In September, 20 members of Environment Australia’s Canberra based Graduate Program toured the Brighton wastewater treatment plant and local farms, to view the Council’s innovative effluent re-use for irrigation scheme. They were in Tasmania as part of the statewide tour of environmental projects involving Environment Australia and the Federal Department of Environment and Heritage.
Participant, Gill Slocum, said graduates selected to tour Tasmania because of the diverse and innovative range of projects under way in the State.
“The field trip was aimed at providing us with a better understanding of onground projects that relate to Environment Australia’s functions by meeting people involved in projects, getting a first hand look at what they do, and hearing about the issues they may face,” she said.
Gill said the group included Brighton Council’s wastewater treatment plant at Green Point in its itinerary because it was one of the few, if not the only plant of its kind in Australia. The treatment plant is able to stop all discharge into waterways and instead use the treatment effluent to irrigate crops.
Mayor, Councillor Tony Foster, said it was pleasing to see Brighton again acknowledged by Environment Australia as a forward thinking Council with a strong environmental focus.
“Brighton has received considerable support from Environment Australia over the past few years and this allowed us to fulfil our goal of eliminating all effluent discharge into the Derwent and Jordan Rivers by December 1999,” he said.
He added that it was a pleasure to be able to demonstrate and discuss this project with the next generation of Environment Australia policy makers.
“It enabled them to see what a relatively small Council, with strong commitment and drive can achieve,” said Councillor Foster.
