New tool launched to manage CECs

A key deliverable of project 1127, ECHIDNA is a searchable online database designed to equip the water industry with relevant information to make evidence-based and informed decisions around the management of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC).

ECHIDNA includes several unique features:

• Classification and filtering functionalities to group CEC based on key properties such as persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity making it valuable across drinking water, recycled water and wastewater industries.
• An inbuilt risk prioritisation tool that identifies high risk contaminants ranking them based on the user-specified shortlist.
• Direct links to information on management options to address the risk of environmental and human health effects.

“We are excited about the huge interest in the ECHIDNA database amongst our practitioners within our membership, particularly utilities and health regulators,” WaterRA’s General Manager Research Services, Jacqueline Frizenschaf, said. “Over the next year we plan to add some features to the database to make it more powerful in screening risk assessments and identifying additional research needs.

“While we are currently exploring options to make ECHIDNA more widely available, WaterRA members can register to access the database now.”

To find out more about ECHIDNA and the management of emerging contaminants within the water industry, join database designer Prof Fred Leusch from Griffith University for a webinar on November 17.