Monitoring organic matter in drinking water systems using fluorescence spectroscopy: improved early warning, process optimisation and water quality. Climate change is contributing to elevated organic matter (OM) concentrations in drinking water supplies. If insufficiently treated, OM can lead to unacceptable concentrations of disinfection by-products, considered to be potential carcinogens, as well as taste and odour problems and bacterial re-growth in the distribution system. Currently availabl ....Monitoring organic matter in drinking water systems using fluorescence spectroscopy: improved early warning, process optimisation and water quality. Climate change is contributing to elevated organic matter (OM) concentrations in drinking water supplies. If insufficiently treated, OM can lead to unacceptable concentrations of disinfection by-products, considered to be potential carcinogens, as well as taste and odour problems and bacterial re-growth in the distribution system. Currently available on-line monitoring techniques give limited information regarding the nature of OM; however, fluorescence spectroscopy has shown promise in this regard. Hence, this project aims to provide an on-line monitoring protocol utilising fluorescence to aid utilities in their provision of safe drinking water, thus addressing the National Research Priority goal water – a critical resource.Read moreRead less
Smart metering founding a holistic evidence-based performance evaluation framework and demand forecasting model for diversified water supply schemes. The Australian water industry faces the challenge of catering for the potable water demand of a rapidly expanding population with reduced reliability on supply imposed by an increasingly variable climate. Diversified water supply schemes (DWSS) incorporating decentralised systems or reuse sources are touted as a means to handle the inherent weaknes ....Smart metering founding a holistic evidence-based performance evaluation framework and demand forecasting model for diversified water supply schemes. The Australian water industry faces the challenge of catering for the potable water demand of a rapidly expanding population with reduced reliability on supply imposed by an increasingly variable climate. Diversified water supply schemes (DWSS) incorporating decentralised systems or reuse sources are touted as a means to handle the inherent weaknesses of centralised urban water supply schemes by potentially drawing 30-50 per cent less demand on their reserves. This research study will provide evidence to support the implementation of best practice DWSS based on an evidence based holistic assessment of their performance considering potable water savings, capital and operation costs, energy demand, as well as environmental and community impacts.Read moreRead less
Impacts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products on Australian aquatic ecosystems. Pharmaceutical and personal care products (e.g. antihistamines, caffeine, antibiotics) have recently been shown to suppress rates of the critical processes providing food resources to fish and insects, threatening viability of aquatic ecosystems. Using novel methods, this project will investigate acute and longer term impacts of these chemicals.
Conserving native wildlife during urbanisation: the effectiveness of biodiversity-friendly urban design and construction practices. Urbanisation has many negative effects upon native wildlife and their habitats, but biodiversity-friendly urban design and construction practices may greatly reduce these impacts. This study will examine the effectiveness of such measures at sustaining wildlife at sites of urban development, and will therefore produce significant benefits for local residents and the ....Conserving native wildlife during urbanisation: the effectiveness of biodiversity-friendly urban design and construction practices. Urbanisation has many negative effects upon native wildlife and their habitats, but biodiversity-friendly urban design and construction practices may greatly reduce these impacts. This study will examine the effectiveness of such measures at sustaining wildlife at sites of urban development, and will therefore produce significant benefits for local residents and the broader Australian community. Healthy natural ecosystems in urban areas provide many services to the public, reduce the need for costly management, and improve the livelihood of residents living in greener environments. This study will enhance all these community benefits through a detailed examination of the effectiveness of biodiversity-friendly urban development measures.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100494
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$338,000.00
Summary
An Integrative Assessment of Factors Contributing to Wellbeing in Australia. The project aims to be a first attempt at a comprehensive, integrative, assessment of which factors contribute most significantly to the sustainable wellbeing of the Australian population. It will employ regression analyses to explore the relationship between social, economic, and environmental indicators and subjective wellbeing. The project aims to allow estimates of the relative value and trade-offs of the factors in ....An Integrative Assessment of Factors Contributing to Wellbeing in Australia. The project aims to be a first attempt at a comprehensive, integrative, assessment of which factors contribute most significantly to the sustainable wellbeing of the Australian population. It will employ regression analyses to explore the relationship between social, economic, and environmental indicators and subjective wellbeing. The project aims to allow estimates of the relative value and trade-offs of the factors in creating wellbeing. Geographic Information System (GIS) maps will show the special patterns and distribution of the contributing factors at local and regional scales, providing detailed information about the assets and policy recommendations for improving sustainable wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Development of an integrated sustainability framework for best management practice of urban water systems. The aim of the project is to develop an integrated sustainability framework for Australian urban water systems. The project will aim to overcome major methodological limitations that are caused by the separate consideration of environmental impacts, health risks, economic and social aspects, by taking a holistic, inter-disciplinary and integrated approach.
The outcome will be a sound, co ....Development of an integrated sustainability framework for best management practice of urban water systems. The aim of the project is to develop an integrated sustainability framework for Australian urban water systems. The project will aim to overcome major methodological limitations that are caused by the separate consideration of environmental impacts, health risks, economic and social aspects, by taking a holistic, inter-disciplinary and integrated approach.
The outcome will be a sound, comprehensive, mostly quantitative, reproducible, transparent and reliable framework for sustainability. This new method will be trialled for developing sustainable water strategies for five major Australian cities. Its value is greatly increased by the fact that the project will be developed with strong community engagement.Read moreRead less
Sustainable development in urban environments: maximising biodiversity conservation where people live. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. This is achieved by a pioneering approach that links socio-economic variables with settlement design and biodiversity status. Human settlements have substantial capacity to support a rich biodiversity. Developing ecologically sensitive management strategies here will not only ensure the c ....Sustainable development in urban environments: maximising biodiversity conservation where people live. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. This is achieved by a pioneering approach that links socio-economic variables with settlement design and biodiversity status. Human settlements have substantial capacity to support a rich biodiversity. Developing ecologically sensitive management strategies here will not only ensure the conservation of many native species, but also provide considerable opportunities for interaction between people and nature. This can have significant social benefits including improved health, increased community well-being and greater understanding of the environment. It also ensures ready access to a broad range of ecosystem goods and services.Read moreRead less
E. coli as an indicator of faecal contamination in the Australian context. The goal of this research is to improve our ability to use Escherichia coli as an indicator of water quality by determining the extent to which non-faecal sources of E. coli contribute to coliform counts and to develop a method to differentiate non-faecal E. coli from those that are faecal derived.
Creating fauna-friendly cities and towns - The ecology and conservation of insectivorous bats in Melbourne. Urbanisation is a principal threat to the conservation of biodiversity worldwide. Information on the response of plants and animals to an increasingly urbanized world is essential to prevent the loss of natural assets, ensure environmental sustainability and promote human health and well-being. This research will combine extensive field surveys with state-of-the art modeling to identify th ....Creating fauna-friendly cities and towns - The ecology and conservation of insectivorous bats in Melbourne. Urbanisation is a principal threat to the conservation of biodiversity worldwide. Information on the response of plants and animals to an increasingly urbanized world is essential to prevent the loss of natural assets, ensure environmental sustainability and promote human health and well-being. This research will combine extensive field surveys with state-of-the art modeling to identify their ecological requirements. Importantly, the research will engage with local councils, park managers and community organizations to educate the wider community and ensure research outcomes are adopted. The study design will ensure that the findings are applicable to other urban areas across Australia and around the world. Read moreRead less
Bushfires, smoke, and people: assessing the risks and benefits from planned burning on the urban-rural interface. A key strategy to protect people from wildfire is the use of planned burns to reduce fire hazards. The exposure of communities to smoke pollution is a serious side-effect of this intervention. This project will be critical in enabling authorities to protect public health by determining acceptable levels of smoke originating from planned burns.