This investigation was to evaluate the factors contributing to dirty water customer complaints within the area supplied by South East Water Limited, a wholesale water company in Melbourne, Australia. It also evaluated the potential to derive a predictive method to facilitate proactive mains flushing. The study focused on a single reticulation network, within the suburb of Wantirna.
A desktop and field study were undertaken. The desktop study evaluated a range of parameters and their association with dirty water customer complaints over an 8-year period. Parameters evaluated included distance from the water source, street topography, population distribution, and variations in water velocity. The field investigation focused on evaluating the quantity of turbid material deposited in key locations, identified from the desktop investigations.
Several factors appeared to influence the likelihood of a dirty water complaint. These were: population density and the associated complexity of the reticulation network; the presence of an undulating topography in the street of concern; and the presence of a dead end.
Evaluation of hydrant flushing indicated there might be potential to reduce water usage and improve flushing efficiency by flushing at a reduced flow rate of 5L.s-1, down from the typical 10L.s-1 or higher currently used. Time to clear at a hydrant appeared to be the most effective measure of settled material in a water main, however more work is required to confirm a threshold value that could be used as a predictive measure for proactive mains cleaning.
South East Water Limited (SEWL) is one of three retail water authorities operating in Melbourne, Australia. It was the first water authority in Australia to obtain HACCP accreditation for the supply of drinking water, in November 1999. This article presents an overview of the first two years' experience in developing and establishing a food safety management plan using Codex Alimentarius Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) to ensure the water reaching customers is safe, aesthetically pleasant and meets operating licence requirements. HACCP has improved the way in which our distribution and reticulation systems are managed, primarily through the refinement and optimisation of standard operating procedures. In addition, more consideration has been given to the development of contingency plans and the appropriate use of system redundancy to ensure quality of supply. Accreditation was only the beginning of a process. Once attained, there was an ongoing need to maintain and refine hazard measurement and reduction procedures. The major challenge for SEWL has been the integration of HACCP company-wide. Spreading of HACCP was directly achieved through the involvement of operators, key personnel and subcontractors in the assessment of hazards and evaluating the appropriateness of critical control points. This not only assisted with improvements to the existing system, and the identification of system strengths and weaknesses, but was also an integral component in awareness training for HACCP. It was through assessment workshops and training that operators were able to see HACCP as primarily a summary of current practices, but with the focus of improving or maintaining water quality. The net benefits of HACCP are difficult to quantify. Overall there is a greater understanding of water quality issues, more streamlined work procedures, and an improved response to customer enquires relating to water quality. This has been most clearly demonstrated by a net decrease in customer complaints over the two years since HACCP was implemented.
This article presents an overview of on-site retention (OSR) concepts and practices as components of sustainable urban stormwater management within local government organizations (Councils) in the rapidly growing Greater Western Sydney Region. It is found that the policies regarding on-site detention (OSD), OSR and water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) vary significantly across the Councils in this region. Council specifications and guidelines are often inconsistent and inhibit sustainable urban stormwater management.
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