Townsville Enterprise welcomes today’s announcement from the Prime Minister Scott Morrison for a major $1 billion investment into the Great Barrier Reef. It is understood that this significant investment would be focused on reef management and conversation, and that a large proportion of the funding would be allocated to working with the agricultural industry to improve reef run off.
This funding decision demonstrates bi-partisan support for serious investment into the future health of the reef, following an announcement by the federal Opposition to allocate $163 million toward Great Barrier Reef restoration and protection projects earlier this month.
The Government announcement has sparked Townsville Enterprise and local councils to call for home grown projects to get their fair share of funding, for example support for the macro algae technology bio-remediation solution RegenAqua to be included in the funding scheme. It is one of the key priorities listed within Townsville Enterprise’s Unlock the North 2022 budget submission.
Townsville Enterprise CEO, Claudia Brumme-Smith says that it is critical that this funding be spent in North Queensland where the greatest difference will be made.
“Our region is the headquarters of the Great Barrier Reef, we are home to world renowned marine scientists, to JCU – a global powerhouse in reef and marine research, and we are the base of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Institute of Marine Science,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“The solutions to the challenges faced by the reef are going to be found in North Queensland, so it is critical that this major investment be delivered to where it will make the biggest impact.
“In the past we have seen reef funding go to foundations down south and our regional projects, supported by internationally recognised experts in reef protection and resilience research and with runs on the board, miss out. We don’t want to see a repeat of that!”
“We have the clever minds working on these challenges right here in North Queensland. From the famers that love the reef and work on innovative farming practices season-in and season-out, through to our councils looking for support to develop world leading waste water treatment plants – these are all local projects that will make a difference.”
"All the ingredients for a sustainable future are in North Queensland, and the RegenAqua project ticks all the boxes for governments as a real solution to achieve greater sustainability of our precious natural assets.”
“The technology is proven and ready to be commercialised and deployed for the benefit all Australians.”
RegenAqua is homegrown, world leading technology pioneered by world leader James Cook University (JCU) in partnership with Pacific Biotechnologies Pty Limited (PacBio), an innovative 100% Australian owned company.
High levels of nitrogen and phosphorous are currently being discharged into rivers and Great Barrier Reef waters from aquaculture and from municipal wastewater facilities.
RegenAqua uses sunlight to convert these nutrients into macroalgae (seaweed) which is then processed into a biostimulant to replace conventional fertilisers. The benefits are cleaner water, further aquaculture expansion and growth in sustainable agriculture.
The system was developed as a solution to reduce nutrient discharge on PacBio’s aquaculture assets, however highly successful trials at Cleveland Bay and more recently at the Burdekin Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) have proven the technology as an effective, low cost, scalable solution for all Councils.
Successful trials have been conducted at Townsville’s Cleveland Bay Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) with published results showing a total Nitrogen reduction of 36% to 2mg/L, and a total phosphorus reduction of 65% to 0.3mg/L, and a highly successful small-scale pilot is already successfully operating in the Burdekin Shire.
Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Cr Lyn McLaughlin believes that RegenAqua is a world-first technology that could revolutionise wastewater treatment.
“The small-scale Macro-Algal Bioremediation Facility at the Ayr/Brandon Waste Water Treatment Plant has been operating for eight months and in that time, has demonstrated the potential to significantly reduce harmful nutrients, including other elements like aluminium and heavy metals, in the effluent treated,” Cr McLaughlin said.
“A full-scale demonstration represents not only a world-first that could revolutionise the treatment of effluent to ensure less environmental impact but offer an alternative treatment option which is significantly cheaper to construct, operate and maintain while just as effective in removal of targeted nutrients.
“Council was proud to partner with Pacific Bio and James Cook University for the pilot, however now that the trial is at expansion stage, it is time for other tiers of government to recognise the global significance of this project and support it however they can.”
The RegenAqua project is looking to secure funding over three stages which will ultimately see the entire Great Barrier Reef catchment zone adopting this state-of-the-art technology:
- Stage 1: Burdekin Project = $8.8 million
The construction of a 4.5-hectare bioremediation facility at the Ayr/Brandon WWTP will enable a full scale facility to be constructed. This facility would then be duplicated at other WWTP sites throughout Queensland that are discharging to the Great Barrier Reef. The technology has significantly lower capital and operating cost than other current conventional tertiary treatment upgrade options designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. - Stage 2: Regional Deployment = $24 million
Establish facilities across the Local Government Areas of Townsville, Hinchinbrook Shire, Charters Towers, and Palm Island. - Stage 3: Remaining 17 GBR LGAs = $100 million
The data from the first five LGAs will enable the remaining 17 Queensland LGAs in the Great Barrier Reef catchment zone to adopt this solution and significantly reduce nutrient discharge.
NQ Dry Tropics CEO Dr Scott Crawford believes the project is an important part of solving the water quality challenges facing the Great Barrier Reef.
“RegenAqua represents real opportunity to deploy an innovative and homegrown technology that is low cost, scalable and ready for deployment,” Dr Crawford said.
“The North Queensland region has always been at the front of Great Barrier Reef innovation and solutions and we are excited by the potential this project has to provide real solutions.”
For more information on Townsville Enterprise’s Federal Budget submission and the RegenAqua project visit townsvilleenterprise.com.au
