Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence
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Project location: Brisbane, Queensland
Funding recipients: Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence Limited
Total Australian Government funding: $22,000,000 (GST inclusive)
About the project:
The Australian Government is investing in research through the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence to support the development and commercialisation of innovative technologies in water recycling. With access to new technologies, our water recycling industry will be able to deliver water with greater effectiveness and energy efficiency.
The Centre was established in December 2009. The Administering Organisation is the Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence Limited, a not-for-profit subsidiary of Seqwater. The Centre is governed by a Board.
A major participant and the host of the Centre is Seqwater. Other major participants are: University of Queensland; Griffith University; CSIRO; University of NSW; GHD Pty Ltd; Veolia Water Australia; and Melbourne Water.
Project benefits/objectives:
To help secure Australia's water supply by:
- providing leadership in accelerating ground-breaking research on energy efficient water recycling technology for water supply being developed in Australia, including:
- investigating ways of optimising and adapting water recycling technology for use in Australia's unique circumstances
- expanding on research into the use of water recycling technology in rural and regional areas
- researching ways of efficiently and affordably reducing the carbon footprint of water recycling facilities and technologies
- providing facilities to researchers and industry to support the development of new technologies and practices including pilot test facilities
- commercialising the resultant new water recycling technologies, including patenting and promoting the uptake of new or improved water recycling technologies both within Australia and internationally
- utilising and developing the research and industry skills base, including but not limited to providing high quality postgraduate and post doctoral research opportunities and training
- promoting increased public acceptance of alternate water sources and their opportunities for use in the context of a 'fit for purpose' water use strategy.
The Centre funds research projects according to a strategic research plan built around these objectives and aligned with its priority research themes. These themes are: technology, efficiency and integration; water quality and scheme validation; social, institutional and economic challenges; and sustainability in water recycling.
While based in Brisbane, the Centre will support collaborative research based on partnerships across the nation between research institutions with expertise in a range of disciplines relevant to water recycling technologies, and industry leaders aimed to position Australia as an international leader in water recycling.
Project Progress:
- The Centre has now allocated more than $12 million to 21 research projects. The total investment in these projects is more than $25 million.
- Four research funding rounds have been completed and the fifth is due to be finalised by mid-May 2013.
- In addition to research funding rounds, the Centre has recently launched an Industry and Academic Exchange Program to stimulate collaborative research between the water reuse industry and academia, as well as to develop skills and foster knowledge transfer.
- The Centre is strongly engaged with representative national networks and organisations as a key engagement mechanism. It is actively involved with: the National Recycled Water Regulators Forum; the Private Sector Water Forum; the Water Services Association of Australia; and the Australian Water R&D Coalition.
Links:
Details of the Australian Centre of Excellence in Water Recycling can be located at www.australianwaterrecycling.com.au
The Centre works closely with the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination in Perth .
National Urban Water and Desalination Plan projects are funded under the Australian Government's Water for the Future initiative.
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