Sustainability and water security
As Canberra’s population climbs toward 400,000, it has never been more important to be able to ensure that we can supply reliable water and sewerage services to the city. Doing this means planning ahead and ensuring an adequate water supply no matter what happens.
In this section you can explore some of the ways that we ensure the work we do is sustainable and ensure that we have minimal impact on the environments that we work in and on downstream users.
[{"url":"Icon100-Cotter-Pumping-Station-pumps.jpg","alt":"Cotter Pumping Station pumps","caption":""}]Responding to flooding
Natural disasters are a part of life when you are managing a water supply but planning for them and preparing how you will respond to them can make all the difference when they occur.
Flooding is something that has happened numerous times at Icon Water sites including Googong Dam in 1978 (just after it was completed) and again in 2010 (just after the spillway upgrade was completed) and during the construction of the Enlarged Cotter Dam. This image shows a line along the wall inside the Cotter Pumping Station, marking the height of floodwaters from a previous flood. Two new pumps were installed at the station in the 1960s and these pumps were installed vertically so that their motors would always remain above the flood level and be able to continue to operate.
[{"url":"Icon100-Stromlo-water-treatment-building-surrounded-by-fire.jpg","alt":"Stromlo water treatment building surrounded by fire","caption":"Mount Stromlo Water Treatment Plant Admin Building surrounded by fire"},{"url":"Icon100-technicians-rewiring-power-cables.jpg","alt":"People work with power cables at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre","caption":"Technicians work to rewire the power cables at Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre"},{"url":"Icon100-Chapman-water-reservoir.jpg","alt":"People and crain at damaged Chapman water reservoir","caption":"Chapman reservoir roof was blown off by the firestorm"}]The Canberra Bushfires 2003
It was considered the worst natural disaster to ever hit the nation’s capital
It was considered the worst natural disaster to ever hit the nation’s capital, an event that Icon Water—then part of ActewAGL—will never forget.
On Monday January 18, 2003, bushfires that had been burning up in the Brindabella Mountains rolled into one, creating an unstoppable force that descended down on Canberra, taking residents and authorities by surprise.
Local temperatures on January 18 exceeded 40°C and winds were sitting at 60 km/h—causing the fire to blow out a huge 30km front.
The water utility suffered unprecedented damage to its infrastructure in the firestorm, but emergency response training and preparation served the community well and meant that within days, all essential water and sewerage systems were fully operational.
Staff at the water treatment plant acted quickly, securing the plant and storing away all chlorine on site in an attempt to protect it from the fast approaching fire front, before it became necessary for all staff to evacuate before fire engulfed the Mount Stromlo Observatory, a building that stood less than a kilometre away from the treatment plant.
Immediately after the fire had passed, staff insisted that they be returned to the treatment plant by helicopter and by midnight were able to resume the water supply to Canberra.
Googong Water Treatment Plant was also shut down due to a lack of power, but was restored to operational by midnight.
About half of the water reservoirs and sewage pump stations were also left without power.
Despite being isolated by emergency services and being damaged by surrounded by fires the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre remained, to a certain degree, operational. Because of the loss of service Canberra residents were asked to restrict wastewater discharge—reaction to the request was excellent, and input to the treatment plant was reduced by 50 per cent.
Plant engineers and technical staff worked tirelessly over the following days and nights and by Tuesday the plant was operating to near full capacity. As a direct outcome of effective emergency management, no untreated sewage was released into the river, despite the very grave odds.
As a consequence of the extreme conditions and an unusually high demand on the water network—as fire fighters and Canberrans scrambled to protect their land and assets with water—a loss of water pressure was experienced at some locations across Canberra. Despite this, there was always adequate storage of water in reservoirs to service the region and there were no reported water main failures during the firestorm event.
The events of the days between 15–21 January demonstrate that the utility was well prepared for an emergency and as a result, the organisation was able to ensure the supply of uncontaminated water and adequate sewerage services to ACT residents.
Enhancing downstream life
The water released from the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre (our sewage treatment plant) is largely responsible for keeping the section of the river below it flowing. This video explores the role that the treatment plant plays in caring for this environment.
Did you know…
That in the early days there was a standing order to the Cotter Pumping Station that pumps would not be started or stopped whilst parliament was sitting as the variation in line voltage caused a dimming or brightening of the lights in the Houses of Parliament.
Resistance to the proposed treatment process at Lower Molonglo
New things are often met with resistance and this was the case for the treatment process proposed for the Lower Molonglo Water Quality Control Centre when it was proposed. This clip is a look back on how things were at time in the late 1960s and 1970s.
The Millenium Drought: ACT’s Water Security Projects
Step back to 2009 and hear about the situations and decisions that led to the ACT’s Water Security Projects, including the Think Water, Act Water strategy (the ACT’s first water resources strategy).
[{"url":"Icon100-rock-reef-at-cotter.jpg","alt":"Aerial view of the rook reef at the Cotter","caption":""}]Looking after the fish in the Cotter Reservoir
The Cotter Dam reservoir is home to five threatened fish species. During the construction of the Enlarged Cotter Dam, ensuring that the fish species were unaffected by the changes in the reservoir was very important. To do this a comprehensive conservation program was developed and along with other projects and key partners, we designed and built a 7 kilometre intricate artificial freshwater rock reef for the endangered Macquarie perch within the enlarged Cotter Dam—a first of its kind.
In addition to providing opportunities for fish conservation and enhancing the development of the fish species, the rock wall will assist with university research on these fish species and their habitat well into the future.
Recognised for its originality and ground-breaking design, this project received the Australian Water Association National Award for Program Innovation in 2013.
[{"url":"Icon100-Cotter-Dam-artefacts.jpg","alt":"Rocks at the Cotter Dam with Aboriginal artifacts","caption":""}]Protecting the past for future generations – Enlarged Cotter Dam Heritage Program
The Cotter catchment was a traditional dwelling point for Aboriginal people with an abundance of Aboriginal cultural history. To ensure that the Cotter’s indigenous history was recorded for present and future generations, a comprehensive heritage program was undertaken when enlarging the Cotter Dam. A detailed collection of Aboriginal artefacts was conducted by Aboriginal representatives from Aboriginal groups, including the Ngunnawal people, over the Cotter Dam construction and inundation of the site. Around 4,000 artefacts were collected ranging from stone cutting tools and axe heads to grinding stones. In addition, both Aboriginal and European artefact material including artworks, photography and films of the past and the present were recorded. In August 2013 a Return to Country ceremony was conducted as the Aboriginal artefacts were placed in a carefully selected site overlooking a reach of the dam.
A separate celebration of the cultural heritage of the area is revealed by the Cotter Dam Discovery Trail, a 1.4 kilometre trail built to showcase the history and heritage of the area and its significance to the Canberra community as well as providing direct views of the Cotter Dam. Since opening in September 2010, the trail has received over 200,000 visitors and around 1,600 students participating in our education programs annually.