eFlash #441

eFlash #441

eFlash #441
Date: 03-Jul-2020

In this edition: Daryl Ross, Australian Water Professional of the Year | Dr Steve Hrudey keynote presentation  | Public consultation—  guidance on the radiological quality of drinking water | Guidelines for fresh and marine water quality 


Our next essentials webinar will be on 23 July – you can register using this link.  It will likely be 90 minutes and include Neels Kloppers from Gladstone Regional Council (rescheduled) and an interactive session on qldwater’s proposed initial Productivity Commission submission on national water reform.

We are currently in discussions with the Commission and hope to have one or more Commissioners available to present on the inquiry and answer member questions on the day. 

Daryl Ross, Australian Water Professional of the Year   

While there were no big celebratory dinners, last week the Australian Water Association announced its national awards and Daryl Ross from Logan City Council took out the big one. 

“Daryl Ross is one of the quiet achievers of the Queensland water industry; a calm, strategic, compassionate voice across his 43 years as a water engineer and leader. Among his many achievements, he helped create the first non-statutory regional plan for South East Queensland, led the strategic response to the Millennium Drought and transformed two water businesses. 

Ross’ willingness to share learnings with the broader industry is having an immediate and lasting impact on our sector and he is a very deserving recipient of the 2020 Water Professional of the Year Award.” 

On top of all that, he’s been a strong supporter of qldwater since the Directorate’s inception, a fantastic mentor and general top bloke. Congratulations and best wishes Daryl. 

Dr Steve Hrudey keynote presentation

Dr Steve Hrudey keynote presentation at WIOA virtual conference open to qldwater members OPEN FOR REGISTRATIONS 

In the absence of opportunities for face to face events, WIOA is excited to announce our virtual conference and expo platform - Virtual Water.   

Virtual Water is a highly interactive, 3-D virtual environment featuring video-streamed presentations with live Q&A and interaction with product and service providers on the expo floor. 

qldwater is sponsoring the Keynote presenter on Day 1 on 22 July, internationally renowned researcher, educator, communicator, author and a tireless advocate for scientific excellence and safe drinking water, Dr Steve Hrudey from Canada. 

Steve has a strong commitment to empower all those who operate and oversee water systems. Advocating the need for education, effective regulation and monitoring, and the need for operators to “know their own systems” for all potential risks to safe drinking water. 

All qldwater members will have free access to this day as well as the second live day conducted by the Intelligent Water Networks on July 29.  WIOA will be having a number of other days of a range of technical sessions that would also be of interest that will be FREE to WIOA members.  The expo will be FREE for all of 2020 but all members will need to register for this event.  The registration process is now available at www.virtualwater.com.au.  Select the first option “$0 – Expo & First 2 Live Days FREE (includes free full access to the expo).” 

Public consultation— updated guidance on the radiological quality of drinking water 

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is seeking feedback on updated guidance on the radiological quality of drinking water. Sections of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) (2011) that have been updated are Chapters 7 and 10, Information Sheet 2.2 and fact sheets on radium, alpha and beta radionuclides, radon-222 and a subsection of the uranium fact sheet. 

The ADWG contains information on the radiological quality of drinking water that has not been updated since 2004. The updated guidance was drafted by experts from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and reviewed by the NHMRC Water Quality Advisory Committee (WQAC) and jurisdictional experts. It aims to provide water regulators and other users of the ADWG with information that aligns with international best practice. 

Public consultation is open until Wednesday 12 August 2020, 4pm (AEST). You are invited under section 13(d) of the NHMRC Act 1992 to make a submission to NHMRC through the public consultation website. This website contains the updated guidance documents, a review report explaining the changes and information on how to make a submission. You will need to create an account to view the public consultation questions and make a submission. 

Issues raised during the public consultation process will be considered by the WQAC with assistance provided by ARPANSA when finalising the documents. The finalised guidance will then be published in the ADWG. 

Guidelines for fresh and marine water quality – new/ revised draft guideline values 

The Water Quality Guidelines webpage now includes eight new or revised draft default guideline values (DGVs) and associated technical briefs for the following toxicants:   

  •  Boron in freshwater; 
  • Chromium III in freshwater; 
  • Glyphosate in freshwater; 
  • Iron in freshwater; 
  • Iron in marine water; 
  • Metolochlor in freshwater; 
  • Metsulfuron-methyl in freshwater; and 
  • Zinc in marine water. 

The DGVs will be published as draft for a period of four months until 29 October 2020, at which point they will become final unless new peer-reviewed scientific or technical information justifies a re-examination. The DGVs have progressed through rigorous peer-review and technical and policy committee review processes. The draft period has been extended from the usual three month period to account for the impact of Covid19 on the water sector.  

To access the eight DGV technical briefs and associated documents, please refer to Table 1 at the following link: https://www.waterquality.gov.au/anz-guidelines/guideline-values/default/draft-dgvs#draft-default-guideline-values

For information on how to make a submission, please visit: https://www.waterquality.gov.au/anz-guidelines/guideline-values/default/draft-dgvs/submission

Please note, until the approval process has been successfully completed, the draft DGV is only a draft and should not be used or referred to as an Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality DGV. 

Should you wish to know when the revised guidance has been published, please subscribe for updates. 

 


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