Water on campus

Providers

Griffith University uses local council wastewater treatment processes and facilities to treat wastewater across all campuses.

The Queensland Department of Natural Resources advises local governments on the management and maintenance of sewerage systems and treatment plants, and local councils are licensed under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to discharge wastewater that has been treated and meets an acceptable environmental standard.

Providers for wastewater treatment include:

• Queensland Urban Utilities for the Nathan, Mt Gravatt and Southbank campuses,
• Logan City Council for the Logan campus and
• Gold Coast City Council for the Gold Coast campus.

Since the Millennium drought (1997–2009) Griffith University has partnered with local councils and state governments to ensure water security and improve water management. These partnerships included Griffith's involvement in the Urban Water Security Research Alliance, the largest urban water research program in Australia at the time. Research from this partnership has provided a foundation for the reform of South East Queensland water management, including new water grid infrastructure and a desalination plant.

Standards

Upgrades to wastewater treatment operations in South East Queensland during and since the Millennium drought means South East Queensland now delivers some of the highest-quality drinking water in the world. Wastewater is cleaned and treated at water treatment plants to the stringent standards set by the Australian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines and returned to the water grid.

This world-leading wastewater treatment, combined with the widespread adoption of water-sensitive urban design measures (i.e. rainwater tanks, permeable pavements and stormwater harvesting) has meant Griffith University has contributed to, and uses, wastewater treatment networks that provide water security to South East Queensland, while minimising environmental impacts.

Water system pollution

To prevent physical, biological and chemical alterations to the unique aquatic ecosystems on and around our campuses, Griffith is developing and implementing actions to further minimise and prevent water system pollution through:

• comprehensive contaminant management and response processes
• initiatives to prevent plastic contamination
• the development of water quality standards and guidelines for water discharges, to uphold water quality and protect ecosystems, wildlife and human health and welfare
• the development of erosion and sediment control processes
• management of all potential hazardous materials, chemicals and pollutants on campus in accordance with Australian standards (in addition to the existing guidelines and procedures for chemical management (PDF), chemical waste disposal (PDF) and clinical waste management (PDF)).

Our Design Guidelines set requirements to prevent pollution from contaminated water release.

Griffith Design Guidelines

Marine pollution

Griffith University seeks to ensure a sustainable marine environment through improving marine health and preventing marine pollution of all kinds.

Microplastics entering the fresh and marine aquatic environment are a major environmental and social challenge. Alongside leading research on microplastics within the marine environment, our plastic reduction initiatives include:

• removal of plastic cutlery, utensils and straws from campus service providers and catering
• a Sustainable Event Guide to support the reduction of single-use plastic at Griffith events and graduation ceremonies
• KeepCup and bring-your-own-water-bottle campaigns to encourage reuse and limit the sale of single-use plastic drink containers
• water fountains and refill stations to encourage the use of reusable containers and ensure access to clean drinking water for all
• development of waste management plans to avoid and limit plastic waste as Griffith strives to become a zero-plastic university.

Construction and maintenance works associated with campus development has the potential to cause erosion, releasing sediment into the natural environment. Griffith University is developing measures to monitor and control sediment erosion across our campuses. These measures are informed by our Precision Erosion and Sediment Management Research Group, which develops timely, cost-effective strategies to precisely define and manage erosion and sediment sources in our waterways and catchments.

Across our campuses, we have over 200 drinking water fountains as well as filtered hot and cold water in student and staff kitchen areas to provide free drinking water to all students, staff and visitors.

The Accessing Free Drinking Water on Campus Guide provides maps with detailed information on drinking water locations. This guide also outlines the benefits of refilling and reusing water bottles to prevent waste and plastic pollution entering aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Accessing free drinking water on campus guide

To reduce potable water consumption across our campuses, all new buildings comply with sustainable standards, including the application of water-conscious building standards outlined in the Griffith Design Guidelines.

Griffith Design Guidelines

Standards include the consideration of water use minimisation measures (e.g. installing waterless urinals and using flow restriction fixtures and reduced water pressure on taps), and of rainwater capture and reuse systems, to maximise water reuse across the University.

Rainwater and water reuse options across Griffith campuses

Rainwater tanks on campus are used for toilet flushing and immediate building green space irrigation.

Griffith University adopts a native vegetation approach to campuses, including:

1. a focus on retention and enhancement of remnant vegetation
2. campus design and green space management using native vegetation and, if irrigation is required, collecting rainwater for use where possible
3. developing nature-based solutions to reduce stormwater velocity and prevent contamination release and erosion, including leveraging vegetated and naturalised flow paths wherever possible
4. managing risks posed by bushfires and extreme events, while protecting ecosystem functionality and advantages provided by natural assets
5. developing action plans to improve riparian health through weed management and riparian restoration, and ensuring campus development maintains appropriate ecological buffers from any riparian zone.

The Griffith University Biodiversity Conservation Plan 2022–2025 and its associated Landscape Management Plans include local and native plant palettes designed to minimise and, where possible, eliminate irrigation. This approach ensures we deliver water-conscious planting and plant landscapes that reduce water consumption across our campuses.

Biodiversity Conservation Plan 2022–2025

Gold Coast Campus Master Plan and Planting Strategy

Nathan Campus Planting Strategy

As per our design guidelines, preference shall be given to the use of drought tolerant plants which do not require regular watering.

Griffith Design Guidelines

Where irrigation of sports fields and green spaces on our campus is required, Griffith University follows the Queensland Government's guidelines on efficient irrigation for water. Griffith Design Guidelines (PDF) require sustainable water extraction technologies (e.g. rain sensors on irrigation equipment) and seek to eliminate the need for landscape irrigation systems through careful plant selection by preferencing native or drought resistant species to minimise the need for artificial irrigation following establishment. Potable water is only supplemented for irrigation when necessary, and subject to weather conditions, internal supervisor approval, relevant water restrictions and permits from local government.

At the University’s Logan campus water for irrigation is extracted via two interconnected lakes. These provide a range of benefits through:

1. sports field irrigation (in-lieu of potable water); these sporting fields provide both the university and local community with access to in-demand, high quality recreational facilities
2. providing habitat for a range of local species, supporting ecological services in the catchment
3. managing local flood risk for low-lying parts of the campus and downstream communities.

Extracted water from the Logan Lakes are used to irrigate green spaces for approximately 20 minutes on average three times per week, with actual irrigation application responsive to atmospheric conditions to ensure sustainable use. Based on this, average annual irrigation from the lakes responsible is estimated to use up to 9,100 kilolitres of extracted water to sustainably ensure green space on the Logan campus.