eFlash #609

Date: 25-Sep-2024

IN THIS EDITION: qldwater Submissions | Essentials Webinar: WSR perspective on amendments to a DWQMP | Water Supply Regulation e-Alert | WaterRA Workshop: Critical decision making in water operations | WIOA News | Funding to attract women into non-traditional industries | Regional water security projects | BuildSkills request for expertise

NEW / HOT TOPICS

Essential Webinar: The Water Supply Regulation perspective on processing amendments to a DWQMP

In response to some recent queries from qldwater members on the process for amendments to Drinking Water Quality Management Plans, we have arranged a webinar to communicate the approach that the WSR team takes, and hopefully address some common issues.

The webinar will take place at 10:00 am on 17 October 2024, to be presented by Matt Ruygrok, Senior Regulatory Officer in Water Supply Regulation, Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.

The presentation will address the following:

The process for amending DWQMPs
Common issues and omissions in DWQMPs in light of the new Guidelines
WSR authorised officers and associated powers under the Act

There should be plenty of time for questions.

Registration is free and is open to everybody. Please feel free to pass the details on to your interested colleagues.

Water Supply Regulation e-Alerts

The latest Water Supply Regulation e-Alert contain important information and reminders. We provide an overview here, but we urge our members to sign up by emailing the QWSR Drinking Water Reporting team at drinkingwater.reporting@rdmw.qld.gov.au.

Key Dates

1 October
Queensland Government Key Performance Indicators (QG KPIs) for financial year 2023-25 is due by no later than COB 1st October 2024. Most service providers will report via the Statewide Water Information Management (SWIM) System. For those not using SWIM the department’s performance reporting template can be obtained by emailing drinkingwater.reporting@rdmw.qld.gov.au or your WSR contact officer. Under the WSSR Act, penalties apply for late submissions.

30 October
Water Supply Regulation Workshop, Toowoomba. This face to face event will include presentations from the regulator, Queensland Health and other service providers. Register here. https://forms.office.com/r/WDg0zTQm86

17 December
Drinking Water Service Annual Reports and Recycled Water Management Plan Annual Reports due. As a result of changes to the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (WSSR Act), there is a new requirement to include the outcomes of any customer service standard reviews conducted during the financial year and you must describe how you have addressed any identified issues.

Water Research Australia Workshop: Critical Decision Making in Water Operations

Water Research Australia is hosting a pilot 'Train the Trainer' session on utilising Project 1139 Part B case studies and the accompanying training guidance manual. This interactive, face-to-face workshop will be led by project leaders Kathy Northcott (Veolia) and Sallyanne Bartlett (WaterQPlus).

This workshop is designed for industry personnel responsible for knowledge capture and training in critical thinking skills, including process and technical team members, subject matter experts, supervisors, managers, HR and Learning and Development (L&D) practitioners.

The workshop will cover how to effectively use the project's resources, including:

•Employing Critical Decision Method (CDM) interview techniques for incident debriefs and lessons learned.

•Conducting qualitative data analysis (QDA) and coding interview notes and transcripts.

•Creating case studies using QDA with a structured template.

•Leveraging the case studies as teaching resources.

The event is open to WaterRA members and non-members alike however, places are strictly limited so register now to secure your spot!

WIOA News

The WIOA FNQ Operations Interest Day & Charity Bowls Day will take place on Friday, 25 October at the West Cairns Bowls Club.

Team WIOA is looking for a part-time Administration / Event Support person. Read the position description here.

Please send your application to info@wioa.org.au by 18 October 2024.

Funding available to attract women into non-traditional industries such as water and sewerage

The Industry Skills Solutions program has funding available to attract, retain, reskill and upskill women working in non-traditional industries such as water and sewerage. This is a great opportunity to invest in women working within your team (e.g. training courses to reskill or upskill) or attracting new recruits. Take advantage of this funding opportunity by contacting the DESBT team on 1300 369 935 or via email to vpi@desbt.qld.gov.au.

Regional Water Security Projects

The Federal Government has partnered with the Queensland Government, local councils and community groups to deliver local infrastructure projects across Queensland to help safeguard water resources and protect our natural environment.

The new $211 million Water Infrastructure for Sustainable and Efficient Regions (WISER) initiative include:

$7.3 million for the Mareeba Regional Water Security project in Far North Queensland to reduce water loss and improve water security for the community and industry through upgrades to the Mareeba water treatment plant clarifier system and replacing old water mains. Upgrades will also lead to improved water quality in the Barron River and the surrounding environment.
$9 million for the Cassowary Coast Leak Reduction project in north Queensland to upgrade water mains by replacing parts of the ageing pipelines across regional towns Tully, Innisfail and Nyletta, and install infrastructure to help identify and manage future leakages. This will achieve significant water savings of around 588 megalitres per year.
$5.9 million for the Central Highlands Drinking Water Supply Program in Central Queensland to help upgrade two water treatment plants and deliver supporting infrastructure, improving the reliability and quality of water supply to the towns of Bauhinia, Capella and Rolleston.

The WISER initiative is supporting 23 projects to deliver more efficient and sustainable water use in regional communities across Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia.

BuildSkills Request for Expertise

BuildSkills has launched a study into the ability of the VET system to meet the future workforce needs of the built environment sector.

The study will evaluate the extent to which built environment training packages including the NWP are delivering the skills industry needs for the future. The aim is to identify what needs to change to ensure the training system keeps up with the sector’s rapidly evolving jobs and skills requirements.

If you have experience in this space, add your thoughts here .

The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Please respond by Wednesday 10 October 2024.

For more information, contact Jacob Fredericks (JacobF@buildskills.com.au).