Solutions

Precision Greening
- Advanced irrigation management. Think public open space irrigation; crops grown with more yield and less water, less fertiliser and less energy; ecological infrastructure optimising water use and the health of rivers and wetlands. Broader than smart application, precision greening covers delivery, application, sensing, simulation, communications and control.
- The Big Salt Bust
  
  Australian Water Environments (AWE) works extensively in the field of salt interception in recognition of the Australian community’s desire to restore the River Murray.
- Sentek Helps Santos Create Clean Energy
  
  Santos is one of Australia’s leading gas producers, supplying Australian and Asian customers. The growth of the coal seam gas (CSG) sector represents a major opportunity to help Australia and the region move to a cleaner, less carbon-intensive future.
- $2m in orange savings!
  
  Orange-co owns and manages nearly 16,000 acres of citrus groves and has forged a reputation as one of Florida’s leading citrus fruit producers.
- 1.8 billion litres of water saved
  
  Current estimates reveal that the use of BioCentral’s products PolyCom™, a polymer based material stabilising water additive, and DustChek™, a biodegradable ecologically safe dust suppressant, in the local government and mining sectors has saved approximately 1.8 billion litres of water in three years.
Water Creation
- Diversifying sources of water. Think demand management, rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, urban stormwater harvesting, desalination and managed aquifer recharge.
- SA companies help build $43bn Barrow Island infrastructure
  
  Two South Australian water companies are delivering water creation solutions for Australia’s largest natural gas infrastructure project on Barrow Island in Western Australia.
- McLaren Vale grape growers save 70% on mains water prices
  
  By recycling we will be able to save a further 500 million litres of costly and valuable potable water annually which was previously used for irrigation.
- Leak Busters Save Millions
  
  Australia is enjoying millions of dollars in water savings from advanced water leakage detection and repair programs.
- It's only natural
  
  While global corporations talk of triple bottom line outcomes, the City of Salisbury in Adelaide’s northern suburbs has achieved just that - a sustainable environment, economy and community through Australia’s first integrated water creation management system.
Leading Change
- Creating a different water future. Think independent economic regulation, competition policy, Public Private Partnerships, research and product development, water sector professional development and community education.
- New product development provides entry into French market
  
  Philmac, Adelaide-based innovator and manufacturer of premium quality plastic fittings and valves, has utilised its superior problem solving capabilities in the area of connecting polyethylene pipe to create a unique plastic compression fitting specifically for the French market.
- In the hands of experts
  
  Major water and wastewater projects require across-the-board legal solutions from advisers with industry expertise.
- Global Reach
  
  SMEC is a professional services firm with Australian origins and a global footprint that provides high quality consultancy services on major infrastructure projects.
- Developing World Class Water Leaders
  
  Organisations from around the globe are turning to Australia to train their managers in one of the best water education programs available in the world.
Risk Proofing
- Managing future risks and decision support. Think managing water quality in harsh conditions, market based water trading systems, exploring the nexus of energy and water, advanced social, environmental and economic scenario modelling and optimisation.
- Viva Las Vegas
  
  Las Vegas Valley Water District implemented an Energy and Water Quality Management System (EWQMS) using a daily hydraulic model that realised significant reduction in energy costs and improved water quality in its distribution system.
- What is smart water pricing?
  
  An effective and fair water pricing policy is a challenge water utilities and governments are grappling with around the world as they try to develop water pricing that is sensitive to community affordability, generate sufficient revenue to maintain and invest in providing safe, reliable water, while also engaging users by rewarding water efficiency.
- Resources Sector Chooses EnviroSys
  
  Companies within the mining, oil and gas industries rely heavily on water. It is critical that this precious resource is managed responsibly in order for them to maintain their licence to operate.
- Dealing with future water uncertainty
  
  If it wasn’t for the option of water trading many Australian irrigators would not have been able to access water and continue to produce crops during recent years of low water availability.

$2m in orange savings!

Orange-co owns and manages nearly 16,000 acres of citrus groves and has forged a reputation as one of Florida’s leading citrus fruit producers.

Orange-co’s knowledge grew exponentially when it began using AquaSpy, an advanced precision greening solution that precisely measures soil moisture at various depths. It also provides weather station equipment to track rain fall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and barometric pressure. Using AquaSpy, Orange-co discovered it could dramatically reduce the amount of water it uses for irrigation by up to 30%, while improving crop yield and quality.

“We discovered that we were watering too low, below the root system,” said Jerry
Newlin, Vice President and Manager at Orange-co. “In this part of Florida, our root systems only go down 20 inches.

So we cut back on running our diesel powered irrigation pump by a third and got the same results.

“Conservatively speaking, for a $22,000 annual investment to run AquaSpy we
started saving at least $250,000 every year. $145,000 in annual savings on diesel fuel to run irrigation pumps, $105,000 annual savings on fertilizer and up to $50,000 a year in reduced equipment maintenance on pumps, diesel engines and irrigation infrastructure. More than $2m savings since 2002.”

AquaSpy installed 40-inch probes in Orange-co’s grove that provide moisture readings at depths of 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 40 inches. Every 15-minutes of the day, the probes gather information about the soil and the data is then automatically uploaded to a website where it can be viewed from anywhere in the World.

Orange-co uses the site-specific data to create irrigation templates that can be followed each growing season, maintaining correct moisture levels in the spring and summer to achieve the best possible fruit set and sizing in the fall and winter. The result is superior quality and yield, using less water, and gaining a higher wholesale price.

“We now supply water to the trees when they need it,” said Newlin. “We can literally see how much the trees are drinking every 15 minutes. Having the water applied in a very efficient method has been awesome. We are going through a very dry time right now, and our grove looks great.”

When the weather warms up and accumulative rainfall, temperature and soil moisture rise to certain levels, Orange-co knows exactly when to stress the trees by letting them go dry. By keeping the trees dormant, they bloom better and ultimately produce more fruit.

“AquaSpy is great,” said Newlin. “Every citrus grower should be using this technology. It’s the key to not only some of our success, but could be a success story for the entire industry.”

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