Developing NSW’s Recycled Water Management System guidance

NSW Department of Primary Industries, Urban Water Branch, engaged us to lead the development of the ‘NSW Recycled Water Management System Guidance’. We facilitated a series of stakeholder workshops, developed the guidance document and created a number of supporting fact sheets to help NSW improve the safe use and governance of recycled water.

We were engaged by Coffs Harbour City Council to develop a risk based Recycled Water Management System (RWMS) for their recycled water scheme. Through a process of interview, document review, treatment plant and end-user site inspections, we carried out a gap analysis audit of the system. We also carried out a workshop risk assessment, involving a number of external stakeholders, facilitating the project with appropriate engagement to ensure the best result for the council.

Tamworth Regional Council engaged us to facilitate water quality risk assessments for Barraba, Bendemeer, Nundle and Manilla Water Treatment Plants, as required by the NSW Public Health Act 2010. Our assessment not only assisted the council to meet regulatory requirements, but ensured they were on the front-foot for managing any potential risk or regulatory issues.

We created a framework to control microbial risks from pipeline repair or renewal for WaterRA. We collected data from water utilities across Australia regarding their pipe break procedures and protocols, in order to develop the framework which would allow for safer management of pipe breaks. Read more about Project #1091 on the Water Research Australia website. Click here for more details.

Provided guidance on signage standards for recycled water reuse sites to mitigate the risk of accidental contact with water and promote awareness of the use of recycled water.

Reviewed and updated the Goldenfields Water County Council quality monitoring program, including process, verification and NSW Health monitoring, in line with the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (2011).

Reported on the health and dam safety risks of recreational activities in the water supply dams, including additional monitoring and costs of these activities.

Atom Consulting reviewed the drinking water supply infrastructure operated by the Lord Howe Island Board and drafted their Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) to meet the requirements of the NSW Public Health Act (2010). The Board owns a range of decentralised systems, the project involved auditing each system, developing testing and maintenance regimes and incident and emergency procedures, making treatment recommendations and incorporating into the QAP.

Developed standard operating procedures for a number of sewage and water treatment plants with input from operational staff. Staff were then trained in the use of the procedures.