Approximately 90% of the drinking water in Australia is sourced from surface water bodies, which are naturally rich in nutrients and organic matter. This leads to the growth of cyanobacteria, which are known to be a major cause of taste and odour compounds and cyanotoxins. Climate change is causing increased cyanobacterial growth due to higher temperatures, exacerbating this existing challenge to water utilities. This project proposes a novel biofilm-based approach for cost-effective drinking water treatment production. Our approach represents a simple retrofit to existing processes and drastically reduces the chemical dosing costs and improve climate resilience while ensuring the production of high-quality, safe drinking water.

Other Members

Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen

Project members

Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho

Associate Professor
Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology

Associate Professor Shihu Hu

ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellow
Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology