Water Source
  • Technology
    • Innovation
    • Research
    • Trends
  • Community
    • Customers
    • Engagement
    • Public Health
  • Environment
    • Natural Environment
    • Built Environment
  • Business
    • Assets & Operations
    • Diversity
    • Partnerships
    • Workplace
Search

More results

Generic filters
Filter by content type
Choose One/Select all
Water Source
  • Technology
    • Innovation
    • Research
    • Trends
  • Community
    • Customers
    • Engagement
    • Public Health
  • Environment
    • Natural Environment
    • Built Environment
  • Business
    • Assets & Operations
    • Diversity
    • Partnerships
    • Workplace
Search

More results

Generic filters
Filter by content type
Choose One/Select all
Water Source

Innovative water projects in the running for Vic sustainability awards

WaterSource by WaterSource
20/09/2019
in Innovation
Innovative water projects in the running for Vic sustainability awards
2 min read

A wastewater treatment plant using worms to reduce its environmental footprint and a utility with an ambitious plan to take action on climate change are among the finalists in the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

The awards program was developed to celebrate Victorians leading the way in sustainability, with categories including environmental protection, community, health, education and government.

Up for the Environmental Protection Award is Booth Transport’s Strathmerton Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

Booth Transport moves milk and dairy products across several states and territories, and its Strathmerton Depot in regional Victoria is the first milk transfer station owned and run by a logistics company.

When setting up the depot, Booth Transport Project Manager Brendan Edwards said including an on-site wastewater treatment plant was vital.

“Bringing milk in is fine, but with all the cleaning and rinsing of the line it becomes a waste stream,” he said.

“We wanted to be able to reuse this waste stream as clean water.”

The plant treats 125 ML of wastewater a year, which comes from cleaning up to 50 tankers per day as well as rinsing silos.

But the real innovation comes in an unexpected form: worms. In an Australian first, the project combines a worm farm with desalination as part of the water treatment process.

The water is filtered for dairy proteins, to be ingested by the worms, before going through a desalination process. It is then used for irrigation.

The company said this will reduce its carbon emissions by about 3000 tonnes per year and put an additional 121 ML of recycled water into the irrigation system. 

Barwon Water is also in the running for an award, with its zero emissions program a finalist in the government category. 

This is a recognition of the regional utility’s target to use 100% renewable energy by 2025 and cut its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030.

The business is already well on its way thanks to a series of solar power projects, including an 8100 panel installation at the Black Rock water reclamation plant. This is the largest of its kind in the Australian water industry and is projected to meet 35% of the plant’s annual energy needs.

It also switched on a 250 kW solar array in Torquay in 2018, and earlier this year announced a new energy partnership with 12 other Victorian water corporations to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This saw the businesses join together to purchase renewable energy as a collective, which meant a cheaper rate for the organisations and their customers.   

To see all the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards finalists, click here.

Share
Tags: VictoriaRenewable EnergySustainabilityWastewater TreatmentSolarBarwon WaterVictorian Premier's Sustainability Awards
Previous Post

New women in water leadership programs

Next Post

Melbourne Water releases final plan for contaminated creek

Related Posts

Recycled water keeping Adelaide Airport cool
Innovation

Recycled water keeping Adelaide Airport cool

13/12/2019
Could the water sector become carbon neutral?
Innovation

Could the water sector become carbon neutral?

09/12/2019
Load More
Next Post
Melbourne Water releases final plan for contaminated creek

Melbourne Water releases final plan for contaminated creek

Graffiti management program turns TasWater assets into works of art

Graffiti management program turns TasWater assets into works of art

TRENDING TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Could the water sector become carbon neutral?

Could the water sector become carbon neutral?

09/12/2019
Spotlight on sustainability and collaboration at Victorian Water Awards

Spotlight on sustainability and collaboration at Victorian Water Awards

06/12/2019
Melbourne Water creates pipe protection and air monitoring device

Melbourne Water creates pipe protection and air monitoring device

06/12/2019

Get our newsletter


The Australian Water Association is Australia’s biggest water network driving a sustainable water future as we share information and knowledge, connect members with industry and stakeholders, and inspire positive change.

Water Source is the Association’s online information hub for the water sector. It features articles, technical papers, podcasts, videos and resources on technology, the community, the environment, and business.

AWA

  • Membership
  • Events
  • Programs
  • Advertise with us
  • Subscribe to Water Source

OZWATER

  • About
  • Program
  • Exhibition
  • Sponsorship

H2OZ Jobs

  • Search jobs
  • Post a job
  • Student opportunities

Contact us

Australian Water Association
P.O. Box 222
St Leonards NSW 1590
Phone: +61 2 9436 0055
Email: info@awa.asn.au

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Water Source editorial guidelines

Get our newsletter

© 2018 Water Source

Search

More results

Generic filters
Filter by content type
Choose One/Select all
  • Technology
    • Innovation
    • Research
    • Trends
  • Community
    • Customers
    • Engagement
    • Public Health
  • Environment
    • Natural Environment
    • Built Environment
  • Business
    • Assets & Operations
    • Diversity
    • Partnerships
    • Workplace

© 2018 Water Source