LAUNCESTON'S VERY DIRTY RIVER

ABC STORY: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-24/sewerage-mattresses-clean-up-waterways/7273550
EXAMINER STORY: http://www.examiner.com.au/story/3800920/tamar-health-a-high-priority/?cs=95

Grass mattresses used at sewerage treatment plant to help purify sewage
By Elly Bradfield Updated about 3 hours ago

A trial at a Lockyer Valley sewerage treatment facility hopes to change the way waste water is treated by using mattresses to reduce chemical and electricity use.
The plant at Forrest Hill, west of Brisbane, is using floating mattresses to purify sewage.
Queensland Urban Utilities spokeswoman Michelle Cull said the trial was a Queensland first and involved growing native varieties of grass on the mattresses.
"It's a bit different to a mattress you sleep on," Ms Cull said.
"They're specially engineered plastic mattresses and they're designed for this purpose.
"They have been used to grow 400 varieties of wetland grass plants, which draw toxins out of the water — things like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus.
"So it's a natural way that we are cleansing the waste water — a bit like nature's kidney."
Ms Cull said it was a completely natural process that did not require chemicals or electricity.
Once the water is treated by the native grasses, it is purified with chlorine and then pumped to a local farmer who uses it for irrigating his crop.
First trial 'eaten by a family of hungry turtles'
But Ms Cull said there were setbacks when all the grass during the first trial died.
"The first trial was eaten by a family of hungry turtles," she said.
Ms Cull said there were thousands of Brisbane short neck turtles living at the facility in the lagoon.
The species of turtle are omnivores, eating anything they can fit into their mouths.
"Since that first setback we've now covered the roots with mesh and netting so that the turtles can't eat the roots again," Ms Cull said.
"It was a bit of a case of 'the turtles ate my project'."
The two-year trial began a year ago.
Urban Utilities has found that one mattress in a pond can save up to $5,000 annually.
If the project stays afloat, it could be rolled out to other regional facilities.
Topics: environmental-impact <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/environmental-impact> , environmental-management <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/environmental-management> , environmental-policy <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/environmental-policy> , environmental-technology <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/environmental-technology> ,recycling-and-waste-management <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/recycling-and-waste-management> , forest-hill-4342 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/forest-hill-4342> , lockyer-4344 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/lockyer-4344> , qld <http://www.abc.net.au/news/topic/qld>
First posted Thu at 1:28pm

RELATED STORY FROM LONDON: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/29/worlds-biggest-floating-solar-farm-power-up-outside-london

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