Managing wetlands for sensitive waters

by Unitywater

(Government)

A Global Compact member

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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.

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