Water Sciences Group

Aquatic Ecology and Biological Monitoring

The ecological health of our waterways has become a key issue in land and water management and is reflected in growing community concerns about the condition of our most valuable resource – water.

Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems

The ALS Water Resources Group can help your company meet regulatory and engineering requirements for wastewater treatment.

ALS Water Resources Group ensure safe drinking water in Australia

The ALS Water Resources Group plays an important role in ensuring water authorities comply with drinking water standards and regulations.

Ord River Irrigation Area Stage 2 Expansion Groundwater Fauna Study

Irrigation in the ORIA potentially threatens stygofaunal populations through increases in water table levels, and subsequently increasing salinity.

Sydney Catchment Authority biomonitoring programs

ALS Water Resources Group implement three biological monitoring programs for SCA using extensive knowledge of the SCA catchments.

Victorian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program (VSQAP)

The ALS Water Resources Group was commissioned by the State Shellfish Control Authority Fisheries Victoria, Department of Primary Industries to undertake the monitoring, shoreline survey, sanitary survey, harvest area classification and reporting components of the VSQAP.

Monitoring and Technical Services

Custom built systems - mobile water quality trailers

The MATS Instrument Group has designed and constructed more than a dozen water quality trailers since 1998. Each trailer may be easily deployed at a variety of sites for varying purposes, including monitoring of trade waste discharge, river and stream flows. The trailers are ideal tools for Environmental Protection Authorities (EPA’s), water supply authorities, mining and geotechnical industries, port authorities, and anyone wanting a mobile remote monitoring solution.

Data Management, Wilpinjong Coal Mine, NSW

This project involves dust, air, and water sampling, collection of data from all loggers, and data logger maintenance.

Environmental Monitoring & Telemetry Network

This project involves the design, installation and operation on an environmental monitoring and telemetry network.

Hydrological Monitoring for Gold Ridge Mining Limited

The Instrument Group has been involved with the project for two years and were contracted to build, install and commission a number of gauging stations.

International Water Infrastructure Project - Pangai-Hihifo water supply improvements, Lifuka Island, Kingdom of Tonga

The ALS Water Resources Group was commissioned to carry out an investigation of the water supply issues in the island of Lifuka in the Ha’apai group of Tonga and then oversee the implementation on the appropriate groundwater improvements.

International Water Management Project – Appropriate Hydrological Network Improvement Project (AHNIP), Mekong River Commission, South East Asia

The ALS Water Resources Group recently concluded a five and a half year AUD$4.6M project for the five member countries of the Mekong River Commission. The project, funded by the Australian Government and managed by SAGRIC International Pty Ltd, a part of the Coffey group of companies, was designed to assist with the sustainable management strategy of one of the world’s largest and heavily populated waterways – the Mekong River.

Melbourne Hydrographic Billing Sites

MATS install and operate 18 critical billing sites for Melbourne Water's water supply, drainage and sewerage services.

Melbourne Hydrographic Maintenance Services

This project involves the operation and maintenance of 400 meteorological and hydrological stations on behalf of Melbourne's water utility company.

Turkey Emergency Flood and Earthquake Recovery (TEFER) project – hydrometric and flood forecasting network review and design

On May 21 1998, heavy rainfall in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey triggered a devastating flood estimated to have been anywhere between a one in 200 to a one in 1000 year occurrence (depending on location). A region of about 37,000 square kilometres with a population of about 2.2 million was affected and constituted the worst flooding of the last century. The flooding was followed by several hundred landslides and caused an estimated US$500 million worth of damage.

Water Infrastructure Management

The ALS Water Resources Group operates a number of critical stations within the Cotter and Murrumbidgee Catchments, which are significant components of Canberra's water supply.

Research and Development

The ALS Water Sciences Group covers new ground in Stygofauna research

In 2004, the Water Sciences Group established a collaborative four year research project with the University of New England (UNE) and the Western Australian Museum to study aspects of the biology, ecology and taxonomy of stygofauna.

Genotyping Cryptosporidium

This project aims to determine if the type of Cryptosporidium present is of pathogenic risk to humans.

Molecular toolbox for the analysis and control of biofilms

Novel methods that target biofilm development and dispersal may assist in the provision of improved water quality in water reticulation.

Study of bacterial populations and process operations in wastewater treatment plants

By monitoring the population abundance trends of important bacteria, we are able to correlate their occurrence with plant performance to assist in operational requirements.

Download Study of bacterial populations and process operations in wastewater treatment plants (PDF 61KB)