South East Water takes home R&D Excellence Award

South East Water was recognised by the Victorian water industry at this year’s Australian Water Association (AWA) Victorian Water Awards, held on 23 October.

In partnership with The University of Melbourne and Water Sensitive Cities, South East Water was awarded the Research and Development Excellence Award for research into irrigation for urban cooling.

The organisation’s Hydrotrak Geofencing System was also highly commended in the same category, while Technical Director Science Pam Kerry was highly commended in the Water Professional of the Year category. Student Water Prize winner Nilufa Sultana from RMIT also recognised South East Water for supporting her PhD research to develop an innovative grease interceptor to remove fat, oil and grease components from wastewater.

The urban cooling project demonstrates the benefits of smart irrigation and misting of green spaces with rainwater or recycled water at Aquarevo House and Burnley.

The results found that irrigating turfgrass was comparable to the cooling effect of tree shade in Melbourne, and demonstrated how IoT devices and sensors can be used to autonomously control and create the conditions for optimal cooling outcomes.

South East Water Managing Director Lara Olsen said: “We’re proud to see the work we’re doing with our partners recognised.

“We know that urban environments are typically warmer than regional environments, due to the built environment and reduced vegetation. That’s why we’re excited by the results of this research, which shows that maximising soil moisture, and irrigating at times when more water will be evaporated from soil and vegetation surfaces, creates a notable cooling effect,” Olsen said. 

“By challenging our thinking about traditional irrigation strategies we’re able to create a cooling effect similar to tree shade. This highlights the importance of increasing fit-for-purpose water sources — like rainwater and recycled water — to support cooler, greener and more liveable communities.”                     

Image caption: Pam Kerry, Technical Director Science, who was awarded Highly Commended in the Water Professional of the Year category, pictured with Carolyn Madden, Group Manager Treatment and Recovery Services.