Managing wetlands for sensitive waters

by Unitywater

(Government)

A Global Compact member

img

Offsetting nutrient loads released from sewage treatment plants through the use of a managed wetland.

Project implemented: Ongoing

Project goal

To reduce nutrient discharge to the environment and improve waterway health.

delivering on

why is this project important?

This project reduces nutrient discharge to the environment and improves waterway health.

Unitywater understand the importance of waterway health and operating within environmental licence standards and have invested in alternative options to meet water emission discharge limits for their 17 sewage treatment plants while delivering an improvement in water quality in receiving waterways

To achieve this, Unitywater purchased two lots of former cane-farming land on River Road, Maroochy River as part of a larger program to improve the environmental condition of the waterways in the area. Much of the former cane land is being restored as wetlands. These wetlands will remove nutrients and sediments from the river, which will improve river health.

  • The investment in the wetland and the work associated included:
  • Understanding the baseline nutrient flows
  • Purchasing of land
  • Working with neighbouring landholders
  • Working with stakeholders, such as birding groups, local and State government

An education/tourist centre and ‘eco-hub’ is being investigated for this site

This approach is enabled by the Queensland Government’s nutrient management mechanism.

related projects

Kwale Cotton Project by Business for Development
Applying SDGs – Determining Socio-Economic Indicators ... by Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Victoria
Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RI... by Monash University
Transforming Australia: SDG Progress Report by National Sustainable Development Council
Sustainable development in the Australian dairy industry by The Australian dairy industry
Take 3 for the Sea by Take 3
The ocean, our future: an Ocean Decade program by Australian National Maritime Museum
Conscious Business Learning Lab and the Impact Canvas by Barasa Consulting Group Pty Ltd
RMIT-wide SDGs Project by RMIT
Environmental Sustainability and Innovation by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd
“No One Left Behind: Implementing the Sustainable Deve... by Whitlam Institute
Making every drop count – Harnessing Hydroelectricity from... by Melbourne Water
17 SDGs in 2018 – a year of awareness raising activiti... by United Nations Association Victoria and Deakin University
Green Star – Communities by Green Building Council of Australia
Advancing the SDGs in practice by Melbourne Water
Mulloon Community Landscape Rehydration Project (MCLRP) by The Mulloon Institute
enabling Australia wide collaboration and action for the SDG... by uBegin.com
Smart Drains initiative to reduce risk of flooding by Fujitsu
The Individual Deprivation Measure Global Program by Individual Deprivation Measure
Qantas Future Planet Program by Qantas
Delivering sustainable development through infrastructure by Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA)
WaterCare: Supporting vulnerable customers by Yarra Valley Water
Sustainable water use for paper manufacture by Visy
Cooling the planet to feed the World by PundaZoie Company Pty. Ltd.
Thriving Communities Partnership by Thriving Communities Partnership
Business & Sustainability Forum Series by United Nations Association of Australia (WA)
Spatial data infrastructure to help monitor and evaluate Aus... by AURIN – Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network
Women in MBA (WiMBA) by Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong
#SeaToSource by Conservation Volunteers Australia
Integrated Water Cycle Management in the Barwon Region by Barwon Water
Wanzauni Livelihoods Improvement Project by Anglican Board of Mission
Green Star by Green Building Council of Australia
Better Tomorrow 2025 by Sodexo
Collaborating to advance the circular economy by Australia Post
Equity in child safety, building on health in all policies a... by The George Institute for Global Health
World Summit Awards (WSA) – Australia by World Summit Awards (WSA) – Australia
Health and water in remote Indigenous communities by The University of Queensland
Stakeholder commitment to the United Nations SDGs in Timor-L... by Deakin University
E.S. P. Wool production by Kia Ora Merino
improving local sanitation by WorleyParsons
It’s Our Place – Bellambi by Australian Social Investment Trust
My Green Butler by Crystal Creek Meadows
Applying SDGs – Determining Socio-Economic Indicators ... by Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Victoria
ICT Sustainability Benchmarking by Fujitsu
Bushfire Recovery for Kangaroo Island by Junction
Anti-Racism: It Stops with me campaign by Australian Human Rights Commission
Effective collaboration and catchment management by Newmont
Northconnex by Transurban
Vision Initiative by Vision 2020 Australia
Barangaroo South by Lendlease
Tropical Sustainable Design by Tropical Urbanism and Design Lab (TUDLab), James Cook University
Conserving our Australian biodiversity by BHP
Food and water security and climate change mitigation for ru... by Quaker Service Australia
Day At The Zoo by City West Water
Increasing the research capacity of scientists from developi... by IP Australia
Educating remote communities about water efficiency by Power and Water Corporation
Clean energy and micro infrastructure for rural villages in ... by Village Infrastructure Angels Australia
Australia’s mangrove observing system by TERN Australia
Bank Australia Conservation Reserve by Bank Australia
Twinning with water utilities in developing countries by Sydney Water
SDG National Forum by Fatouma TOURE
University Commitment to the SDGs by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
City of Melbourne desktop SDG assessment by City of Melbourne
Reducing parental stress with newborn webcam monitoring at C... by Fujitsu
The Impact Assembly by PwC
A spotlight on homelessness by PwC
Global goals for local communities by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
South East Queensland’s Water Security Program by Seqwater
FEAST (Food Education and Sustainability Training) by OzHarvest
Land rehabilitation and management innovation by Glencore
Economic independence on traditional land by Indigenous Business Australia
Virtual Design Jam Challenge-Social Innovation Series by Green Lab Futures
Moreton Bay Marine Park: Ocean Debris Removal and Clean-Up by Environmental Divers
Facilitating Rural Women’s Participation and Recognition i... by Oxfam Monash Partnership
South Australia’s Health in All Policies initiative by SA Health
Food rescue organisation with a driving purpose to ‘No... by OzHarvest
Australian Marine Debris Initiative by Tangaroa Blue Foundation
The Local SDGs Project: Pathways towards future-proofing Aus... by Deakin University
Fighting hunger in australia by Foodbank Australia
Achieving gender balance in water utilities by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
ICT for Social Impact Project in India by Swinburne Business School
Strengthening Multi-stakeholder partnering by The Partnership Brokers Group
Getting started with the SDGs in Universities by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
Indigenous economic development opportunities in remote Sout... by Indigenous Business Australia
National Youth Summit by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
Linking Corporate Giving activity to Company SDGs by Benojo
Blue by Blue The Film
We’re all in this Together by Healthy Cities Illawarra (HCI) and University of Wollongong (UOW)
Exploring national pathways to achieve the SDGs in Australia... by UNSW
Renewable Energy in the Water Industry by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
Reconciliation Plan – turning good intentions into mea... by Water Corporation
Feeding the Performance of Regional Communities by International Convention Centre Sydney
improving education and employment outcomes for the visually... by IP Australia
Maven Disability Awareness Training for Relationships Austra... by Scope Global
Remote community engagement in city supply chains by Winya Indigenous Furniture
Delivering the Circular Economy at a Global Scale by Brambles Ltd
Optimising Health Literacy and Access (OPHELIA) to leave no ... by Deakin University
Narrow option space for achieving the SDGs in Australian lan... by Deakin University and CSIRO
Reground diverts coffee ground, chaff and soft plastics from... by Reground
Promoting the Advancement of Women Everywhere by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd
VOLUNTEERS: DRIVERS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS by Australian Volunteers program
Digital Owl – Saving our Species using drones and arti... by Fujitsu
STRENGTHENING CHILD PROTECTION IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION by Australian Volunteers program
Principles for Responsible Management Education by Lighthouse Road
SDG Toolkit for Systems Thinking and Collaborative Approache... by Australian Council for International Development
Financial Inclusion Action Plan by Good Shepherd Microfinance
creating the capacity for people to invest space with meanin... by Place Agency at the University of Melbourne
International Legal Training Program by McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer
Drinking water in the Kutupalong, Leda and Nayapara refugee ... by WorleyParsons
Sustainability Roadmap – From Ambition to Adoption by Spell
The Growth Project builds collaborative future charity and b... by The Growth Project

Does your organisation have a project to include?

+ Add your own project