University of South Australia
University of South Australia is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Engineers turn water treatment sludge into sustainable concrete
Australian researchers are tackling a $70 billion problem facing our nation’s infrastructure by developing an eco-friendly alternative solution to traditional cement sewer pipes that are prone to cracking and corroding. By combining sludge – a byproduct of the drinking water purification process – and blast-furnace slag, University of South Australia (UniSA) engineers have demonstrated that […]
Scientists propose new solutions to keep drinking water safe as pesticide use skyrockets worldwide
Water scientists from Australia and China have proposed a more effective method of removing organic pesticides from drinking water, reducing the risk of contamination and potential health problems. A 62% rise in global pesticide use in the past 20 years has escalated fears that many of these chemicals could end up in our waterways, causing […]
Floating sea farms: a solution to feed the world and ensure freshwater by 2050
The sun and the sea – both abundant and free – are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce freshwater for drinking and agriculture. In what is believed to be a world first, University of South Australia researchers have designed a self-sustaining solar-driven system […]
World-first project to self heal cracked concrete with sloppy sludge
Water treatment sludge could be used to prevent 117,000 kilometres of sewer pipes in Australia from cracking in future, without any intervention by humans, helping to save $1.4 billion in annual maintenance costs. A world-first project led by University of South Australia sustainable engineering expert Professor Yan Zhuge is trialling a novel solution to halt unprecedented levels […]
The road to success when it comes to flood mitigation
Australia has experienced one of the worst flood disasters on record in the eastern states this year, with 23 people killed, thousands left homeless, and a damage bill expected to top $1.5 billion. Climate change aside, increasing urban development is escalating the potential flood risks and adding to the likelihood of a projected $10 billion hole […]
Hydroponic native plants to detox PFAS-contaminated water
They’re the non-stick on Teflon cookware, the stain resistance in Scotchgard, and the suppression factor in firefighting foam, but while the staying power of PFAS chemicals was once revered, it’s now infamous as PFAS substances continue to infiltrate the environment and affect human health. New research from UniSA is helping to remediate the ‘indestructible’ PFASs as scientists […]
The dangers of open toilet lids
Thorough hand washing and sanitising are now second nature thanks to COVID-19, but a new study has also highlighted the dangers of open toilet lids, uncovered rubbish bins and defective plumbing drains in spreading infections in public washrooms.
Researchers find a cost effective and quick way to find groundwater
We live in the driest state in the driest continent, with water a scarce commodity and a major environmental, biological and socio-economic issue for many communities across South Australia. Now, thanks to UniSA researcher Dr Alaa Ahmed, new cost-effective technology can pinpoint sites in the central Flinders Ranges where precious groundwater is likely to be found, […]
Sunlight to solve the world’s clean water crisis
Researchers at UniSA have developed a cost-effective technique that could deliver safe drinking water to millions of vulnerable people using cheap, sustainable materials and sunlight.