News about Australia
Western Australia backs water future with record AUD 2.7 billion budget commitment
The Government of Western Australia has announced a record AUD 2.7 billion water infrastructure investment for the 2026-27 financial year, a concrete expression of the strategic direction laid out in its recently published Made possible by water policy document.
“Seqwater is delivering its largest-ever capital works program, with a duty to invest wisely”
Seqwater, South East Queensland’s government-owned statutory authority for bulk water supply, is undertaking its largest capital investment program to date.
Researchers report a regenerable adsorbent that captures short-chain PFAS
Researchers at Flinders University in Australia report a new adsorbent material that removes up to 98% of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, including the short-chain compounds that conventional treatment technologies struggle to capture.
Victoria’s water sector emissions transition plan: a roadmap toward net zero
Australia's state of Victoria has released the Water Sector Emissions Transition Plan, a structured framework guiding its 18 water corporations toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
“A water project is bankable when it provides certainty: revenue, regulation, and delivery”
Water infrastructure lies at the centre of some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate resilience to universal access to safe water.
Goulburn-Murray Water appoints Steve Capewell as Managing Director
Goulburn-Murray Water has announced the appointment of Steve Capewell as its next Managing Director, following an extensive and highly competitive recruitment process.
Bendigo, Australia to upgrade water network with AUD$160 million efficiency project
A $160 million (approximately US$115 million) water infrastructure project has been announced to improve water efficiency and supply reliability in Bendigo and surrounding areas in Victoria, Australia.
Jonah Petrie appointed Business Development Manager at Detectronic
Detectronic, a UK-based company specializing in wastewater monitoring, has announced the appointment of Jonah Petrie as Business Development Manager to enhance the company's footprint in Australasia.
Victoria ramps up desalination order as Melbourne storages hit six-year low
Victoria's Minister for Water, Gayle Tierney, has placed a 150-billion-litre order from the Victorian Desalination Plant as metropolitan storage levels in the southeastern Australian state reach their lowest point in more than six years, with both Melbourne and Geelong recording their steepest annual decline since the Millennium Drought.
Australia sets the rules: what the new data centre policies mean for the water sector
On 23 March 2026, the Australian Government placed sustainable water use at the heart of its data centre investment framework for the first time.
Australia launches Productivity Commission inquiry to future-proof water sector
The Australian federal government has formally directed the Productivity Commission (PC) to conduct a national water inquiry, tasked with keeping the country's water services secure, affordable and sustainable in the face of mounting pressures including climate change, population growth and competition from emerging industries.
How a $3.3 million government program is bringing real-time flood monitoring to the infrastructure
When floodwaters rise, the engineers and operations teams responsible for protecting water infrastructure, road networks and community assets are often making critical decisions with very little hard data.
Veolia strikes US$154 million deal to acquire Australian remediation firm Enviropacific
French environmental services group Veolia has announced the acquisition of Enviropacific, an Australian remediation and waste management company previously owned by Next Capital, in a deal valued at about AUD 220 million (approximately US$154 million).
Central Coast Council launches AUD 144 million wastewater upgrade in New South Wales with BMD
Central Coast Council, located in New South Wales, Australia, has launched a major infrastructure initiative to upgrade the Charmhaven Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), a critical facility serving communities in the northern part of the Central Coast region.
Melbourne Water completes real-time metering rollout across surface water network
Melbourne Water has finalised its largest connected metering project, completing the rollout of real-time telemetry across surface water diversion meters in its waterways, including the Yarra and lower Maribyrnong catchments.
Coliban Water awards Filtec International contract for Bendigo Recycled Water Factory upgrade
Coliban Water has reached a milestone for the upgrade at the Bendigo Recycled Water Factory, awarding the major works contract to Filtec International to design and construct the new facility to increase the production of Class A recycled water.
From smart meters to AI: Australia’s utilities put digital water on a fast track
Australia’s water utilities stand at the global forefront of advanced water management, a position forged by the Millennium Drought (2001–2010) and sharpened by two decades of hard-won operational experience.
Sydney Water selects North West Hub Alliance for next stage of water treatment upgrades
Sydney Water has announced that the North West Hub Alliance will deliver the next phase of upgrades at the Riverstone Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) in Sydney.
Rio Tinto and Western Australian Government form joint venture for Dampier desalination plant
Rio Tinto and the Western Australian Government have established a 50:50 joint venture to deliver both Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, a major project intended to strengthen water security in the Pilbara region.
Design contract awarded to Stantec for Cooranga Weir in Queensland
Water infrastructure development in the Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, has moved forward with the award of a major design contract for the proposed Cooranga Weir.