Water and Waste Management
While safe and sustainable water and waste management systems are essential in resilient cities, we recognise that the integration of these systems is equally important. This research group works with partners in industry and government to identify the key research challenges of integrating water and waste management in our ever-expanding cities. Drawing on expertise in water quality management, public health risk assessment and complex systems dynamics, this group is ideally placed to respond to these challenges.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to addressing global water-related challenges through education, research and partnerships to ensure a sustainable future where clean water is accessible to all.
Water Management
"Safe and sustainable urban water management underpins resilient and sustainable cities in the face of climate change."
This theme, headed up by Associate Professor Anne Roiko, is focused on co-designing and implementing applied research for the water sector and transferring science into practice. Our urban water researchers work collaboratively with industry, government and research brokers to apply transdisciplinary knowledge and systems-based tools to the challenge of ensuring safe water for our communities. By necessity, managing water is based on the integrated water management paradigm, managing water quality and public health risks and benefits, from alternative sources to a range of end-uses. Our researchers are addressing the challenges associated with optimising supply and treatment options in the face of mounting population pressures and climate change, while respecting competing demands and water quality objectives.
Water and waste Research Team
Professor Anne Roiko
Academic Lead, Environmental Health, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences
Professor Cara Beal
Director, Cities Research Institute
Emeritus Professor Rodger Tomlinson
Coastal and Marine Research Centre
Dr Oz Sahin
Snr Research Fellow, Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Coastal and Marine Research Centre
Dr Edoardo Bertone
Snr Lecturer and Research Fellow, School of Engineering and Built Environment
Our Adjunct members
- Tony McAlister - Watertech
- Ryan Edge - City of Gold Coast - Water and Waste
- Kathy Baker - City of Gold Coast - Water and Waste
Current and Future Projects
- Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) projects - assessing potential health risks associated with microbial contaminants from point and diffuse sources in urban catchments (local councils, water utilities)
- Modelling of potential health risks and health benefits associated with novel/innovative climate-resilient water infrastructure projects (City of Gold Coast, Seqwater)
Collaborate with us
- Nature-based wastewater management strategies (Urban Utilities, Local Councils)
- Community engagement and risk communication about purified recycled water (Seqwater)
- Safe recreational use of urban and regional waterways
Research Highlights
iKNow, WeKnow
The project -‘iKnow, WEKnow’- is funded under a three- year Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant which supports industry-research partnerships to address industry research problems. The name ‘iKnow, WEKnow’ represents the combination of Indigenous knowledge, technical water and energy knowledge and digital technologies, together with the concept of inclusion and moving from a focus on individual behaviours to collective action to address water and energy security in a climate changed future.
ARC Research Hub - Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NICE)
Under the $2 million ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NICE), researchers from Cities Research Institute (CRI) are investigating the economic feasibility and practicality of converting human urine to fertiliser as well as any potential health risks and the public response.
For the first time in Australia, the NiCE Hub will take a holistic approach to tackling the challenge of urban, decentralised processing of urine to fertilisers, tailored for Australian conditions. It will engage all end-users across the system to jointly establish acceptable technology, practices and products; planning, installation and operational guidelines; understanding of the impacts on current infrastructure; and a viable business model based on a whole-of system economic assessment.
Aunty Mati - The Water-Saving Superhero
Kura’s adventures take place on one of the many islands in Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait). This book is aimed at Primary School children to start a fun conversation about the importance of being water-efficient in your community.
Saving water is an important part of caring for country and can start from a young age. Children might even enjoy reminding their parents, aunties, uncles and grandparents to practice water saving behaviours!
Research project
Program of Research to Generate Resilient Essential Services in Remote Regions (PROGRESS)
The current business as usual delivery of essential services in remote and isolated communities ( RICs ) including provision of drinking water, energy, liquid and solid waste management, environmental health and transport is not socially, environmentally or economically sustainable.
With the impacts of climate change as a multiplier to existing challenges in delivery of RIC essential services, health, well-being and overall resilience of the communities themselves are under threat in the long-term.
CRC RACE for 2030
Griffith University is part of the team comprising government, research and industry partners forming the RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). Associate Professor Cara Beal will supervise a PhD student, supported by a three-year industry scholarship, working on community approaches to ensure long-term success of renewable microgrids in (non-urban) Indigenous communities.
Research project
Towards integrated reporting for Darwin Harbour
Associate Professor Cara Beal leads the team to create a report card on measuring the health of Darwin Harbour. The Darwin Harbour Report Card will report on the ecological, social, indigenous cultural, and economic health of Darwin Harbour. Similar to a school report card, the Darwin Harbour Report Card will provide performance driven numeric grades that reflect the health of the harbour on a regular basis.
Research Project
Pacific Island Community Water Management Plus Project (PacWam+) 2018-2022
Cities RI Environmental Health researchers Associate Professor Anne Roiko (Co-investigator) and Associate Professor Cara Beal (Principal Investigator) are part of an international team in this $1.2M, 3 year DFAT funded project looking at ways to improve the safe and inclusive management of water in rural Pacific Island villages.
Griffith’s International WaterCentre is managing the project (Dr Regina Souter) in collaboration with The University of the South Pacific (Fiji campus in Suva), Solomon Islands National University (Honiara), Habitat for Humanity Fiji (HfHF) and Plan International / Live and Learn Environmental Education (PI/LLEE).
Research Project
Remote and Isolated Communities Essential Services Project (RICES)
This project led by Dr Cara Beal with PhD candidate Melissa Jackson is the first of it's kind in Australia and is a collaborative effort aimed at trialling community-directed water demand management strategies to reduce the typically high volumes of water (and related energy) used by residents in remote indigenous communities. For more information including the final report visit RICES project.
Our Partners
We have the opportunity to be partnering with Healthy Land and Water and the International Water Centre on a number of water-related projects.