rapidly, with strong potential emerging for satellite remote sensing to offer new insights and opportunities to water utilities and agencies…
Understanding and reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance in anaerobic sludge digestion
The prevalence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) have been significantly accelerated by the widespread use of antibiotics in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and more…
Application of biosolids-derived biochar for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated urban soil
Petroleum hydrocarbon is one of the most common soil contaminants in many countries…
Sustainable hydrogen production from used water
The project aims to address the pressing challenge of water scarcity in hydrogen production by developing an innovative approach of using used water as the feed for water electrolysis…
Guidance for integration of gene testing in cyanobacterial management
Cyanobacterial blooms are a global water quality concern that affects drinking water, recreational areas, and irrigation systems…
Pathogen risk associated with dead animals in treated water assets/storage tanks
Ensuring the safety of our drinking water is a critical aspect of public health, with disinfection playing a pivotal role in safeguarding against microbial contaminants…
Protocols for algal bloom management – technology performance & optimisation assessments
The water industry needed a clear and consistent approach to assess the efficacy and performance of the many technologies for managing algal blooms in waterbodies…
Achieving nitrite shunt for mainstream sewage treatment using human waste
Nitrogen removal from sewage is essential, however, conventional processes require a lot of energy and an organic carbon source, such as fats, oils and foods…
Value of Operator Competency
Failure to maintain appropriate levels of knowledge, skill, and experience in the frontline operator workforce runs the risk of disruption and loss of service delivery consequent to human error, along with associated risks to the environment and public health and safety…
Assigning and maintaining appropriate pathogen LRVs in MBRs
Traditionally, Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Validation is focussed on performance during commissioning when membranes are new, and the range of operating conditions are limited…
Ecophysiology of microbes that produce taste/odour chemicals and their impact on drinking water treatability
Unexpected taste and odour (T&O) in drinking water is an emerging issue for the Australian water industry as it undermines customers’ trust in drinking water suppliers…
Biosolids to biochar and platform chemicals
The sustainable application of biosolids to agricultural land is being limited by many contaminants such as microbial pathogens, PFAS, microplastics, and heavy metals…
Assessing granular activated carbon capacity for algal T & O removal: Development of a predictive tool
This project used granular activated carbon to remove algal metabolites…
NOM monitoring and characterisation in the Nepean
It is well understood NOM character as well as concentration impacts its treatability by water treatment processes and that concentration and character can change over time…
Development and evaluation of molecular techniques for monitoring aquatic macroinvertebrates in freshwater systems
This project explored the applicability of molecular approaches for taxonomic studies and rapid identification of invertebrates in a variety of freshwater habitats…