For World Water Day 2020 we're highlighting the real-world research projects that QUT is undertaking to help safeguard our present and future water quality and supply.
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal target 6.1 calls for universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water. The following projects aim to meet this goal by finding new and practical ways to ensure water security for Australia and beyond.
Understanding and supporting underground water sources that sustain communities
QUT researchers led by Dr Lucy Reading are working with the Tamborine Mountain community to understand the complex interplay and effects of drought, climate change and extraction of ground water on water sources below the earth’s surface. QUT’s previous groundwater investigation with Tamborine Mountain is summarised here.
Turning contaminated water into drinking water
A team of QUT researchers led by Professor Graeme Millar and Dr Sara Couperthwaite are working to develop innovative and cost-effective water purification processes to enable communities, farms and industry in rural and remote areas to remove salt and contaminants from the bore waters that they need using renewable energy. This project has already seen results, delivering a portable filtration system that provides “on-the-spot” clean water.
Preventing landslides to safeguard drinking water sources
Dr Jessica Trofimovs is leading a team working with organisations like Seqwater to find ways to minimise the risk of landslides that threaten the safe, reliable and affordable bulk drinking water supply for 3.2 million people across south-east Queensland. Learn more here.
Who QUT is working with
QUT acknowledges the vision and commitment of our partners for their support of this vital research. We welcome new collaborators to invest in helping QUT deliver crucial water security outcomes.
