In our search for a better, more cost-efficient stormwater system, we reached out and got into a partnership with Redland City Council and Palacio Property Group.
A SPEL StormSack and SPELFilter treatment train was installed at Ormiston, QLD and we are currently collecting data (Field Evaluation of a Stormwater Treatment Train with Pit Baskets and Filter Media Cartridges in Southeast Queensland) from this installation.
Following is a short video presented by Karen Williams, Mayor of Redland City Council and Stuart McQueen from Palacio Property Group.
A win-win for councils and developers
Video transcription
Karen: We’ve just been down at Lakeside Victoria Point and we’ve been looking at what SPEL Stormwater have been doing with their floating treatment wetland. And now we’re here at Ormiston and we got this example of what they’re doing with domestic and residential development as well.
And we’ve been the first, I think, to trial this particular SPELFilter. But I’ll be really interested to know as a developer here in Redland, what you think of this and how it’s made an impact on your residents here and of course on your business.
Stuart: Well, we’ve put a trial in here to try and, I guess, provide a win-win situation for the water quality and for the residents introducing a lower cost maintenance system, which seems to be working quite well so far.
Karen: Obviously this water is captured, the stormwater runoff is captured, and it goes through a filter and we’re actually collecting the data (Field Evaluation of a Stormwater Treatment Train with Pit Baskets and Filter Media Cartridges in Southeast Queensland), I believe, so that we can actually know that this is a great opportunity for developers all across the region.
And make it cheaper for your body corporate and for the developer to provide a product that also improves our water quality, which is critical to places like Redland. Because we live on beautiful Moreton Bay and people really do appreciate this amazing natural environment.
Stuart: What it’s given is a way to concentrate an on-site system in an underground tank and it doesn’t impact the rest of the site.
Karen: And like Redland is a really good place, I think, to test innovation and different thinking. I’ve always said, seven most expensive words in business are ‘we have always done it that way’.
Here is us doing something different and developers actually joining us, like Stuart from Palacio Developments and of course in partnership with SPEL Stormwater, we got a great product that we can now show the rest of the world.
Stuart: And the guys from SPEL have been giving very good support here on-site in managing the system. All of the residents here are all been quite satisfied with what’s going on. So there’s been very little impact on-site with the monitoring that has been going on.
Karen: And I think our officers at Redland City Council are really excited about the opportunity to partner in this innovation, cause obviously, they are really keen to see that our water quality improves. We’re at the end of the region when it comes to discharging water into Moreton Bay and every bit we can do here in Redland make a difference to the region.
Karen: It’s all good news. Well done!
Stuart: Thanks, Karen.
Karen: So once again, Redland is the forefront. This is the first for the region and it’s great that we can be doing it here in partnership with Stuart McQueen and Palacio Property, and of course SPEL Stormwater.
And it encourages other people to think outside the square and be innovative in developing properties or doing other things in this city.
Look, when it comes to investment, there is a capital cost of doing work and we all know about that. But most businesses will realise the on-going operational maintenance cost is the big killer when it comes to running an efficient business. It’s no different for a developer, no difference for this body corporate. If they can save money in the on-going operational maintenance and have a better result, once again it’s another win-win.
Well, I’ve always said that the seven most expensive words in business are ‘we have always done it that way’. And I’ve been encouraging innovation and thinking outside the square in the organization and we can’t do it alone.
We’ve to partner with people, such as people who have the knowledge and the expertise, people who are prepared to invest in this city. So with SPEL Stormwater and Stuart from Palacio Property, we have that opportunity to do just that. And what we’re standing in front of now is a great example of innovation that is starting to deliver results.
Results for Redland, results for Moreton Bay and results for Southeast Queensland.