This week in water, Australia’s water sector is seeing renewed focus on science, security and sustainability – from a national effort to redesign fishways for native species to major tank upgrades in Taplan.
Abergeldie has announced a new strategic partnership to expand project delivery, while graduates are breaking new ground with nanobubble technology and community art brings colour to critical infrastructure. Internationally, researchers are tackling arsenic contamination, climate-linked water forecasting and household transmission of waterborne bacteria.
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Abergeldie partners with Murphy to take on major builds
Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure has announced a strategic partnership with UK-based J. Murphy & Sons Ltd, which will take a 40% stake in the company. The move is set to boost Abergeldie’s capability to deliver large-scale infrastructure while remaining majority locally owned.
Abergeldie Chief Executive Officer Mark Bruzzone said: “This partnership with Murphy is a significant milestone, providing Abergeldie with valuable strategic and technical expertise to support our continued growth and diversification in Australia and New Zealand.”
National Water Grid backs 16 new science projects
The National Water Grid has launched 16 new science initiatives across the country, focusing on climate resilience, groundwater education, water security technologies and First Nations knowledge systems.
Projects range from yield modelling in NSW to LiDAR mapping in the NT, as well as collaborative efforts to support sustainable water use in remote and regional areas.
Fishways redesigned to help native species swim upstream
Native fish are getting a helping hand with new efforts to redesign fishways across the Murray–Darling Basin. The project involves collaboration between the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and several state agencies, focusing on improving fish movement to aid breeding and population recovery.
Charles Sturt University researcher Dr Ivor Stuart said: “We need to get fish passages right – not just to help fish move at a local scale, but also to preserve ‘globally important swim ways’ if we are to maintain our native fish populations.”
New water carters ease Adelaide Hills demand
Twelve new registered water carters have joined the market in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula, improving access to domestic deliveries for households off the mains supply.
Temporary bulk water collection points introduced earlier this year are expected to close from 17 May as pressures ease.
South Australian Deputy Premier Susan Close said: “The 12 additional water carters are making a real difference in helping residents whose homes are not connected to mains supply get a water delivery.”
Desalination plant progress continues at Billy Lights Point
Construction on Eyre Peninsula’s new desalination plant is well underway, with early works including vegetation clearing, debris removal and the relocation of 200 habitat logs. A new vehicle entrance road has also been established.
SA Water Acting General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure Peter Seltsikas said: “This is a critically important project for the region, and it is exciting to see positive progress being made on-site.”
Taplan tanks boost water security fivefold
SA Water has completed a $10 million infrastructure project in Taplan, delivering 690,000 litres of new drinking water storage to support around 700 homes and businesses. The system uses gravity-fed elevated tanks to maintain pressure and improve supply during peak periods.
SA Water Acting General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure Peter Seltsikas said: “We’re excited to see this new infrastructure up and running, which has future-proofed the local water network for many years to come.”
Melbourne Water locks in lowest capital city bills
Melbourne Water has released a draft pricing proposal for 2026–31 that aims to avoid price hikes in the first year and limit increases to 2.3% above inflation in following years – keeping Melbourne’s water bills the lowest of any Australian capital city.
Melbourne Water Managing Director Dr Nerina Di Lorenzo said: “We have heard our customers. They have told us that we must provide clean, safe and reliable water services where they are needed today and invest to keep up with Melbourne’s growth.”
Graduates build a water battery at Western Treatment Plant
South East Water graduates participated in the Constructionarium Australia program to build a solar-powered pumped hydro system – a small-scale ‘water battery’ – at Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant.
Graduate Josh Schembri said: “Participating in Constructionarium opened my eyes to the contractor view on projects, both during tender and construction phases, which I had previously only experienced from the client side.”
TasWater unveils community mural in Orford
A new mural celebrating the water cycle, animals and plant life has been unveiled in Orford as the final piece in a $17 million infrastructure upgrade. The artwork was selected through a community voting process as part of TasWater’s Asset Art Program.
TasWater Community Program Manager Louis van Ek said: “The community has loved being a part of this journey. We had two stages of voting to decide on the final design.”
Unitywater replaces 11,000 meters in $400M renewal push
Unitywater will replace over 11,000 ageing water meters this financial year, contributing to a broader $400 million investment in water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades.
Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions Mike Basterfield said: “We’re investing $400 million to renew and enhance our network and maintain exceptional service for our customers.”
Blue Heart formalises partnership with Kabi Kabi
The Blue Heart Sunshine Coast project has welcomed the Kabi Kabi Peoples Aboriginal Corporation (KKPAC) as an official partner, formalising years of collaboration on environmental and cultural heritage efforts.
KKPAC Chair Norman Bond said: “We hope that this MoU signing signifies a continued commitment to collaboration, respect, and the protection of both the environment and First Nations cultural heritage.”
Nanobubble trials take off in Gippsland and Melbourne
Gippsland Water has launched a $50,000 nanobubble oxygenation trial at Neerim South treatment plant, aiming to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint.
Managing Director Sarah Cumming said: “Every dollar we can save by making our treatment processes more efficient helps to put downward pressure on customer bills.”
Meanwhile, graduate engineers at Greater Western Water piloted nanobubbles to improve Class C recycled water, earning industry recognition for their innovation.
GWW General Manager Strategy and Partnerships Kessia Thomson said: “This trial has delivered valuable operational insights while offering early-career professionals the chance to take ownership of a real-world, impact-driven innovation.”
Goulburn-Murray Water expands winter weed control
Goulburn-Murray Water is set to treat nearly 300km of irrigation channels during winter using Flumioxazin herbicide, as part of its expanding aquatic weed management program.
Goulburn-Murray Water Manager Civil and Environmental Services John Walker said: “We have seen in previous years how this can improve the flowrates of our channels, so we are eager to treat as much of our delivery network as we can.”
New sensor offers cheap, mobile arsenic detection
Researchers at IIT Jodhpur have developed a mobile sensor that can detect arsenic in drinking water without lab equipment – a game-changer for low-income regions facing severe contamination risks.
Drinking water a key source of infection, new study shows
UC Berkeley researchers have confirmed that stored household drinking water is a major source of E. coli and drug-resistant bacteria in developing countries. Their study suggests that home environments play a larger role in disease transmission than previously thought.
Principal investigator Amy Pickering said: “Our findings showed that water is actually one of the most important transmission pathways for pathogenic and drug-resistant bacteria.”
Interactive map visualises global water futures
An online tool developed by Goethe University Frankfurt and AGEOCE allows users to visualise projected changes to renewable water resources, groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration under various climate scenarios.
Professor Petra Döll said: “Water is one of the key resources of our future – with the Explorer, we are providing society with a tool to prepare for changes early and knowledge-based.”
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