Our Environment

Industrial ecology

Our industrial ecology program is helping to turn unwanted waste into a valuable resource.

For more information, see: Industrial ecology

Eco Office

Our Eco Office program helps us to reduce our environmental footprint. We continued to focus on reducing our paper, energy, waste and water usage.

For more information, see: Eco Office

Greenhouse gas emissions

During the year, we led the development of an industry-wide greenhouse gas emissions measurement to improve consistency in greenhouse accounting and enable benchmarking. We did this in partnership with the Water Services Association of Australia. In addition, we investigated the potential to generate green power through captured methane emissions at our Mt Martha Sewage Treatment Plant.

We also developed a tool to assess embodied carbon in the materials we purchase and the construction methods we utilise. This will position us well to examine the full life-cycle of our assets and incorporate this information into future asset planning.

Enforceable Undertaking with EPA

South East Water entered into an Enforceable Undertaking with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in July 2010. This addresses the industry-wide issue of spills from pipes under pressure and related specifically to a rising main failure in September 2008. Actions from the undertaking include:

• A comprehensive international review that found we were following best practice in early warning leak detection systems.
• Improved assessment of pipe condition to better prioritise proactive renewal works.
• Strengthening our contingency planning and response to incidents. 

We also agreed to undertake trials of early warning leak detection systems to detect potential issues before they occur. The value of this technology was demonstrated in May 2011 when a pressurisation test allowed us to detect, and subsequently contain, a small leak before the situation escalated.

Environment and Energy Strategy

We adopted this strategy for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in 2010. We will hold a number of forums with our customers in 2011 to gather their views on our approach.

Climate adaptation

We recognise the need to manage potential risks to our business from a drying and increasingly erratic climate. This is vital for us to continue providing quality services that our customers and community expect.

During the year we took part in national research projects into the impact of rising temperatures on the sewerage system (specifically odour production and sewer corrosion) and protecting pipe networks against increasing ground movement from ongoing dry conditions.