Cil Harris

Editor specialising in environment, science, technology and sustainability. 

Next generation forecast modelling for effective decision making

As climate change intensifies, water demand forecasting has never been more critical. Advanced modelling tools are transforming how utilities predict future needs, ensuring resilient infrastructure, efficient resource allocation and adaptive planning.

SA Water Metro Water Security Manager Steve Kotz and Stantec Digital Services Market Leader Alana Duncker are set to present at Ozwater’25 on implementing and operationalising next generation demand forecasting.

Ozwater’25 is set to hit Adelaide...

Queensland floods highlight urgent need for resilient infrastructure

Increasing extreme weather events are delivering a stern warning: Australia’s infrastructure must be designed for a future of more intense storms and floods.

One leading infrastructure engineering professional says relying on historical rainfall data is no longer an option. Instead, climate-adjusted projections must guide how we prepare and adapt existing and new assets.

With rainfall depths expected to increase by up to 88% by 2100, today’s rare storms will become far more frequent, pushing c...

Game-changing water treatment innovation tackles remote challenges

An Australian-developed water treatment technology is delivering safer, more efficient solutions for the water sector, eliminating chemical use, cutting costs and ensuring high-quality drinking water through a groundbreaking continuous electrochlorination process.

In December last year, Australian innovation was recognised on the world stage when Water Corporation won the Most Innovative Utility in Water Management at the International Desalination and Reuse Award World Congress 2024 in Abu Dha...

Solar-powered water solution transforms remote WA Indigenous school

A groundbreaking solar-powered water filtration system is transforming access to clean water in remote Western Australia. Designed to tackle high salinity and contamination, the solution is improving community well-being, supporting sustainable agriculture and sets a new standard for remote water management globally.

In November last year, Moerk Water took home the Innovating for Sustainable Water and Environmental Outcomes Award at the AWA Western Australian Water Awards, an acknowledgement of...

How water shapes Australia’s carbon budget

Inland waters and coastal ecosystems are significant contributors to Australia’s overall carbon budget, in terms of sequestering, emitting and moving carbon. There’s still a way to go to understanding these carbon flows, according to CSIRO Chief Research Scientist Dr Pep Canadell, but work is underway.  Dr Canadell tackles some of our most pressing questions about water and the carbon budget – take a look at his insightful answers below.  Interested in learning more about water ecosystems under...

Why IWM governance is key to climate-ready cities

Integrated water management (IWM) is critical for future-proofing growing cities against climate challenges. While cutting-edge technologies are available to harness water resources, governance innovation remains a key enabler for effective implementation.

Celeste Morgan, Victorian Water Professional of the Year and Arup Australasia Integrated Water Management Lead, highlights how reconnecting cities with their water cycles can unlock resilience and sustainable growth.

"Every city has an innat...

Impactful climate adaptation goes beyond projections

While climate risk management often focuses on predictions and data, one climate and water expert is advocating for a shift to outcomes-based planning, embracing variability and real-world scenarios to enable targeted, resource-conscious strategies.

Recently presenting a webinar on understanding climate projections data and how to apply it in decision making, Ricardo Associate Director Matthew Coulton highlighted the importance of focusing on understanding what we can do to build resilience to...

Beyond recycling: redefining circularity in water infrastructure

As water organisations apply circular economy principles in infrastructure, a leading waste recovery and circular economy expert recommends shifting focus from traditional recycling to a comprehensive approach to resource recovery and to think of waste as a resource.

Prioritising reuse, remanufacturing and redesign in infrastructure not only cuts landfill waste but also maximises resource efficiency across water and construction projects.

WSP Waste Management & Circular Economy Director Maree...

Sustainable sanitation for Cambodia’s floating villages

In Cambodia's floating villages along the Mekong, innovative sanitation solutions are essential. With no piped wastewater systems available, one toilet project is helping safeguard health while preserving traditional ways of life.

Celebrated on 19 November every year, World Toilet Day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and reach the 3.5 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation.

To highlight the importance of this work, Source caught up with Wa...

Water planning in the era of mega-drought

How should drought management adapt for unprecedented mega-droughts? What plans are needed beyond routine restrictions? How can decision-makers be convinced to act proactively despite low perceived risks?

These were some of the questions posed at the recent AWA Water Efficiency Specialist Network Member Circle.

Exploring the application of risk-based thinking to drought management and water conservation, participants heard from HARC Principal Water Resources Engineer and Economist Russell Beat...

Coastal project secure water supply amid climate challenges

Located a few hours south of Perth at the iconic Geographe Bay, Busselton is facing water supply challenges due to salt-water intrusion, declining rainfall and increased demand. To address these challenges, a new project is in design to ensure water security for the coastal community.

The Busselton Water Supply Improvement Project is a major initiative to secure water supply for the region and includes relocating groundwater extraction bores inland, together with building a new treatment plant....

World Rivers Day: addressing transboundary watersheds

Rivers are increasingly at risk, particularly due to pollution, but new research highlights how international agreements can improve the management of transboundary watersheds, advocating for greater collaboration and coordination.

World Rivers Day (22 September) is all about celebrating the world’s waterways, highlighting the many values of rivers while striving to increase public awareness and encourage the improved stewardship of rivers around the world. To mark the day, Source caught up wit...

Unlocking the power of digital transformation in water sustainability

The water sector is at the forefront of a digital transformation driven by AI, but leading experts urge utilities to focus on targeted initiatives that add measurable value and prioritise specific goals to avoid digital fatigue.

GHD recently hosted a panel of industry leaders within a two-webinar series – Show me the value: digital transformation in the water sector – discussing how utilities can navigate digital transformation while ensuring tangible value creation.   Four core themes emerged...

Award-winning water sensitivity strategy drives climate resilience

Addressing the severe impacts of climate change in south-west Western Australia requires innovative solutions. Perth’s award-winning Waterwise Perth Action Plan is a prime example of how cross-sector collaboration can lead to greater water sensitivity and climate resilience.

Sponsored by Hydroflux, the Organisational Excellence Award was presented to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Water Corporation and other contributing agencies at Ozwater’24 for the incredible work in d...

Voices from the Bush: connecting on Arrernte Country

Voices from the Bush 2024 was held in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) on Arrernte Country last week, bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians to connect on urgent water issues facing regional and remote communities.   Held over two days, this year’s Voices from the Bush emphasised the fundamental importance of co-creation and co-design for sustainable water management, and spotlighted inequality in access to safe and reliable water for First Nations communi...

Australia's approach to health-based PFAS limits

As public concern around the prevalence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water continues to make headlines, water community experts are rallying to discuss next steps in terms of drinking water guideline limits and remediation efforts.

University of Sydney Head of School of Civil Engineering Professor Stuart Khan said the current issues with PFAS derive from historic negligence, which offers learnings around appropriate regulation and remediation efforts, but should no...

Assessing connectivity across the Murray–Darling Basin

Filling knowledge gaps about ecosystem functions within the Murray–Darling Basin is fundamental to sustainable water management moving forward, and one award-winning project has made strides in developing an innovative new approach to understanding connectivity across the Basin.

Sponsored by Water Research Australia (WaterRA), the AWA R&D Excellence Award was presented to CSIRO and the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) at Ozwater’24 for the collaborative Ecosystem Functions project. Aiming...
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New research links global warming to increased ENSO variability

New climate modelling research from the CSIRO has showcased the link between human-caused climate change and the increased variability of El Niño and La Niña events.


While the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) naturally produces climate variability, stronger El Niño and La Niña events have been occurring more often in recent decades.

Led by CSIRO Environment Chief Research Scientist Dr Wenju Cai, the research published in Nature examined how the rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions s
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Utility leads habitat creation to support endangered species

Two of Victoria’s faunal emblems are now listed as critically endangered – the Helmeted Honeyeater and the lowland Leadbeater’s Possum – but a new partnership is using recycled water to create more than 35 hectares of climate resilient habitat.

With guidance from the Narrap Rangers, Yarra Valley Water is partnering with Zoos Victoria, Greening Australia, Melbourne Water, Jacobs and Spiire to restore biodiversity at its Upper Yarra Sewage Treatment Plant site in support of these endangered speci
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Tapping statewide flow data to tackle non-revenue water

In a bid to stem the flow of water from its leaky statewide network, TasWater has embarked on an ambitious new district metered area (DMA) project to help reduce non-revenue water and optimise operations.

Involving the installation of hundreds of flow meters across Tasmania, the DMA project aims to develop a better understanding of water loss within and between various service area districts.

When TasWater formed in 2013, the new utility inherited a portfolio of ageing infrastructure and asset
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Biofilm solution trialled for cost-effective drinking water treatment

Issues with the effective treatment of taste and odour in drinking water are expected to rise with global warming, but one group of researchers is piloting the large-scale application of a biofilm-based solution that removes unwanted compounds more cost-effectively, providing benefits and savings at every level of the treatment train.

University of Queensland (UQ) researchers – in partnership with Seqwater and AnoxKaldnes (Veolia Water Technologies) – have been working on an approach applying t
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