Water Quality Research Australia

Water Quality Research Australia Limited (WQRA) is a national research centre established to succeed the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment when the CRC ended on 30 June 2008.

WQRA undertakes collaborative research of national application on drinking water quality, recycled water and relevant areas of wastewater management. The main focus of the research program is on urban water issues related to public health and acceptability aspects of water supply, water recycling and aspects of wastewater management. WQRA also has an Education Program, utilising the most successful elements of the CRC Program.

Summer Scholarship Program Student Information
A list of 2011 Summer Scholarship projects is now available along with the Summer Scholarship Application Form (word doc) and the Call for Summer Scholarship Student Application information (PDF file).

Second National Cyanobacterial Workshop
WQRA is pleased to make available the presentations given at the Second National Cyanobacterial Workshop, which was held at the Rendezvous Hotel in Melbourne. This year the Workshop was co-hosted with the Victorian Departments of Health and Sustainability & Environment.

The report of the George River Water Quality Panel into water quality in the St Helens area of Tasmania has been released (Tuesday 29h June 2010) and may be viewed at http://www.georgeriverwater.org.au/index.aspx?base=4486
The George River Water Quality Panel of eminent and independent scientists (including Prof Michael R Moore and Prof John McNeill) produced this report following issues raised in ABC's Australian Story program, and has passed the findings to the Premier of Tasmania, David Bartlett. The Final Report and the Summary Report are available for download at the site above.
The full media release on the 29th of June is also available: http://www.georgeriverwater.org.au/index.aspx?base=4500

WQRA Newsletter
Issue 26 (July 2010) provides information on forthcoming conferences and dates for your diary. Reports are available on the second National Cyanobacterial Workshop and on Waterborne Dairy Pathogens. Comments are invited on the SA Safe Drinking Water Bill and the Draft National Water Skills Strategy Business Plan. Recent publications are highlighted. Updates on our research and education programs are included.

Community Water Planner Field Guide
The Community Water Planner Field Guide is a package to assist water managers, service providers and Indigenous organisations working with remote communities to plan and implement water management programs for settlements with small water supplies. The National Water Commission created the project to develop opportunities for collaborative work surrounding provision of potable water supply to remote Indigenous communities. Water Quality Research Australia and research member, the Centre for Appropriate Technology led the project. The field guide was tested during field trials and reviewed by Australian water industry experts.

Research Reports
A range of Occasional Papers and Research Reports is available free to download in PDF format. Recent additions include:
• Report 82 Characterisation of Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in Highly Coloured Surface Waters PDF
• Report 55 Development of a Dissolved Organic Carbon Detection System for Size-Exclusion Chromatography PDF
• Report 80 Advanced Characterisation of Natural Organic Matter (NOM) in Australian Water Supplies PDF