Research and Development

Some of the past and current research and development projects that qldwater has been involved with are listed below. Documents relevant to these projects are listed here.

Treatment Pond Disinfection Processes.

A research project proposal was proposed in 2010 in association with the Smart Water Centre and Griffith University with the aim of better understanding design of settlement/holding ponds for treated wastewater prior to discharge to the environment. Many wastewater plants have a settlement/holding pond immediately before discharge and may add chlorine at the influent or effluent stream of such ponds.

Surprisingly, there is limited research on optimal baffle design, pond size or necessary chlorine dosing levels to ensure appropriate discharges. This issue is complicated by the use of such ponds by wild life, particularly birds adding additional contaminants and faecal material.

The aim of the project is to extend the tools and understanding developed through the larger project and apply them to treatment ponds of Queensland water utilities. The project has received in-principle support from WSPs in Queensland but requires further partners both for research monitoring and of funding. The DERM (EPA) have shown some interest and we have invited them to join the meeting.

This project has the potential to provide the following possible benefits to Queensland WSPs:

• provide information on optimal pond design and chlorine dosing in Australian conditions,
• delineate the impacts of wildlife on treatment ponds,
• establish principles of discharge from ponds in partnership with DERM(EPA),
• reduce quantity of chlorine required to dose ponds in future.

Enduse Analysis Research

A three year project invesitgating enduse analysis techniques to better understand management processes for water security was undertaken by Griffith University from 2006-2009. Project reports and links from this successful study are listed below.

Documents

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