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

Applying SDGs – Determining Socio-Economic Indicators ... by Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Victoria
My Green Butler by Crystal Creek Meadows
Vision Initiative by Vision 2020 Australia
University Commitment to the SDGs by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
Getting started with the SDGs in Universities by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
Strengthening Multi-stakeholder partnering by The Partnership Brokers Group
Achieving gender balance in water utilities by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
Renewable Energy in the Water Industry by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
Northconnex by Transurban
Blue by Blue The Film
Green Star – Communities by Green Building Council of Australia
Promoting the Advancement of Women Everywhere by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd
Economic independence on traditional land by Indigenous Business Australia
Fighting hunger in australia by Foodbank Australia
creating the capacity for people to invest space with meanin... by Place Agency at the University of Melbourne
Feeding the Performance of Regional Communities by International Convention Centre Sydney
Australian Marine Debris Initiative by Tangaroa Blue Foundation
Cooling the planet to feed the World by PundaZoie Company Pty. Ltd.
Wanzauni Livelihoods Improvement Project by Anglican Board of Mission
SDG Toolkit for Systems Thinking and Collaborative Approache... by Australian Council for International Development
International Legal Training Program by McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer
The Individual Deprivation Measure Global Program by Individual Deprivation Measure
Delivering sustainable development through infrastructure by Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA)
E.S. P. Wool production by Kia Ora Merino
National Youth Summit by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Australia/Pacific
17 SDGs in 2018 – a year of awareness raising activiti... by United Nations Association Victoria and Deakin University
Kwale Cotton Project by Business for Development
ICT for Social Impact Project in India by Swinburne Business School
SDG National Forum by Fatouma TOURE
#SeaToSource by Conservation Volunteers Australia
Spatial data infrastructure to help monitor and evaluate Aus... by AURIN – Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network
Anti-Racism: It Stops with me campaign by Australian Human Rights Commission
Business & Sustainability Forum Series by United Nations Association of Australia (WA)
Global goals for local communities by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA)
Transforming Australia: SDG Progress Report by National Sustainable Development Council
Environmental Sustainability and Innovation by Konica Minolta Business Solutions Australia Pty Ltd
Women in MBA (WiMBA) by Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong
Day At The Zoo by City West Water
Thriving Communities Partnership by Thriving Communities Partnership
The ocean, our future: an Ocean Decade program by Australian National Maritime Museum
Tropical Sustainable Design by Tropical Urbanism and Design Lab (TUDLab), James Cook University
World Summit Awards (WSA) – Australia by World Summit Awards (WSA) – Australia
Applying SDGs – Determining Socio-Economic Indicators ... by Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Victoria
Barangaroo South by Lendlease
Green Star by Green Building Council of Australia
Financial Inclusion Action Plan by Good Shepherd Microfinance
We’re all in this Together by Healthy Cities Illawarra (HCI) and University of Wollongong (UOW)
It’s Our Place – Bellambi by Australian Social Investment Trust

Does your organisation have a project to include?