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August 2009

• 3 ways to be an environmental star
• Advanced sewage treatment planned at the Eastern Treatment Plant
• Wanted: Short films

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3 ways to be an environmental star

With a little bit of thought and a whole lot of heart, anyone can be an environmental star in their school or community. But sometimes, we need a helping hand or a gentle push to get a project off the ground.

Here are some gentle pushes that could help you become an environmental star.

1. Apply for a Melbourne Water Young Watercare grant

Do you need some funding to get a water project off the ground? Perhaps we can help.

Every year, we give grants to schools and youth groups in the Port Phillip and Westernport region through the Melbourne Water Young Watercare Grants program. This program is part of the Junior Landcare Grants program.

This year, schools or youth groups may apply for grants of up to $5,000. The grants may be used for river health and water conservation projects. In the past, schools and youth groups have used their grants to buy water quality testing kits, seedlings for revegetation projects and for litter reduction projects.

To see if your school or group is eligible and to download an application form, visit www.juniorlandcare.com/melbournewater.

Applications close on 23 October 2009.

2. Enter a short film competition

Power and influence do not belong solely to adults. Young people have influence too. But sometimes it can be hard to be heard.

Making a short film about your views on the environment is one way of getting your story heard. Here are 3 free short film competitions with environmental themes for young people that are currently accepting entries:

• Future Shots: Sustainability Film Challenge Entries close: 12 October 2009
• South East Water short film competition Entries close: 18 September 2009
• Yarra Valley Water short film competition Entries close: 18 September 2009

3. Apply for a Resource Smart School Award

Your school may already be an environmental star. If it is, nominate your school for a Resource Smart Schools Award. There are over $35,000 cash and prizes to share in.

Categories include:

• Biodiversity Smart School of the Year
• Energy Smart School of the Year
• Waste Smart School of the Year
• Water Smart School of the Year
• Victorian Resource Smart School of the Year

To find out how to nominate your school for an award, visit www.onelifeoneworldourfuture.com/resourcesmart.

Nominations and entries close on 24 August 2009.

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Advanced sewage treatment planned at the Eastern Treatment Plant

The Eastern Treatment Plant, in Bangholme, is set to become one of the most sophisticated sewage treatment facilities in the world.

Currently, sewage at the Plant is treated to a secondary standard and disinfected, producing Class C recycled water. The Plant plans to include advanced tertiary treatment to produce Class A recycled water by 2012. These plans are currently being looked at and reviewed by EPA Victoria. If these plans are approved, we hope to begin construction in 2010.

Advanced tertiary treatment at the Plant will:

• Reduce the impact on the marine environment at Boags Rocks, where treated water is discharged
• Increase the potential for more recycled water use over time
• Eliminate litter
• Reduce colour, odour, foaming and the amount of ammonia in the treated water

Here’s how it will work.

1. Disinfection

After sewage is treated to a secondary standard, water is disinfected with ozone (O₃), a gas commonly used for this purpose. Using ozone to treat the water will help clarify the water, as well as manage odour.

2. Filtration

The water is filtered through biological media filters. This removes very fine particles from the water, and helps to remove more nutrients.

3. Disinfection

The water is disinfected again with ultra-violet light and chlorine to kill protozoas, virus and bacteria – micro-organisms which may make us sick.

The water by the end of this stage will be Class A recycled water.

Class A recycled water can be used in activities that do not need high quality drinking water. This includes watering crops that are eaten raw, toilet flushing and fire fighting.

The Eastern Treatment Plant treats 370 million litres of dirty water from homes, businesses and factories in Melbourne’s south east every day. This is 40% of all sewage produced in Melbourne.

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Wanted: Short films

• Are you aged between 5 to 21?
• Are you a filmmaker?
• Are you passionate about the environment?
• Do you have a mobile phone?
• Do you have a video camera?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want your thoughts - captured on film.

Melbourne Water, in partnership with Global Vision Media, is pleased to support Future Shots, a challenge to young Victorians to create short films about sustainability.

We are excited to be able to offer the Melbourne Water – Water Smart City Award category, as part of this initiative. We believe that Melbourne can be a water smart city and are inviting your take on what a water smart city is.

A water smart city is not just about shorter showers or water restrictions. It’s about new and better ways of managing our urban water cycle. How can we smarter about the way we use, manage, treat, protect and conserve water and our rivers and creeks?

So, what will a water smart city look like? How will it feel? What are the sounds of a water smart city? How will a water smart citizen behave? What will we see in a water smart city? What relationship will we have with water?

Create a 3 minute short film (excluding credits), telling us what you think a water smart city is. We would love to see your vision.

Your films can be:

• of any genre – drama, documentary, animation, music video, advertisement, anything
• made individually or part as a team
• made using any film-making device, including mobile phones

Get cracking now, because entries close 12 October 2009. The winning film may be broadcasted on television.

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