Research project aims to reduce nutrient discharge

The $20,000 pilot project is being funded through Deakin University’s industry partnership program with Wannon Water.

Deakin University aquatic chemistry lecturer based in Warrnambool, Dr Tim Tutt, will conduct the trial at Heywood over the next 12 months.

Dr Tutt said the floating reed bed, also known as a floating wetland, was easy to assemble and a potentially more financially viable way of reducing nutrient load in wastewater discharging to waterways.

“There are other products on the market dedicated to this idea but this low-tech method with off-the-shelf products could potentially significantly reduce costs,” he said.

“Wetlands and reeds are like nature’s water treatment systems.”

A concept unit showed promising results, with large root biomass, good reed growth and robustness.

Dr Tutt said Wannon Water had looked at commercial options but they were too costly.

Wannon Water’s branch manager operations Wayne Murdoch said the corporation was excited about the trial and the alliance with Deakin University.

“This is a novel approach to a challenging issue around nutrient removal in wastewater effluent,” Mr Murdoch said.

The 12-month trial will start in early 2018 at Heywood’s lagoon-based wastewater treatment plant. Dr Tutt said that if it shows promise there could be a larger scale trial.

“They’re very simple; a bit like the Ikea of floating wetlands,” he said. “They’re flat-packed and any community group could put them together.”

Six 20,000 litre rainwater tanks will be used to scientifically assess the performance of the floating reed beds, three tanks will have the reed beds and three will be controls with no reeds.

Dr Tutt said the trials would determine if the system improves water quality and meets operational needs as an economical and sustainable treatment option.

“Additionally, there might be other applications down the track such as improving recreational fishing by providing habitats and restoring ecological diversity in waterways,” Dr Tutt said.

While saying there’s no “silver bullet” for blue-green algae, he hopes that floating reed beds could help in restoring proper nutrient balance in inland waterways and reduce the instances of algal blooms.