eFlash #628

eFlash #628 New

Date: 01-Jul-2025

New / Hot Topics

Important SWIM news

Annual water and sewerage data SWIM reporting for 2024/25: well, it’s that time of year again when annual water and sewage data is collated by Water Service Providers across the State and sent to BoM, NPR, ABS and the Qld Govt. qldwater will be sending your SWIM representative information regarding accessing and using the SWIM system. If you have had staff changes and the SWIM reporting person from last year is no long working in this position please contact qldwater at swim@qldwater.com.au so we can help set up new contact details to ensure that this important information can be supplied to your organisation.

The SWIM system will be opened for reporting on July 1.

The data is due on Wednesday October 1 this year. All data is mandatory and required under legislation – PINS can be imposed for late or missing Qld Govt KPI data.

SWIM training videos are available on the qldwater website.

If you have any questions about SWIM please contact David Scheltinga (dscheltinga@qldwater.com.au).

Annual Forum

Registrations are now open for the qldwater 2025 Annual Forum to be held on 20 – 21 August at the IPWEA-QNT Training Rooms, Eagle Farm, Brisbane.

The theme, Courage and Compassion for a Resilient Urban Water Sector, will build on last year’s conversations with a deeper dive into four systemic risks threatening the sustainability and safety of our services. Through thought-provoking presentations and hands-on collaboration, we’ll explore scalable solutions and how to bring everyone on the journey.

What to Expect:

Insightful sessions and strategic discussions
Site tours and networking opportunities
The Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test
Award Dinner celebration
Opportunities to connect with peers, regulators, and industry leaders

Download the Sponsorship Prospectus

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

For sponsorship enquiries, contact gdavis@qldwater.com.au or call 0450 296 240.

Tracwater Taste Test

Do you believe your team produces the best tasting tap water in Queensland? Then we have an opportunity for you to prove it!

The 2025 Tracwater Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test will take place on Wednesday, 20 August at Waters Edge, Portside as part of the qldwater Annual Forum Awards Dinner.

For more information and to download the entry form, visit our website.

Essentials Webinar: Cyber Security for Water Businesses

Thursday 3 July, 10–11 am

Last chance to register for the essential webinar on cyber-resilience in water networks, with a focus on Operational Technology (OT) including SCADA and control systems. Learn about:

OT cyber security fundamentals
Common threats and sector-specific risks
Impacts of the SOCI legislation
Practical insights from industry expert Sean Murdoch, Head of OT Risk at Secolve

This session is vital for all water businesses navigating evolving cyber threats and regulatory landscapes.

More information and register here.

Wellness Webinar Recording

A recording of our latest Essentials Webinar on Self-Awareness for Stress Management and Personal Resilience is now available on our website.

In this engaging and insightful webinar, leadership coach and water industry veteran Belinda Chapman explores the transformative power of self-awareness in managing stress and building personal resilience. Tailored for professionals in the water sector, the session offers practical tools and reflection techniques to help participants identify emotional triggers, enhance emotional clarity, and navigate daily pressures with confidence.

Watch the recording and download the presentation here.

ADWG updated, values for PFAS released

The NHMRC has released a new version of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which include its updated PFAS guidance.

As expected, the values have changed slightly from the draft values released in October 2024, in that the PFOS guideline value is slightly higher (up from the proposed 4 ng/L).

We will continue to work with the drinking water regulator to understand what the implementation of this guideline will mean for Queensland water utilities.

Changes that have been included in this update to the ADWG are:

Review and update of 4 chemical fact sheets: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), selenium, lead and manganese
New guidance on metals and metalloids leaching from plumbing products
Two new chemical fact sheets: bismuth, silicon and silica
Consequential edits to the Guidelines to align advice and ensure consistency.

The new documentation can be found here.

Documentation on the review including updated fact sheets can be found here.

New Regulatory Requirements for QMDB

The Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers haven announced regulatory changes under the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 for the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin (QMDB).

A new regulatory Code and Trust Accounting framework will apply from 1 July 2025 to improve integrity and trust in water markets by requiring water market intermediaries to maintain trust accounts when providing market intermediary services in the QMDB. The PDF attached provides details on these new requirements.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is responsible for enforcing the Code and trust accounting requirements and can be contacted at watercode@accc.gov.au and further information can be found on DCEEW’s website.

The Inaugural Mark Pascoe Water Discourse

The Water Elders are hosting the inaugural Mark Pascoe Water Discourse at the Ship Inn, South Bank from 5.30 to 8.00pm on Wednesday 27 August 2025. Peter Griffiths will be presenting his updated “Mistakes Made - Lessons Learnt” talk based on 45 years of experience and firsthand exposure to some of the dos and don’ts of design and operation of sewage treatment plants. Peter will discuss some of the pitfalls of treatment plants, noting that mistakes in design do not discriminate on age nor experience.

Click here to register.

Managing the Risks of Online Abuse at Work

Safe Work Australia and eSafety have developed practical resources on how to manage the risks of online abuse at work.

Online abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, bully, harass or humiliate. It can happen on online platforms such as social media, by phone, email or any other technology used at work.

Online abuse can cause psychological and physical harm. Under work health and safety laws, employers are required to take care of the health and safety of workers which includes managing the risks of online abuse.

The new resources, including a downloadable poster and checklist, provide employers and workers with practical information about what online abuse in the workplace is, how to prevent it, and where to get support.

You can also visit the Safe Work Australia website to learn more about the work health and safety risks of online abuse, sexual harassment and bullying.

Explore online safety resources for employers and workers on the eSafety website.