World Environment Day 2024

In celebration of World Environment Day 2024 we are highlighting some of the proudest moments of our sustainability journey!

Getting on with it 
Our climate change and circular economy action over time
The impact of climate change and finite resources poses a very real threat to the Australian water industry. This is because we are entirely dependent on the availability of natural resources while also being exposed to natural hazards, which impact our activities and supply chains.

Because of this, we actively collaborate with the government, industry partners and our community to develop new and economically viable ways of lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Circular economy in action 
Reusing materials that are too good to waste
We believe our materials are too good to waste, which is why we are always looking for new ways to eliminate waste and maximise the reuse of resources. We are currently:

• Investigating ways to develop superior topsoil for our restoration works using a blended variety of recovered products like soil, water treatment solids and compost.
• Trialling a process for creating our own road-base materials from recovered, and crushed, concrete.

We have done well, but there is always more to do!

Leading edge collaboration 
Fugitive greenhouse gas emissions research
We are committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 (based on 1990 emission levels). To accomplish this, our eMission Possible Plan maps a pathway of progressive interval targets consistent with the ACT Climate Change Strategy. 

Because the ACT's electricity grid is 100% renewable, what we really need to target is fugitive nitrous oxide emissions from our wastewater treatment. By conducting research with the University of Queensland and peer utilities, we aim to improve process understanding, become better informed of major infrastructure investment decisions and increase collaboration towards solving this global problem.

Sustaining our core services 
Balancing water between the community and environment
Under our license to take water, we rely on nature for rainfall runoff to source Canberra and Queanbeyan's drinking water. 

We monitor river health with the University of Canberra and the ACT Government to inform our activities, provide appropriate environmental flows and help protect our catchment ecosystems for generations.