Tourism operators play a key role in encouraging visitors to the region to be water efficient with this precious resource.

If you are a hotel, serviced apartment, caravan-park or other type of accommodation provider Allconnex Water can help you spread the watersaver message. A range of water efficiency stickers, posters, brochures and fact sheets are available.

Please either visit www.allconnex.com.au and search for the holiday watersaver program or contact 1300 000 928 or email watersaver@allconnex.com.au

Royal Palms - Investing in sustainable water use

Swimming pools are key marketing features for accommodation providers having a central position in promotional materials. Pools can create that languid tropical holiday atmosphere a visitor will immediately feel relaxed in.

The impressive 380,000 litre saltwater pool at the Palm Beach Royal Palms Resort is a focal recreation point for holidaymakers and permanent residents, and immediately drew the attention of the new building manager. Adam Turner and his wife Kim had recently relocated from Victoria where drought was severely restricting water use.

With water conservation top of mind, an outdoor water analysis program was initiated starting with the installation of a water meter on the pool water supply line. Data indicated the pool was losing between 5000 and 8000 litres per day that could not be accounted for through evaporation.

Tracking down the location of leaks required the use of sonar equipment that highlighted multiple leaks.

Adam contacted the Commercial Programs team at Allconnex Water to talk through the issues and options.

A business case was put to the body corporate demonstrating the urgency of a total upgrade of the 30- year old pool and its surrounding area. Wiring, tiling, water features, pipes, lighting and pool surrounds would be renewed and with only the original pool shape remaining. The Royal Palms investment of nearly $1 million will see a trouble free pool for at least 10 years, a reduction in water bills and significant savings from a 70-80 per cent reduction in chemical and salt use.

A professional pool testing company provides regular data: proof that the renovation provides cost efficiencies when maintaining the pH balance.

Energy efficiency has under pinned the total approach to this renovation with LED lighting that responds to light and darkness rather than a timer and installation of a new water efficient irrigation system.

Allconnex Water congratulates Royal Palms on taking these water efficiency initiatives and investing in a sustainable future.

Growing eco-efficiency in your business

The Queensland Government’s ecoBiz program is available to help Queensland businesses improve their competitiveness through production and resource efficiencies and reduced costs associated with energy, water and waste.

ecoBiz rebates of up to $150,000 are available to support projects that will:

• improve eco efficiency in one or more key areas of saving energy or water, or reducing material intensity, waste or greenhouse gas emissions; and
• can demonstrate innovation at a business as well as industry level.

This is a competitive program which seeks projects that will deliver economic and environmental benefits to businesses and will be transferrable across a particular industry sector.

For more information about the Queensland ecoBiz program visit the website www.derm.qld.gov.au/ecobiz or telephone 1300 130 372.

Managing trade waste

Using technology to free up resources is driving significant asset protection benefits for Allconnex Water. Daily access to current data allows the business to track the trade waste generators and swiftly respond to those who are not complying with their conditional trade waste approvals.

Wastelink provides Allconnex Water with an electronic system in the Gold Coast district that enables the targeting of resources on detection of non-compliers rather than sourcing and manually inputting pre-treatment data and compiling exception reports.

Trade waste tracking systems, track not only grease arrestor waste from the food industry but oily water waste from mechanical workshops and the car wash industry. The data also indicates if the on-site pre-treatment devices are being properly maintained in-line with their compliance standards.

When unacceptable levels and quality of trade waste enters the wastewater network it can have serious effects on the effectiveness of the treatment process at the local wastewater treatment plant.

Electronic trade waste tracking systems are becoming more widespread in the water and wastewater industry with businesses such as Sydney Water, Dubbo City Council, SITA, JJ Richards and Toowoomba City Council using this technology.

Making the most of our water

Allconnex Water operates a recycled water carrier program providing over 120 registered companies access to recycled water for a number of uses including irrigation, dust suppression and road-works. These companies have over 350 vehicles carting recycled water.

An ongoing comprehensive recycled water training course ensures customers accessing, carting and administering recycled water are informed of all safety requirements.

Allconnex Water trains approximately 350 staff from these companies annually. A total of 14 recycled water filling stations are available to recycled water carriers.

Allconnex Water is actively seeking more businesses to use recycled water. If your business is interested, check out the recycled water industry fact sheet.

A reminder to all recycled water carrier business owners to ensure all staff due for refresher training are following this up with Allconnex Water.

Allconnex Water Annual Report 2010/2011