Overview
How does our use of water impact on the environment? What do we, as operators, need to know about environmental issues to do our jobs properly?
Select the 'play' button to listen and watch this slideshow.
Water is essential to human life and to the health of our environment. It is important that we manage this valuable resource sustainably. Water authorities play a key role in this process.
Water Authorities have two main functions - the supply of water to communities for domestic and industrial use, and the safe treatment and disposal of domestic grey water, sewage and industrial waste water. Both of these functions have an environmental aspect.
Raw water is collected as rainwater from catchments or as groundwater. Construction and operation of headworks such as reservoirs, pumps and pipes will inevitably have some environmental impact, as will the reduction of environmental flows through the diversion of water for human use. Water authorities have to be careful to minimise the impact of these activities on the environment.
Waste water often contains pathogens and other contaminants. It has to be treated to get it to an acceptable standard before being released into the environment. Not so long ago it was common practice to release raw sewage into the ocean. Thankfully that situation no longer exists in most parts of Australia.
Water authorities are responsible for testing and monitoring the quality of raw water and waste water. This involves measuring a range of factors such as turbidity, pH and pathogen levels. This is important because it ensures that raw water is of an acceptable quality and that waste water will have minimum impact on the environment.
A water authority's activities can have a significant impact on the environment. As well as collection of raw water and release of waste water, there are the effects of day-to-day operations, such as the use of chemicals and maintenance and management of infrastructure. On the other hand, water authorities have to deal with the impacts of the environment on their operations, such as fire, flood, erosion and other factors that might cause contamination of water supplies.
All workers in the water industry play an important role in caring for the environment. It’s not just a matter of following Standard Operating Procedures. It’s also an attitude of thinking about the impact we are having on the environment and the people who are part of it.
