SA Water has successfully trialled an innovative approach to monitoring its environmental footprint, by using advanced sensors and drone technology to measure greenhouse gas emissions from the Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant in Adelaide’s south.

The trial program – undertaken together with SA Water’s metropolitan service delivery partner SUEZ – involved a specially equipped drone capturing real-time data on methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the plant’s treatment processes.

This new method complemented ground-based monitoring systems, providing a more comprehensive and efficient approach to creating a detailed model and identifying target areas to reduce emissions.

SA Water’s Senior Manager of Environment and Energy James Crocker said this trial aligns with the utility’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and achieving net zero emissions by 2030.

“Advanced sensors are capable of detecting and quantifying methane and nitrous oxide concentrations in the air and feed into a model, allowing us to pinpoint sources of emissions and make informed decisions to reduce them,” James said.

“Methods used for regulatory reporting largely rely on theoretical calculations, resulting in limited ability to pin-point sources for effective action.

“Understanding and managing greenhouse gas emissions is a key part of our sustainability journey, and the results of this new technology trial will help us improve how we monitor and respond to environmental challenges.”

Levels of emissions detected were well within community and worker safety requirements.

The results will help inform new measures SA Water and SUEZ can develop to help further reduce emissions at the site, with potential application to the state’s other wastewater treatment plants.

SA Water proactively harnesses renewable energy through solar generation and the capture of biogas for electricity production onsite, and the addition of electric vehicles and other initiatives across its operations to progress towards a net zero future.

These initiatives include the world-leading Zero Cost Energy Future project which has seen the installation of around 370,000 solar panels across 33 pump stations, treatment plants and other SA Water assets, to reduce our operating costs and carbon emissions.

SA Water’s Chief Pilot Daniel Haines from its River Murray Operations team piloted the drone, while Chief Project Engineer Timothe Depelchin from SUEZ in Paris provided technical expertise and analysis.

Christies Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant processes wastewater from Adelaide’s southern suburbs and takes the sewage through a number of treatment process stages before it’s reused as recycled water or returned to the environment.

“This is a great opportunity to explore how new technology can support our goal of providing sustainable wastewater services for South Australians,” James said.

“If successful, the trial could be expanded to our other wastewater treatment plants to replicate this method of identifying and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.”