eFlash #545
Date: 28-Jul-2022
In this edition: Urgent – Quick Survey for Water Operations Trainees| New Australian Wastewater Quality Management Guidelines Released| qldwater Annual Forum – Register Now| WIOA QLD Logan Conference
1. Urgent – Quick Survey for Water Operations Trainees
The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training has asked for some demand data to support a qldwater business case to reopen “Skills Assure Supplier” arrangements for newer Registered Training Organisations. There is no guarantee of success as it would require a special case for water operations only.
“Skills Assure Suppliers” are training providers whose enrolled learners can access Queensland Government subsidies. This has been an issue for some time but has become acute with the decision of TAFE Queensland to step away from water operations training.
Please respond to Anna Mehonoshen AMehonoshen@qldwater.com.au ASAP with the number of trainees expected for your organisation as per the following table – we are aiming to collate the results and report by 4 August.
*Current = for example you have students who were enrolled with TAFE and are in the process of transitioning to a new provider
**Urgent = you have been to market for a training provider or are about to
2. New Australian Wastewater Quality Management Guidelines Released
WSAA has announced that the new Australian Wastewater Quality Management Guidelines have now been completed.
This document updates the 2012 Australian Sewage Quality Management Guidelines, which have provided the baseline for sewage management since their release.
The new document includes case studies to demonstrate application of the guidelines, which will be expanded as more case studies are contributed by utilities.
The structure of the guidelines has been changed from the 2012 version, such that Appendices, include the Sewer Acceptance Limits have not been included in the update. WSAA has sought feedback on a review of these limits, and is looking at options for their update in the future.
The new guidelines can be downloaded here:
https://www.wsaa.asn.au/publication/australian-wastewater-quality-management-guidelines-2022
3. qldwater Annual Forum – Register Now
Early Bird Registrations close next week Friday 5th August.
The Queensland Water Directorate (qldwater) invites you to join us for our Annual Forum on the Gold Coast 6th-8th September 2022.
The qldwater Annual Forum is being held on the 7th & 8th of September with an additional ‘Innovation and Research Showcase’ being held on the 6th of September.
This year’s forum is being graciously hosted by City of Gold Coast with most events based at HOTA – Home of the Arts and a day tour around the Gold Coast. Council’s generous support has allowed us to make the leap into professional AV for this growing event and we’d like to acknowledge the management team including our SPG rep, Chris Owen, for making this possible.
A copy of the draft programs for the three days is available on our event website.
If you have not been to one of our forums before, it is not something you will want to miss! A chance to network with 100 plus water industry professionals, typically including 30 plus councils/utilities.
This year our focus is trying to get as many people to attend in person as possible. It will be a great opportunity to network with likeminded people, as such there will be no virtual registrations for this forum.
Day 1 – Research and Innovation Showcase - 6 September
For the last few years, the first day of the qldwater Annual Forum has focussed on a technical topic of broad interest to members with 2021 looking at automated metering. 2022 is a bit of everything, kindly supported by members of the SEQ Research and Innovation Group and Water Services Association of Australia. Join us to hear about the kinds of technologies water and sewerage service providers should be considering in the coming decade, short presentations from water service providers on a number of water and sewerage examples available now, approaches to help develop business cases and opportunities for joint investment in initiatives – getting better bang for buck from a whole industry approach. Our themes for the event ensure it will be as inclusive as possible:
- Fit for purpose/ place
- Utility led, not vendors
- Whole of life cycle cost considerations
- Engaging for a broad audience including regional and remote providers
- Doesn’t have to be a “whole thing” – can include process enhancements, tweaks and simple things to deliver value
Day 2 – Tours and fun stuff 7 September
We have site tours lined up for the Tugun desalination plant with thanks to Seqwater, and Merrimac recycled water projects with thanks to City of Gold Coast, where there has been a major investment and a range of new completed construction and cool stuff to check out.
The rest of the day will include lunch in the park by the beach at Australia’s tourism capital (under marquees just in case), the Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test, some presentations from City of Gold Coast on local issues and challenges and the annual vendor pitches – which support scholarships for qldwater members to attend industry events.
Day 2 – Conference dinner 7 September
A great opportunity to network with industry representatives from across the state, with entertainment supplied via “A beer and a chat with the Elder Water Professionals.”
Day 3 – Industry strategy 8 September
We are still finalising our guest invitations but this is our chance each year to work through broader industry strategy (the qldwater “Roadmap”) to consider how we incorporate the significant disruptions over the last couple of years and adapting water businesses to the “new normal.” The focus issues will largely be determined by you, but many members are dealing with increasing pressures around supply chain, increasing regulation, extreme events and betterment, population growth, sourcing skills including operations and different ways staff work.
Always highly interactive and thought-provoking, the strategy day is critical in shaping qldwater’s advocacy on your behalf.
Thank you to our other sponsors Grenof - Principal Sponsor, Veolia – Platinum Sponsor, Calibre – Gold/Dinner Sponsor, Simmonds & Bristow – Silver/Lunch Sponsor, Endress+Hauser – Silver/Lunch Sponsor, Royce Water Technology – Vendor Pitch Sponsor, Taggle – Vendor Pitch Sponsor, SUEZ – Vendor Pitch Sponsor, Concept Environmental Services – Vendor Pitch Sponsor.
We are also thrilled to announce that TracWater has signed up as the sponsor for the Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test for 2022! It’s time to think about how you are going to get your samples there for the event which is likely to include an opportunity for members of the public… more to come soon.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available across the three days. If you are interested in sponsoring any of the days, please contact Naomi Carragher on 07 3632 6850 or ncarragher@qldwater.com.au.
This is a great opportunity to connect with your peers across the state. We hope to see you there!
4. WIOA QLD Logan Conference
There is still time to register as a Delegate for the QLD Conference to be held in Logan on 3 & 4 August 2022.
WIOA Members can use the Promo Code: WIOA-Member to unlock a 15% discount on their registration fees.
All water industry personnel involved in the operation and maintenance of urban, rural and industrial water related infrastructure for the management, conveyance, treatment, discharge and reuse of water and trade wastes should attend this conference.
If you’re an operator, manager, engineer, consultant or professional or someone who is working in the water industry or just has an interest in water, then this is a must attend event.
qldwater will be there with some presentations and panel sessions, our operator awards and cheering Mackay on in the Water of Origin competition… look forward to catching up there!
For more information about the event, click here.
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