Economic Development Queensland
Level 7, 63 George Street Brisbane
GPO Box 2202 Brisbane
Queensland 4001 Australia
Telephone +61 7 3452 7880
Website www.edq.qld.gov.au
ABN 76 590 288 697

2
REPORT CLEARANCE ........................................................................................................................................ 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 3
1.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.
The Project .................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Fitzgibbon Chase .................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 5
2.3 Stormwater Catchment ........................................................................................................................... 6
2.4 Stormwater diversion .............................................................................................................................. 7
2.5 Oil and sediment separator ..................................................................................................................... 8
2.6 Raw water storage .................................................................................................................................. 8
2.7 Stormwater Treatment Plant (SWTP) ..................................................................................................... 8
2.8 Treated water storage and distribution system ....................................................................................... 9
2.9 Intended end uses of product ................................................................................................................. 9
2.10 Objectives and Goals ............................................................................................................................ 9
3.
Project Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 10
4.
Project Governance .................................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Steering Committee .............................................................................................................................. 11
4.2 Project Manager .................................................................................................................................... 11
4.3 Project activities and conduct ............................................................................................................... 11
5.
Project Activities.......................................................................................................................................... 11
6.
Project Outcomes ....................................................................................................................................... 13
6.1Supply Quality and Quantity .................................................................................................................. 13
6.2 Supply Cost ........................................................................................................................................... 14
6.3 Economic Outcomes ............................................................................................................................. 14
6.4 Environmental Outcomes ...................................................................................................................... 15
6.5 OHS Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 15
6.6 Community / Social Outcomes .............................................................................................................. 15
7.
Project Evaluation ....................................................................................................................................... 16
8.
Experience sharing and lessons learnt ....................................................................................................... 16
9.
Scheme Finance ......................................................................................................................................... 16
10. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 16

3
The Fitzgibbon Stormwater Harvesting (FiSH) scheme has been developed to demonstrate the potential for harvested stormwater to be supplied to residential communities for non-potable water uses.
Conceived in 2009 and constructed and commissioned over a four year period, the FiSH scheme harvests stormwater runoff from a 290ha urban catchment and supplies treated water to the Fitzgibbon Chase development for non-potable uses including toilet flushing, cold water laundry, garden watering and other outside uses.
The FiSH scheme is yet to go into full operation, however, commissioning testing and ongoing analysis shows that it will meet the project objectives, i.e. to provide an alternative source of water to reduce potable demand and improve water supply security, to not increase greenhouse gas emissions, and to improve the quality of stormwater entering local waterways.
The project was successfully completed adopting a comprehensive design and assessment process, including water balance modelling, risk assessment, business case development, baseline water quality monitoring, verification testing and liaison with water supply and regulatory authorities.
The FiSH scheme will supply 81ML/year of treated stormwater, 41per cent of non-potable demand, at a cost of $2.40 per/kL. Energy consumption will be approximately 60 per cent of the regional water supply energy use per unit of water supplied.
The total cost of the FiSH scheme is estimated at $6,651,282 of which the Australian Government provided
$3,086,600 towards the Fitzgibbon Stormwater Harvesting (FiSH) scheme.
The final report covers the entire project period and details the conduct, benefits and outcomes of the project as a whole.
The FiSH scheme was developed in conjunction with the Fitzgibbon Potable Roofwater Harvesting (PotaRoo)
Scheme, which has been developed to produce potable water from communally harvested roofwater. Until the
PotaRoo scheme is fully operational, treated water from that system will feed into the FiSH scheme.

4
This report has been prepared as the Final Report to the Australian Government Department of Environment (DoE) as required under the terms of the funding agreement for the Fitzgibbon Stormwater Harvesting (FiSH) scheme in
Brisbane, Qld. The FiSH scheme received funding under the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan, Stormwater
Harvesting and Reuse Projects program.
Construction and commissioning of the FiSH scheme is complete, though it is yet to go into full service. This report provides an overview of the project, the methodology and processes adopted in developing the scheme, and the key outcomes from the project to date.
The Fitzgibbon Stormwater Harvesting (FiSH) scheme diverts urban stormwater runoff from a channel running through
Fitzgibbon, known as the ‘Carseldine Drain’, for supply for non-potable uses within the Fitzgibbon Chase residential development.
2.1 Fitzgibbon Chase
Within the Fitzgibbon Chase two stormwater harvesting and reuse schemes were developed.
The FiSH scheme was developed as part of the Minister for Economic Development Queensland ’s (formally the Urban
Land Development Authority) Fitzgibbon Chase project. Fitzgibbon Chase is a residential subdivision and is located in
the northern suburbs of Brisbane approximately 12 km north of the CBD (refer to Locality Plan Figure 1). The
development has a total area of approximately 114 ha.
Figure 1 Locality Plan

5
Figure 2 shows the extent of the Fitzgibbon Chase development.
Figure 2 Fitzgibbon Chase Development
2.2 Project Overview
The FiSH scheme captures stormwater from a 290ha urban catchment and pumps the water to a 5ML covered and lined storage lagoon. Water is drawn from the storage to the stormwater treatment plant, where it is treated using sand filtration, activated carbon, UV disinfection and residual chlorination.
When in full operation the FiSH scheme will supply on average 81ML/year of treated stormwater for non-potable uses including toilet flushing, cold water laundry, general external uses such as car washing, garden watering and public open space irrigation. Water will be distributed to households in Fitzgibbon Chase via the third pipe dual reticulation system.
The FiSH scheme has been designed in accordance with the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Stormwater
Harvesting and Reuse (NRMMC, EPHC and NHMRC 2009), which provides a risk management framework for the beneficial and sustainable management of roofwater and stormwater reuse systems. There are no specific
Queensland Guidelines or regulatory requirements with respect to stormwater harvesting for non-potable uses.
The FiSH scheme is designed to operate alongside, but independently from, the Fitzgibbon Potable Roofwater
(PotaRoo) Project, a roofwater collection and potable reuse scheme developed by EDQ in conjunction with Japanese
engineering company JFE. The general layout of the FiSH scheme is shown in Figure 3. It is also shown schematically in Figure 4.

6
Figure 3 FiSH scheme Layout
Cl
NaOCl
NaOH pH
Holding
Tank
Recirculation
Level
Level
NTU
300 kL
Treated Water
Storage Tank
Non-potable water distribution pipe
Flow
Actuated valve
Flow
Ultraviolet
Irradiation
UV
Intensity
Distribution
Pumps
NTU
Waste
Activated
Carbon
Filtration
UVT
Fitzgibbon Chase
Development Area
ORP
Media
Filtration
Level pH pH
Coagulant
(PAC)
NaOH
NTU
Level
Flow
Filter Feed
Pumps
Feed
Water
Tank
Automatic
Filter
SWTP Feed
Pumps
5 ML covered raw water storage
Flow
Level
EC
GPT
Oil and sediment separator
Diversion weir and transfer pump
Figure 4 FiSH Schematic Diagram
2.3 Stormwater Catchment
Stormwater runoff is harvested from a 290hectare catchment via the Carseldine Drain. The catchment includes predominantly residential and open space land uses. No major industrial facilities are located within the catchment boundary; however a major arterial road (Gympie Road) bisects the western part of the catchment. The stormwater
catchment for the FiSH scheme is shown in Figure 5 below.
Activities in the catchment and associated potential contaminants include:

7

Residential – litter, sediment, household chemicals, fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, automotive waste oils, animal faeces, sewerage overflows.

Open Space – fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, animal faeces.

Roads and paved surfaces – heavy metals, hydrocarbons.

Transport – chemical spills, fuel spills.

Construction – temporary but associated with high sediment loads, chemical contaminants (paints, fuels), gross pollutants.
FiSH Stormwater
Storage Pond
FiSH & PotaRoo
Treatment Plants
Diversion Point
FiSH
Catchment
Development
Area
Figure 5 FiSH scheme Stormwater Catchment
2.4 Stormwater diversion
The stormwater diversion basin is located on the Carseldine Drain and forms part of a larger flood mitigation basin.
The diversion basin allows low flows to bypass, and provides some temporary stormwater storage prior to the water being pumped to the raw water storage. When flow in the drain exceeds the baseflow, water flows into the diversion basin and the diversion pump well. If there is space in the raw water storage lagoon the water is automatically pumped from the diversion basin to the storage lagoon by the single submersible diversion pump.
Figure 6 Diversion Point

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2.5 Oil and sediment separator
A Humeceptor® oil and sediment separator, located immediately upstream of the raw water storage, removes suspended solids and gross pollutants such as sticks and litter from the diverted water. This helps prevent build up of suspended solids or gross pollutants in the storage, reducing maintenance requirements.
2.6 Raw water storage
The 5ML raw water storage is located adjacent to the Water Treatment Plant (WTP), within the Energex/Powerlink easement. The storage is an earth lagoon with a PE membrane liner and floating cover. The basin has a maximum average operating depth of 1.75 m and is approximately 88m long and 38m wide at top water level.
Figure 7 Oil and Sediment Separator (Humes) & 5ML Storage
2.7 Stormwater Treatment Plant (SWTP)
Water is transferred from the raw water storage to the SWTP for treatment. The water quality requirements for treated stormwater from the FiSH scheme, based on the Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse Guidelines, are tabulated below.
Table 1 Treated Stormwater Quality Objectives 1
Test Parameters Units Treatment Objective Water Quality Requirement
Turbidity NTU -
Chlorine residual pH
Viruses
Bacteria mg/L
-
Log
Log
10
10
reduction
reduction
-
-
> 2.4
> 2.4
Protozoan parasites Log
10
reduction >1.9
E.coli cfu/100mL -
The treatment processes incorporated into the FiSH SWTP include:

Raw water chemical dosing with PAC as a coagulant if required,

Raw water pH correction using NaOH if required,

Sand filtration for removal of suspended solids and fine particulates,
-
-
<25 (maximum)
<10 (95%ile)
<2 (target)
0.5 (95%ile) 2
6 - 8.5
3
-
<1 (95%ile)
1 Primary source: Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse (NRMMC, EPHC & NHMRC 2009)
2 Public Health Regulation 2005. Standards for quality of Class A+ recycled water.
3 Queensland Water Recycling Guideline 2005. Recommended water quality specifications for Class A+ recycled water.

9

Activated carbon treatment to remove organic chemical contaminants,

UV Disinfection as the primary disinfection process,

Treated water pH correction using NaOH ,

Treated water chlorination using NaOCl to provide a system residual.
2.8 Treated water storage and distribution system
A 300kL treated water storage is provided adjacent to the SWTP building to balance diurnal water demands from the development. The storage is an above ground panel tank with an HDPE liner. Treated water is pumped from the treated water tank into the distribution system. The distribution pumps are variable speed designed to maintain constant supply pressure over the full range of supply flow rates.
When there is a shortage of stormwater for supply, a backup potable water connection will maintain a minimum water level in the treated water tank to ensure continuity of supply.
The distribution system will supply water to Fitzgibbon Chase through a dedicated third purple pipe for non-potable uses. The purple pipe distribution system is currently being installed as each stage of the development is constructed.
At completion, the total number of residential lots supplied will be estimated at over 1000;
Figure 8 SWTP and Treated Water Tank
2.9 Intended end uses of product
Non-potable water uses to be supplied by the FiSH dual reticulation network include:

Toilet flushing,

Cold water laundry tap,

External household use (e.g. car washing),

Household garden watering, and

Irrigation of public open space.
The non-potable supply would also be suitable to supply the following uses though there is no provision for this at this stage:

Fire-fighting,

Rehabilitation of disturbed vegetation,

Irrigation of road verges and swales, and

Construction purposes (such as dust suppression).
2.10 Objectives and Goals
The over-riding objectives for stormwater harvesting schemes funded under the program are to contribute to: a. Improving the security of water supplies in Australia, without adding to greenhouse emissions, b. Reducing demand on potable water supplies, and c. Helping to reduce the impact of urban runoff on water quality in receiving waters.

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The specific objectives adopted for the FiSH scheme were to: a. Use stormwater harvesting and reuse to offset potable water demands of approximately 89 ML/yr for nonpotable uses within Fitzgibbon Chase, and b. Improve the quality of stormwater entering local waterways.
The project was initiated in 2009 by the Queensland Government through the Queensland Water Commission as a demonstration project supporting the South East Queensland Water Strategy completed in 2010. Fitzgibbon Chase was identified as a suitable location and EDQ (formally Urban Land Development Authority [ULDA]) a willing participant. EDQ supported the project as consistent with a broader objective to enhance the environmental sustainability of its developments.
The mechanisms and processes implemented for the FiSH scheme can best be illustrated with a brief history of the project development, highlighting the key milestones, decision points and activities:

Initial feasibility investigations were completed by Bligh Tanner Pty Ltd in December 2009.

A funding application was submitted under the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan Stormwater
Harvesting and Reuse Projects Funding Scheme in February 2010 and funding was confirmed in September
2010.

Design and installation of the purple pipe dual reticulation into Fitzgibbon Chase commenced with Stages 3/4 in late 2010.

Detailed design of the stormwater diversion, storage and treatment systems was completed by Bligh Tanner in mid-2010

The Urban Water Security Research Alliance (UWSRA) undertook baseline stormwater flow measurement and water quality sampling during 2011/12 and reported the results through the Urban Water Security
Research Alliance in December 2012.

A detailed Water Quality Risk Management Plan (WQRMP) was developed in conjunction with all key stakeholders (ULDA, QUU, Queensland Health and the Office of the Water Supply Regulator) to inform the design process and ensure that all risks had been identified and addressed; this was completed in November
2011.

A Business Case was also developed in November 2011 to consider the cost of operating the system and the likely cost to be charged to consumers; it also addressed the other benefits of the scheme, such as the satisfaction of requirements under the Queensland Development Code for an alternative water source.

In February 2012, a contract was awarded to Pensar Building Pty Ltd, in conjunction with WJP Solutions Pty
Ltd for water treatment works, to build the FiSH scheme. Construction of the civil works reached Practical
Completion in September 2012.

The water treatment plant was commissioning and verification testing completed in July 2013 with Practical
Completion finalised in April 2014. This was in addition to the separate Process Validation Report prepared by
WJP Solutions in 2012.

In 2013 development responsibility for Fitzgibbon Chase transferred to Economic Development Queensland
(EDQ), part of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP).

Since the early stages of the design, ULDA/EDQ and Bligh Tanner have maintained continual liaison and coordination with the local water utility (Queensland Urban Utilities – QUU) with respect to the impact of the system on its services and the potential for QUU to be the ultimate owner and operator of the scheme.

An evaluation of the benefits of stormwater harvesting in terms of removing stormwater contaminants from urban runoff was completed in 2012.

In February 2014, a Stormwater Harvesting Water Management Plan (SWHMP), following the State guidelines for Recycled Water Management Plans (RWMP), was completed. This was prepared to ensure that the risk and requirements for on-going plant operation were well understood and documented and to support the future scheme operator.

The plant is now fully commissioned and ready to go into service, subject to identifying a suitable operator.

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To effectively manage the design and delivery of the FiSH scheme the following governance arrangements were made. These are standard for large projects delivered by the Economic Development Queensland.
4.1 Steering Committee
A steering committee has been created including members at director and management level. The role of the steering committee was to:

Provide advice and guidance to Economic Development Queensland ’s contractual commitments to its key funders

Monitor relationships with key stakeholders

Review and approve whole-of-project budget and cash flow


Review and approve the whole-of-project schedule and achievement of milestones
Review and authorise project risks and the project risk assessment.
Steering committee members included the following people periodically over the life of the scheme:
Mr Peter Smith – EDQ
Ms Meg Macaulay – EDQ
Mr Peter Kelly - EDQ
Mr Chris Tanner – Bligh Tanner
Mr Damien Stiler – Bligh Tanner
Mr Yasuto Ando – JFE Engineering
Mr Atsunori Sato – JFE Engineering
Mr Inakoshi Osamu – JFE Engineering
Director – Residential Development
Senior Development Manager
Project Manager
Civil Engineer
Civil Engineer
Commercial Manager
Commercial Manager
Commercial Manager
4.2 Project Manager
The project manager is accountable for the successful delivery of the scheme to meet the time, quality and cost parameters agreed with key stakeholders including the Department of the Environment. The role encompasses:

Provide management of the scheme

Prepare Milestone and Status Reports prior to submission to the steering committee

Day-to-day management of budgetary expenditure and schedule

Day-to-day management of designers and contractors

Manage project risks and project risk assessment

Undertake tender process for design activities and construction works

Co-ordinate internal stakeholder engagement

Co-ordinate the works with other activities occurring within the development site

Provide representation to external stakeholders and co-ordination with those stakeholders to achieve required project outcomes.
4.3 Project activities and conduct
The design and construction project management was conducted in-house by the residential development division of
EDQ. The design for each project was developed through the lead consultant (Bligh Tanner) to tender documentation.
The tender process conformed to Queensland Government standards for public tenders. The successful tenders where engaged directly to EDQ with supervision of the contracts through external consultants (Blight Tanner, ETS
Engineering and Brown Consulting Group). External expertise was engaged as necessary to ensure the design intent and building standards were complied with.
Activities completed to date:
MILESTONE DESCRIPTIONS
MILESTONE COMPLETION DATE

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Fund Agreement executed
INITIAL PROJECT PLANNING

Complete project planning and amend projections.
AREA A :
Stages 3 and 4

Complete reticulation design.

Complete construction of Reticulation System.

AREA C :

Area C1 – Complete reticulation design.
Area C1 - Commence construction Reticulation System.
AREA E :
Stages 5 and 6

Complete reticulation design.

Commence construction of Reticulation System.
MONITORING:

Commence stream monitoring for design validation.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT:

Complete design for Water Treatment Plant, Stormwater Diversion and Storage Lagoon.
AREA E :

Stage 5 and 6 - Complete construction of Reticulation System

Stage 7 - Commence reticulation design and construction plans.
MONITORING:

Continue stream monitoring for design validation.
AREA C :

Area C2 - Complete reticulation design.

Area C3 and C4 - Commence design of Reticulation System.
AREA E :

Stage 7 - Commence construction of Reticulation System.
MONITORING:

Continue stream monitoring for design validation.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT:

Complete tender documentation for and commence site works of Water
Treatment Plant, Stormwater Diversion and Storage Lagoon
AREA C :

Area C1 - Complete construction of Reticulation System.

Area C2 – Commence and complete construction of Reticulation
System.

Areas C3 and C4 - Complete design of Reticulation System.
12 May 2011
July 2011
November 2011
May 2012
February 2013

13

Areas C3 and C4 - Commence construction of Reticulation System.
AREA E :

Stage 7 – Complete construction of Construction Reticulation System.
MONITORING:

Continue stream monitoring for design validation.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT:

Completion of Water Treatment Plant and Stormwater Diversion and
Storage Lagoon.
AREA E :

Stage 8 - Complete design of Reticulation System.

Stage 8 - Commence construction of Reticulation System
May 2013
AREA C:

Areas C3 and C4 - Complete construction of Reticulation Systems.
AREA E :

Stage 8 – Complete construction of Reticulation Systems.
MONITORING:

Continue stream monitoring for design validation.
WATER TREATMENT PLANT:

Commission of Water Treatment Plant and Stormwater Diversion and
Storage Lagoon.
Activities yet to be completed:
MILESTONE DESCRIPTIONS
Design and installation of purple pipe dual reticulation into final stages of
Fitzgibbon Chase
Final Stormwater Harvesting Water Management Plan (SHWMP)
Tenders called for operation and maintenance of the FiSH scheme
Confirmation of plant operator and handover
FiSH scheme goes into operation supplying customers with non-potable water
March 2014
ESTIMATED MILESTONE
COMPLETION DATE
July 2015
June 2014
June 2014
August 2014
December 2014
6.1
Supply Quality and Quantity
As noted above, the FiSH scheme is yet to supply water to customers. However, during commissioning testing, it successfully demonstrated that water can be harvested and delivered at a water quality suitable for the proposed

14 uses. In addition, the anticipated demand for water from the scheme has been verified in conjunction with QUU and using recent relevant water consumption data.
The review of the system yield completed in 2014 with QUU has confirmed that the system performance will be as follows:

Total water supplied into distribution system – 97ML/yr. (average)

Total stormwater supplied - 81ML/yr. (84per cent)
During initial start-up and commissioning it has been demonstrated that the diversion operates effectively, with water diverted to quickly fill the storage after rainfall. Commissioning testing has demonstrated that the water treatment plant is effective at treating to the specified quality and at the required rate of 300 kL/day. Over the 1 month trial period, the plant treated 4.85 ML of water and consistently met the design water quality requirements (Table 2). The verification testing was supported by the validation report prepared by WJP Solutions demonstrating that the plant as installed can achieve the pathogen log reductions required under the Australian guidelines.
The system is now fully commissioned and ready to be placed into service.
Table 2 Water Treatment Plant Verification Test Results
Test Parameters Units
No. of Samples Guideline
Value
Results
Turbidity NTU 20
<25 (maximum)
<10 (95%ile)
10 (maximum)
9 (95%ile)
<2 (target) 2 (median)
Chlorine residual pH
Viruses
Bacteria mg/L
- cfu/100mL
>0.5 (95%ile)
6 - 8.5
1.8 (95%ile)
7.5 – 8.0
None detected
<1
Protozoan parasites
E.coli
6.2 Supply Cost
Cysts/10L cfu/100mL <1 (95%ile)
<1
<1
A review of the system yield and operating costs completed in 2014 in conjunction with QUU has confirmed that the system performance will be as follows:

Operating cost of water - $2.40per kL, including the cost of potable water make-up at $3.50per kL.

Operating costs include labour, electricity, consumables, on-going verification testing, periodic crossconnection auditing, event management / monitoring, source management and potable water make-up.
6.3 Economic Outcomes
The economic benefits from this and similar schemes arise from the reduction in potable water required, the demonstrated potential for decentralised schemes to reduce the need for major new water supply capacity, the enhanced liveability and value of the community with water available for irrigation of community open spaces, and the potential to offset other statutory requirements, freeing up land for development.
The direct benefit to the potable water supply system is 81ML/year of water, valued at $285,000, that will not need to be supplied. The 84per cent reduction in non-potable water demand illustrates the potential for decentralised water harvesting schemes (or Local Alternative Water Supplies) to make a significant contribution to regional water supply

15 capacity and significantly reduce and defer requirements for future major water supply augmentation. This is significant because future increases in regional water supply capacity are likely to be from costly seawater desalination, as there are only limited opportunities remaining for new surface water storages.
Fitzgibbon Chase has developed a community garden providing direct local benefits through the produce created and an enhanced sense of community. The garden will be irrigated using treated stormwater. This, with other community open space, improves the liveability of the development, the desirability of the area as a place to invest, and therefore the overall value of the properties in the area.
When the FiSH scheme was initiated, there was a requirement under the Queensland Development Code (QDC) 4.2, for every new house to have an alternative water source to offset potable water demands. Typically, this meant the installation of rainwater tanks plumbed into the house as the only viable source. The FiSH scheme provided the opportunity to remove the requirement for rainwater tanks from the scheme. The economic benefits of this are lower housing costs, more efficient and effective lot utilisation and a greater lot yield overall. A cost comparison undertaken in 2011 estimated the cost saving between individual rainwater tanks and the FiSH scheme supply to be $1,350 per household. This analysis did not include the economic benefits associated with lot utilisation and yield. Unfortunately, the QDC requirement for an alternative source was removed in 2013.
6.4 Environmental Outcomes
Stormwater harvesting, as a local alternative water source, provides direct environmental benefits to the community through improved community open spaces irrigated with the water. However, the most significant environmental outcome is the indirect benefit to the stormwater drainage system of removing a proportion of the runoff, with its associated contaminants, from the drainage system, thereby reducing the sediment and nutrient export load and the need for water quality improvement devices. Based on an evaluation by Bligh Tanner in 2012, the combined benefits of the FiSH and PotaRoo schemes, when compared with pollutant reduction targets required under the State Planning
Policy 4/10 Healthy Waters, was in excess of 50% of the Suspended Solids removal required and 75% and 90% of the
Phosphorus and Nitrogen removal targets respectively.
An assessment of energy consumption by the FiSH scheme suggests that it will use perhaps 20 per cent less energy per/ML of water supplied than the South East Queensland regional water supply system (1,800 cf 2,200 4 MJ/ML) based on the current sources of supply.
Future new sources are expected to have significantly higher energy requirements due to treatment technologies (eg
RO) and the distance water has to be pumped to urban centres.
The FiSH scheme will be powered by green energy from the grid to further limit its contribution to greenhouse emissions.
6.5 OHS Outcomes
Raw water testing has shown that the untreated stormwater is contaminated from the urban catchment, though the level of risk posed by this is low compared with other alternative water sources, such as wastewater. With the safeguards and water treatment systems provided, the water quality from the FiSH scheme will meet the minimum requirements for reticulation for residential use where there is a high potential for human contact, ensuring that the community users of the water, and the system operators, are protected from the risk of waterborne disease or other adverse health effects.
6.6 Community / Social Outcomes
As noted previously, Fitzgibbon Chase has developed a community garden that will be irrigated using treated stormwater. EDQ aims to create a liveable place with a strong sense of community and this is demonstrated in the development to date. Initiatives such as the community garden and community open space are very important parts of this strategy. As the source of water for irrigation of the garden and open space, the FiSH scheme plays an important part in achieving these objectives.
4 Energy use in the provision and consumption of urban water in Australia: an update, Prepared by CSIRO for the Water Services Association of
Australia, May 2012.

16
While the scheme is yet to supply water to consumers there is confidence that, based on the system that has been developed, and the analyses undertaken, the schemes objectives will be met:
1. The FiSH scheme will produce an alternative supply of water for non-potable uses that will offset 81ML/year of potable water demand; this represents 84per cent of non-potable water demand and approximately 40per cent of total water demand.
2. By providing that offset, the FiSH scheme demonstrates that local alternative water supplies have the potential to improve the security of regional water supplies in Australia and to reduce and defer the need for major new source augmentations.
3. As a local system, the FiSH scheme is a relatively low energy user compared with alternative sources requiring pumping over long distances; in addition, power for the scheme will be sourced from green power ensuring that the overall impact on greenhouse emissions is minimised.
4. By removing 81ML/yr of stormwater, the FiSH scheme will remove a significant pollutant load from the catchment and improve the quality of stormwater entering local waterways.
The following key learnings have been noted for future projects:

There are restrictive and expensive requirements for scheme validation, ongoing verification and auditing presents financial risk to the development of new schemes;

There are no clear models for governance of alternative waters sources, including ownership and operation, and how they are integrated into the municipal water system generally; this is perhaps the greatest current challenge to their widespread implementation;

Fitzgibbon Chase is a developing residential estate and is subject to market forces. This may necessitate a slow down or acceleration of construction. Stages may also be changed or swapped to maintain margins. This may affect the overall scheme program and agreed funding milestones;

An independent assessment of the proposed design of the scheme can be valuable in cross checking suitable design, scheme budgets and viability; and

Consistent project management and design/supervision roles is invaluable to ensuring the delivery of the original objectives.

Benefit of undertaking complementary projects concurrently (FiSH and PotaRoo Schemes) assist with knowledge sharing and positive project outcomes.
The original scheme budget was set at $6,173,200. The current budget is set at $6,651,282 of which approximately
$530,000 is allowed for the design and installation of the purple pipe dual reticulation system into final stages of the
Fitzgibbon Chase development project (approx. 279 lots).
This is approximately $478,082 more than the cost estimate used for the funding submission. The increase costs can be primarily attributed to design revisions and the inclusion of additional requirements as the design moved from concept to detailed design. Economic Development Queensland will be funding the additional budget requirements.
The Australian Government provided $3,086,600 towards the Fitzgibbon Stormwater Harvesting (FiSH) scheme.
A detailed cost summary is provided in the Financial Report.
Development of the FiSH scheme has confirmed that stormwater harvesting for non-potable uses is technically feasible, cost effective and could form an important part of the regional water supply strategy, though challenges remain to confirm its acceptance as a viable source by the water community and to determine the best business model for delivery:
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The technology required is readily available and well understood.
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Adequate guidelines exist to assist with design, though there is a lack of consistency across jurisdictions and water sources.

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Restrictive and expensive requirements for scheme validation, ongoing verification and auditing present a financial risk to the development of new schemes.
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There are no clear models for governance of alternative waters sources, including ownership and operation, and how they are integrated into the municipal water system generally; this is perhaps the greatest current challenge to their widespread implementation.
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The community has benefitted twice-fold from this project – the use of treated rain water from rooves is reused into the water supply and the excess water is then fed into Carseldine Drain where it is harvested as stormwater, treated and used for non potable water supply within the Fitzgibbon Chase Development.