Community Education & Engagement

Fitzroy River Water offers pre-booked tours of the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant and guest presentation bookings to schools and community groups. These are a unique opportunity to delve into the world of water.

Topics covered during the tours and presentations include:

• Water supply in the Rockhampton Region
• Water quality and monitoring
• The water cycle
• Water conservation
• The Source, Store, Treat, Supply water journey – where does the water come from?
• Water treatment.

To book a tour or guest presentation you must:

• Read the Fitzroy River Water Tour Booking Terms and Conditions(PDF, 167KB)
• Read the General Site Safety Rules (Glenmore Water Treatment Plant)(PDF, 173KB)
• Complete the Tour Booking/Guest Presentation Request Form(PDF, 352KB)
• Submit to Fitzroy River Water.

A member of the Fitzroy River Water Administration Team will contact you within 10 days of receipt of your form to confirm your booking. 

Conditions of tour

• Supervision ratio of one adult to ten children (1:10) or part thereof is required (Fitzroy River Water staff are not included in this ratio)
• Supervision/discipline is the responsibility of the adult group leaders
• Tours must be pre-booked at least four weeks in advance
• Tours run between 9am - 11am and 1pm - 4pm weekdays
• Tours are dependent on tour guide availability
• Tours take approximately one hour.

If you have any questions please contact the Fitzroy River Water Administration Team on 07 4932 9000 or 1300 22 55 77, or email enquiries@rrc.qld.gov.au.

COMING SOON!

You can soon download our range of videos and fact sheets for educational purposes.

Fitzroy River Water maintains the sewerage system throughout the Rockhampton Region. The sewerage system is connected to each property to transport sewage and domestic wastewater from each home to the sewage treatment plants via private house drains, sewer mains and pumping stations.

During heavy rainfall the sewerage system can become overloaded by the inflow or infiltration of stormwater. Inflow occurs when rainwater enters the sewerage system via defective, illegal or inappropriate plumbing. Infiltration is when ground water enters the network via cracks and leaks in underground infrastructure.

What is an illegal connection?

An illegal connection refers to a stormwater down pipe or overflow relief gully that directs stormwater into the sewerage system.

It is illegal to:

• Direct stormwater into an overflow relief gully
• Direct a rainwater tank overflow into an overflow relief gully
• Direct rainwater runoff from paving or landscaping into an overflow relief gully and
• Connect stormwater drains to the sewerage system. 

Stormwater downpipes should discharge rainwater to the ground or the street and overflow relief gullies must be above ground level to prevent stormwater entering into the sewerage system. 

How do I get it right at the pipe?

All property owners are responsible for checking and maintaining their stormwater connections.

To get it right at the pipe you should:

• Check all downpipes to ensure stormwater is discharged to the ground or the street
• Inspect the area around the overflow relief gully to ensure stormwater can flow away
• Ensure the overflow relief gully is free from obstruction to allow it to work effectively as an external overflow relief point.

If you are concerned about your stormwater connection you should contact a licensed plumber so they can get it right at the pipe for you!

Stormwater drains being connected to a legal point of discharge should be carried out by a licensed drainer who will ensure that the work meets the AS 3500 standards.

What happens if I get it wrong at the pipe?

The sewerage system is not designed to cope with or carry run off from rainfall. If you get it wrong at the pipe and stormwater enters the sewerage system you could expect to see:

• Localised flooding caused by sewage surcharges
• Sewage to overflow into waterways, which can lead to environmental harm and risks to public health
• Increased pumping and treatment costs
• A reduction in the amount of sewage that can be transported throughout the sewer network resulting in unnecessary upgrade costs
• Adverse effects to treated sewage effluent quality through the failure of treatment plant processes.

Fitzroy River Water maintains the sewerage system throughout the Rockhampton Region. The sewerage system is connected to each property to transport sewage and domestic wastewater from each home to the sewage treatment plants via private house drains, sewer mains and pumping stations.

Putting the wrong items down sinks can leave home owners with an expensive plumbing bill to unblock pipes. It can also lead to sewage overflows and problems in other parts of the sewerage network.

Think at the kitchen sink

Fats, oils and grease can accumulate in pipes. Small items such as fruit stickers, tea leaves and coffee grinds, when multiplied across a neighbourhood can stick to grease build-ups or get caught in screens and filters, causing costly blockages.

While rubbish flushed down drains is captured by sophisticated traps and filters in our sewage treatment plants, blocked pipes can cause sewage overflows and pollute the environment.

Think at the bathroom sink

Even small items such as adhesive bandages, hair, cotton buds and face wipes can block pipes and cause equipment failures by jamming filters and pumping equipment.

Use only the recommended amount of detergent and cleaners when available to reduce the likelihood of odour and bacteria growth leading into drain blockages.

Do not wash these items down the sink:

• Meat fats
• Cooking oil
• Butter and margarine
• Food scraps
• Baking goods
• Sauces
• Dairy products
• Produce stickers
• Tea leaves/coffee grinds
• Cosmetics and medicines
• Tissues
• Paper towel
• Egg shells
• Plastic

Remember!

• Use a sink strainer
• Scrape before you wash
• Bin it, don’t sink it
• Use the recommended amount of biodegradable detergent.

What to do if you have a sewer blockage

If you are having trouble draining your sink or are experiencing an overflow, this could be a sign of a blockage. The first thing you should do if you believe your sewerage pipes may be blocked is to call a licensed plumber. A plumber will be able to tell you if the blockage is located in the pipes in your property boundary or outside your property boundary. If the blockage is outside your property boundary please report this to Fitzroy River Water on 07 4932 9000 or 1300 22 55 77.

Fitzroy River Water maintains the sewerage system throughout the Rockhampton Region. The sewerage system is connected to each property to transport sewage and domestic wastewater from each home to the sewage treatment plants via private house drains, sewer mains and pumping stations.

Flushing the wrong items down toilets can leave home owners with an expensive plumbing bill to unblock pipes and can lead to malfunctions at the sewage treatment plant. Malfunctions add extra costs and hinder the effective and efficient treatment of sewage provided by Fitzroy River Water. Effective and efficient treatment is required to protect the community and the environment.

The sewer network

As sewage and domestic wastewater enters the sewage treatment plant, it firstly travels through an automated inlet screen which is designed to remove paper and other soft solids. The step screen is not designed to cope with hard foreign objects. In the past, Fitzroy River Water has incurred extensive repair bills to some of these inlet screens due to damage caused by foreign objects. Odd and unacceptable objects that have made their way to the inlet screen include timber, bricks, cameras, tape measures, a washing machine motor, and bed sheets.

It is important you take care when handling anything near the toilet as if it is dropped in the toilet it may not be retrievable. This could lead to potential issues both at your house and in parts of the sewerage network.

When cleaning your toilet or bathroom, you should use only the recommended amount of detergent and cleaners to reduce the amount of chemicals. Chemicals (such as phosphorus) that enter the sewerage system require removal at the sewage treatment plant.

It is also important to try to limit flushing and disposing of non-biodegradable toilet paper. Non-biodegradable products have to be separated at the sewage treatment plant by Fitzroy River Water and transported to the landfill. The disposal of this solid waste to landfill is becoming very expensive as available landfill space is becoming limiting.

These items will spoil it at the toilet:

• Cigarette butts
• Sanitary items (such as incontinence pads)
• Tissues
• Hair
• Condoms
• Insects
• Small animals
• Cotton swabs
• Nappies
• Floss
• Drugs and medicines
• Food
• Paint and building waste
• Cleaning wipes
• First aid items
• Poisons
• Razors
• Dryer sheets
• Dirt
• Cat litter
• Chewing gum
• Cosmetics

These items won't spoil it at the toilet:

• Human waste
• Biodegradable toilet or tissue paper

What to do if you spoil it at the toilet

If you believe your toilet has been blocked with a foreign item, you should call a plumber. A plumber will be able to determine where the blockage lies and in some instances may have to remove the toilet from the wall to unblock pipes.

If the blockage lies outside your property boundary please report this to Fitzroy River Water on 07 4932 9000 or 1300 22 55 77.

Flying foxes (or fruit bats) often feed at night on native and introduced tree species in residential areas. These mammals carry a range of potentially harmful micro-organisms.

If flying foxes are present around your residential area and occupying locations on or above roofs, guttering or rainwater tanks, there is potential for them to contaminate the rainwater.

This could happen when contaminated material (faecal material from the animals) containing viruses, bacteria or other micro-organisms, collects on the roof and get washed into the rainwater tanks.

If managed well, rainwater tanks can continue to provide a source of water suitable for drinking or other domestic purposes.

How to reduce risks

There are several things you can do to help reduce the likelihood of your rainwater tank becoming contaminated:

• Install a first flush device to divert the initial dirty water flow away from the tank
• Use a 1mm (or less) mesh screen to prevent material from entering the tank when roof run off water is collected
• Inspect tank for bottom sediments and flush tank to remove debris if possible (every six to 12 months)
• Prune or remove all overhanging vegetation and debris from roofs, gutters or tanks (every three to six months)
• Check for evidence of animal access to tank and repair and close any openings to the tank (every six months)
• Regularly disinfect the rainwater tank by adding a suitable disinfectant (e.g. 40mL of liquid sodium hypochlorite per 1000L of water).

Maintaining safe rainwater for drinking purposes requires a small amount of maintenance to help ensure that the rainwater supply is free of contamination.

National Water Week is an annual awareness week held in the third week of October aimed at inspiring individuals, communities and organisations to work together to build awareness around the value of water. Access to clean water is hugely important to every aspect of our lives, and we must do our best to protect our water environments and resources, and use water wisely.

Please visit theNational Water Week website for further information.

Residents in the Rockhampton Region who purchase and install water efficient products can apply to receive rebates under the Residential Rebate Scheme for Water Efficient Products Policy(PDF, 180KB).

Available rebates

Eligibility

To be eligible for a rebate, the requirements are:

(a) Be the owner of a residential property in the Region; or

(b) Be the tenant of a residential property in the Region and registered at the address on the Australian electoral roll. Where registration cannot be confirmed, alternative documentation must be provided to verify the tenancy for example drivers licence or utility notice; and

(c) Have purchased and installed eligible water efficient product/s at a residential property in the Region and made a claim within 12 months of the product/s purchase as indicated from the date on the receipt.

A rebate can only be claimed for one of each water efficient product type per applicant; The rebate is for the retrofit of eligible water efficient products in existing residential properties only, with the exception of the purchase of new washing machines.

How to apply

• Review the Residential Rebate Scheme for Water Efficient Products Policy(PDF, 180KB)
• Complete the Residential Rebate Application Form(PDF, 342KB) and submit to Fitzroy River Water with a copy of the receipt as proof of purchase.

WATERWISE HOME

Saving water starts with you! In the home this includes appliances and fixtures from the kitchen and bathroom, to the laundry and the swimming pool. Choosing appliances and fixtures with a higher Water Efficiency (WELS) rating can save on water and on costs. A 4 star WELS rating washing machine will save more than 3 buckets of water per load compared to a 3 star washing machine.

Conducting a water audit of your household can also tell you how much water you use and if you might have a leak. A leaking toilet for example, can waste up to 18 buckets of water per day! You should check your water meter regularly to monitor and understand how much water you use. This will also help locate leaks early, saving you both water and money!

Follow these water saving tips and you could save up to 200L of water in a day!

In the kitchen

• Scrape dishes, don’t rinse, and save over one bucket of water a day.
• Run only a full dishwasher and save nearly 2 buckets of water for one less load.
• Wash your vegetables and rinse dishes in a plugged sink or basin – not under a running tap.
• While waiting for water from the tap to heat, collect it in a bottle and put it in the fridge.

In the bathroom

• Turning off the tap while soaping up your hands or brushing your teeth can save over 3 buckets of water a day.
• Showering for one minute less will save a bucket of water. 
• Take a shower instead of a bath to save over 9 buckets of water, as well as money on your energy bill.

Laundry and toilet

• Run a washing machine only with a full load and save 11 buckets of water with one less load.
• Use the ½ flush to save 1.5 L per flush which is nearly a bucket of water a day.

Pools

• Use a pool cover, or a shade cloth over the pool, to reduce evaporation.
• Install a rainwater tank or downpipe diverter to top-up your pool instead of using town water.
• Check for pool leaks regularly as a small leak can lose a lot of water.

WATERWISE GARDENS AND LAWNS

Water saving outside the home in your garden is just as important as inside. Checking for leaks at garden taps and on irrigation systems on a regular basis can save you loads! Check out some of the helpful tips below to help you have a Waterwise garden and lawn;

• Use mulch to retain water and prevent plants from drying out.
• Ideally water 5-10 am when the sun is low, winds are calm, and temperatures are cool - less water is lost to evaporation.
• Watch the weather - don't water if it is about to rain.
• Use other sources of water such as a rainwater tank or your laundry greywater.
• Mow only when necessary and outside the heat of the day.
• Grow drought tolerant plants.
• Group plants together according to water needs.
• Use a broom or rake rather than a hose to clean your driveways and hard surfaces.
• Wash your car or bike on the lawn and water the grass at the same time.

View the State Government's waterwise website for educational materials and tips for your home.