Australian Water Management Review Vol 2 2013 | Page 87
The HHWUE project aims to help irrigators invest in more efficient irrigation systems and technologies and return a share of water savings made to the environment. In a partnership between IAL and what was then the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (now Department of Natural Resources and Mines), the department has provided funding for individuals to obtain IAL certifications for the professional areas of agronomist, designer, manager, operator, contractor and installer. This funding supports industry professionals completing relevant competencies, either through training or by recognition of prior learning, and then applying to IAL for certification. According to IAL CEO, Duane Findley, this aspect of the project has provided a unique opportunity to recognise the contribution of irrigation industry’s service sector industry in helping irrigators apply water more efficiently. Important role of irrigation industry professionals “The fact that professionals in the irrigation industry, such as designers, resellers, agronomists and contractors, work in partnership with irrigators and provide them with up-to-date information and advice is often overlooked,” said Duane. “While upgrading irrigation systems is certainly fundamental to improving water use efficiency and providing savings that can be returned to the environment, Healthy HeadWaters recognises that it’s also crucial to have a sector where the people who design, install, sell and manage irrigation systems are highly skilled. “It is these people that irrigators will turn to for ongoing irrigation advice and services long after the project is finished,” he explained. Russell Anderton, manager of the Water Dynamics store at Toowoomba, is one of six staff who decided to take advantage of the funding. Three of his staff decided to complete the training necessary for certified irrigation installer, and three others, including Russell, chose the certified contractor skill set. This has been done through a mixture of recognition of prior learning and face-to-face training. According to Russell, the support was definitely an incentive to becoming involved in training to obtain certification. “One of the main reasons we all signed up was that the program gave us all an opportunity to get formal recognition for what we do for a living,” he explained.
“And, of course, there have definitely been benefits in terms of improving knowledge, something we have appreciated,” he added. The benefits have also extended to the business itself. “I compare our business to that of other serviceoriented providers like electricians and plumbers,” said Russell. “Many of those businesses have stickers in their windows that signify their services are certified or accredited in some way, and I think it gives our customers peace of mind to see the same thing with us.” This isn’t the finish of professional development as far as the staff are concerned, rather it is a part of a process of continuing to improve their professional skills. “We want to be proud of what we do in our work and we see improving our skills as part of this,” said Russell. Queensland’s HHWUE project, began in 2010 and finished in 2012, was funded by the Australian Government as part of the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program under the Water for the Future initiative.
This was followed in 2012 with work on CICL’s major drain, also known as the West Coleambally Channel, which is used to supply stock water over a distance of a 150 km and the Kerarbury Channel. This project was funded through the Australian Government’s NSW Private Infrastructure Operators Program Program (PIOPP). The Kerarbury channel, privately owned by 15 farmers, is not connected to the Murrumbidgee River but obtains its supply via Coleambally Irrigation’s system. The PIOPP, part of the Water for the Future Program,was aimed at projects that improve water use efficiency and productivity in areas operated by private water supply companies. “As well as modernising the two channels, the $43 million received under the PIOPP funding was used to re-line a ten-kilometre section of our main canal to prevent losses from leakage, and for on-farm works across ninety-six farms to improve water and land use efficiency,” explained Coleambally Irrigation’s CEO, John Culleton. Partnership to improve system management The Kerarbury channel modernisation involved a partnership between Coleambally Irrigation and the farmer owners of the channel to replace Dethridge wheels with flumegates so the Kerarbury owners could benefit from Total Channel Control – fully automated flow regulation, water ordering and water metering as well as higher peak-flow rates. Construction started in winter 2011, and Coleambally Irrigation subsequently integrated the operation of Kerarbury’s Total Channel Control into that of Coleambally Irrigation’s under a service agreement between with channel owners and Coleambally Irrigation. Kerarbury’s owners are still responsible for the maintenance of their channel. “Both Kerarbury and Coleambally Irrigation will benefit from the related economies of scale but, more importantly, so too will their farmers” said John. “It made no sense for Kerarbury to have to duplicate our staff and computing hub and as some of their farmers also have properties in our irrigation district and all of them identify themselves as Coly locals, it’s a winwin. Moreover, if more water has to be returned to the environment, this is a much smarter way for it to occur than through buyback because the water loss is offset by increased efficiencies and increased productivity”.
Staff from the Water Dynamics store at Toowoomba installing an irrigation system. System automation saves time and water Coleambally Irrigation’s (CICL) major priority over since 2007 has been to modernise and automate its ir ?Y?][?[]?\?H?\?[H?XZ?H?]\??]?[???[?][X?][?\????\?????YY[??LH?]H?[[?[?H\?]?Y?H?Y[?????K?\?H?\?H?YY\?\?H?\??X?Y???H\??Y?][?]\??[XH??\??[]][[??L???]\??[X[??]H?HH?H?HHH??H?YH?B??