eFlash #653 New
Date: 15-Apr-2026
In this edition: AWA QLD Technical Event | DBP Webinar | Nature-Based Solutions Bus Tour | Drinking Water Regulation Workshops | WIOA QLD Conference | New IChEMS scheduling decisions for PFAS
AWA QLD Technical Event
qldwater CEO Georgina Davis will participate in a panel discussion at an AWA Technical Event on 22 April 2026 with the theme “When water speaks: How to communicate what Australia cannot ignore”.
Facilitated by Declan Hearne from Seqwater, Georgina will be joined by Professor Steve Kenway from UQ, Melanie Grills from Arup and Richard Savage from DWS to discuss the role of water policy to build resilience.
Attend in person at the Arup offices, Level 26/123 Albert St, Brisbane City or ONLINE.
Disinfection by products: A fresh look at an old problem
Last chance to register for tomorrow’s webinar on DBPs. Join us at 10am on Thursday, 16 April for a webinar exploring a research program being led by Professor Fred Leusch on whether common DBP mitigation strategies may unintentionally increase toxicity.
WIOA Interest Day, Gympie
This event is designed to bring local WIOA members together with peers from across the water industry operations sector. Join WIOA for a hands on, operator focused event featuring a Mains Tapping Demonstration, local water taste test and a panel discussion featuring our CEO.
23 April 2026 — 9:00 am - 4:00 pm AEST at the Pavilion Conference & Reception Centre, 77 Exhibition Road Gympie.
Nature-Based Solutions Bus Tour and Networking Drinks
Three weeks to go before our Nature-Based Solutions Tour in partnership with Stormwater Queensland.
The tour on Thursday 7 May 2026 will include site visits to the two most iconic offsets-related nature-based solutions projects completed in Queensland in 2026 including the Urban Utilities Cannery Creek sewer upgrade project and Redland City Council’s Shoreline Mangrove Offset Project (SMOP).
Presentations will include discussions about community engagement, design, approvals, construction, operation, establishment, maintenance and monitoring.
Places are strictly limited and are filling quickly.
OTHER NEWS
WIOA QLD Conference
Our partnering organisation Water Industry Operations Association [WIOA] are inviting their members to share an exclusive 30% delegate discount for the 2026 Queensland Water Industry Operations Conference & Exhibition on the Gold Coast for two full days on 24 – 25 June 2026.
This is an opportunity to join hundreds of water industry professionals, frontline operations teams and technical specialists for a dynamic event focused on practical learning, innovation, and connection across the operational water sector. This offer ends on 24 April 2026.
Hear case studies from water operations professionals, explore 120+ exhibitors, enjoy live competitions (best tasting tap water and best water main tapping installation) and networking events, and connect with peers while celebrating operations excellence—all with meals included. Early registration ensures you don’t miss out on this significant savings while reserving your seat at this key industry event.
Contact WIOA to check your membership status on 1300 449 462 or info@wioa.org.au.
Drinking Water Regulation Workshop
The Water Supply Regulator has released the final agenda for the Water Supply Regulation Drinking Water Workshop on 21 April in Cairns. David Scheltinga and Jess Dean will be there to provide an update on SWIM to keep track of compliance and reporting incidents. The agenda include a great line up of speakers and case studies to help make sense of monitoring, incident reporting, commissioning, contingency and emergency supply, change management and more.
UQ seeking industry partners for engineering placements
The University of Queensland is seeking industry partners for Semester 2, 2026 placement opportunities, with a focus on projects in civil engineering, urban water, and chemical engineering. Students are from the integrated Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Master of Engineering (BE(Hons)/ME) program and need 6 month full time placements.
For more information, please contact Madelynn Jenkins, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology: madelynn.jenkins@uq.edu.au
The Water Gauge 2026
Davidson have released The Water Gauge 2026, capturing the sentiment of CEOs and board members from some of Australia’s largest water organisations. It reflects current sector confidence, highlights emerging risks and identifies the capability shifts required to deliver long term resilience.
New Model Code of Practice on managing the risk of biological hazards at work
On 6 March, Safe Work Australia published the model Code of Practice: Managing the risks of biological hazards at work, the first Code of its kind in the world. Biological hazards such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and certain types of fungi (like mould) can be found in all industries and workplaces including the water sector. Exposure to biological hazards can result in injury, illness and disease. The model Code provides practical guidance to assist employers with protecting workers and others from exposure to biological hazards in their workplace
CURRENT CONSULTATIONS
New IChEMS scheduling decisions for PFAS
Time is running out to make a submission on DCCEEWs consultation on a raft of IChEMS scheduling decisions for PFAS chemicals.
The proposed scheduling decisions apply a tiered risk management framework across the PFAS classes instead of a blanket Schedule 7 listing, which provides a prohibition on imports and use. Schedule 4 and 5 chemicals are subject to managed phase-down through transition requirements, use restrictions, and waste controls that are not as strong.
The consultation will be open until 24 April. qldwater will be making a submission - please reach out to Louise for information.
Productivity Commission: new inquiry & call for submission
The PC is conducting its fourth inquiry on governments’ progress under the National Water Initiative, as required by the Water Act 2007 (Cth). It will also advise on ways to promote a more sustainable water service industry to inform further work by governments to refresh Australia’s water policy. The PC will provide an interim update and produce a final report. The full terms of reference that guide the inquiry are available from the PC’s website.
To assist in the preparation of submissions for the interim update, the PC has prepared a call for submission paper which identifies a range of matters about which information and comment are being sought.
Call for submissions are due by Friday 24 April 2026. Please speak to Georgina if you want to provide information for the qldwater submission.
Queensland Productivity Review into Environmental Regulation
qldwater has welcomed the Queensland Government’s decision to direct the Queensland Productivity Commission (QPC) to conduct an inquiry into the impacts of recent changes to federal environmental regulation.
The inquiry into reforms to Commonwealth environmental laws – including the 2025 changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – was an important opportunity to address long standing issues around assessment timeframes, duplication and regulatory burden for urban water (infrastructure) projects in Queensland.
The QPC will release further information on the inquiry shortly and the inquiry will run for 12 months.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 16 April - Essentials Webinar - Disinfection Byproducts: A fresh look at an old problem
- 7 May - Nature-Based Solutions Bus Tour
- 26-28 May - AWA Ozwater'26
- 23-24 June - WIOA QLD Conference & Exhibition