eFlash #595 New
Date: 10-Apr-2024
NEW / HOT TOPICS
Water Skills Forum - Register Now!
Time is running out to register for the Water Skills Forum on Friday 19 April 2024 at Parliament House in Brisbane. Please note that photo ID is required to enter Parliament House.
Join us as we explore The Urban Water Workforce - Recognition & Resilience. The program includes lots of interesting presentations from across Queensland.
Water Skills Partnership members get 2 complimentary places at the Skills Forum, but numbers are strictly limited and filling up fast. Register here.
Emerging Contaminants Workshop
The qldwater Consortium for Research and Advocacy on Contaminants (qCRAC) is delighted to announce the development of an Emerging Contaminants Workshop from 21-22 November 2024 in Townsville.
This workshop will include presentations that are directly relevant to qldwater members in the following topic areas:
- Science progressing understanding of emerging contaminants
- Emerging contaminants regulation and solutions
- Utilities' responses to emerging contaminants
The program will incorporate a technical tour on the afternoon of 21 November, followed by a casual dinner and a full day workshop on 22 November. This will be an in-person only event.
Please keep an eye open for a registration announcement soon.
If your organisation is interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Louise Reeves on lreeves@qldwater.com.au.
Statewide Exemption for High Pressure Water Jetting in AC Sewers
qldwater has developed an application to the safety regulator for a statewide exemption for High Pressure Water Jetting in AC Sewers. All documents are available on our website (members only, please log in to access the documents).
The submission includes detailed attachments to support the application including technical reports and a Safe Work Method Statement for Jetting, developed in partnership with Urban Utilities (UU) and the regulator.
Given the recent media attention to AC fibres in mulch, our industry’s work in biosolids reuse is likely to come further under scrutiny. As a result, the technical reports included in the regulator submission regarding AC in Biosolids will be of interest to Queensland water service providers.
The regulator is currently reviewing the application and qldwater will provide further information as their evaluation continues.
Recent meetings indicate that they will provide their formal advice on the submission over the next month.
The Safe Work Method Statement attached to the submission represent best practice regarding conducting jetting in AC Pipes and as such we would encourage water service providers throughout the State to review current practices to protect worker and contractor safety in your business.
Please reach out to David Wiskar if you need any further information regarding this matter.
4. Essentials Webinar - Ensuring Telcos Meet Regulatory Requirements and Protecting Critical Water Assets
Join us on Tuesday 23 April from 10.00 to 11.00am where Carmel Serratore, Principal Consultant at Integrated Legal Solutions and previously Legal Counsel for Seqwater, will discuss the new legal agreement template (Telco Land Access Agreement or TLAA) which has been prepared for qldwater to assist our members when dealing with a licensed carrier seeking to deploy low impact facilities (in particular, under a LAAN pursuant to Schedule 3 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth)). The TLAA seeks to ensure telecommunication providers and their personnel/contractors meet their legislated (and contractual) requirements whilst protecting the interests and ongoing rights of urban water service providers (WSPs).
There have been recent incidences of structural and other damage to critical water infrastructure across Queensland from the placement of telecommunication equipment. qldwater recommends that WSPs should seek independent legal advice to determine whether its application is suitable for use and for site specific and tenure arrangements.
Carmel has extensive experience in the provision of government advisory services for public utility infrastructure and water. She is a key advocate on the protection of health and safety aspects unique to water infrastructure sites when considering deployment of telecommunication installations on public utility operational sites. Carmel has been a member participant for the water industry on the Federal Government’s Powers and Immunities Reference Group, Working Committee 90 and the Redundant Facilities Working Group. In this role, Carmel has conducted extensive engagement with key stakeholders to address the current deficiencies in the telecommunication regime. This engagement has led to policy and legislative amendments to the telecommunication regime, so any roll out of new technology that interfaces with water (and other public) infrastructure is done in a regulated and safe manner.
She has been involved firsthand in a number of legal challenges involving the incorrect and inadequate placement of telecommunication infrastructure on critical water assets.
Register here.
5. Land Use Safety Planning for Chlorine Gas Facilities - response to questions
Ben Fleming from the Office of Industrial Relations provided detailed responses to the questions posted in the chat function from our recent Chorine Gas Webinar.
The updated web page also includes a link to The Curly Case of the Corroding Chlorine Pigtails - A case study on chlorine gas as an agent used for primary disinfection of drinking water and disinfection of treated effluent, authored by Sylvia Campbell, Process Engineer - Water Supply Northern Operations, Melbourne Water.
REMINDERS / OTHER NEWS
6. Get ahead of Urban Water Risks – Call for Service Providers to join an information session and book a meeting with ARUP
The Urban Water Risk Assessment Project announced by the State Government last year is well underway.
Don’t miss the chance to join in on the final in a series of information sessions on the project where you will hear about why it is important for you to be involved, the work done to date, and the Department's upcoming stakeholder engagement.
The last group session will be held on 16 April 2024 from 2.00pm to 2.45pm.
The Department is also extending an invitation to all local government service providers to take up the offer of an individual meeting with ARUP to discuss what they see as their risks to water quality, water security and service delivery. Meeting times are available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until 3 May 2024 at 8:30am, 10:15am, 11:45am, 1:30pm or 3:30pm.
We encourage anyone who has yet to participate to take up the opportunity today by registering for the 16 April information session and by nominating for one of the allocated meeting times. To confirm your attendance simply email the Department on urbanwaterrisk@rdmw.qld.gov.au. Please specify what time and day of the week would suit you best based on the options mentioned above.
Read more about the project and how it will benefit your work and wider community at Urban water risk assessment project | Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (rdmw.qld.gov.au).
7. Closure of 3G Network
Telstra have launched a 3G SMS Checker tool to check if you need to upgrade your device before the 3G network closes on June 30 this year.
Just send an SMS with the number 3 to 3498 or “3G XT” to receive almost instant advice on your device. There are currently approximately 113,000 consumer mobile phones still to upgrade before the Telstra 3G network closes. You can find more information about the tracker in Telstra’s TEX blog.
CURRENT CONSULTATIONS
8. Interim National Water Report Released
The Productivity Commission released its interim report on National Water Reform 2024 on 4 April 2024.
The report concludes that Governments must renew and update the National Water Initiative (NWI) to address the effects of climate change and growing and changing demand for water. It also proposes modernised and additional objectives that reflect community expectations for effective, efficient and equitable delivery of water services.
The Commission invites written submissions in response to its interim report and submissions are due by 24 April 2024.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 19 April – Water Skills Forum, Parliament House, Brisbane
- 23 April - Essentials Webinar: Ensuring Telcos meet regulatory requirements and protecting critical water assets
- 23-24 April – IPWEA-QNT Asset Management Symposium
- 13-17 May – Water Connections Tour
- 30-31 July - AWA North Queensland Conference, Hamilton Island
- 21 August – QWRAP Chairs and Coordinators Forum
- 22-23 August - qldwater Annual Forum
- 26 October - State Government elections
- 21-22 November - Emerging Contaminants Workshop
- 26 October - State Government elections