2010 ANNUAL REPORT - Watercare

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WATERCARE SERVICES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2010Policy 1Environmental CareWatercare’s commitment to protecting the environment is embedded in its business practices and operations. The company is focusedon reducing its carbon footprint by increasingly using water and wastewater to generate electricity through hydroelectric and biogascogeneration facilities. Initiatives in power generation are coupled with practical steps to reduce energy consumption, encourage recyclingand reduce paper use.Policy 1Overallperformanceout of 10Watercare at work:Milestone passes in a gush of waterCase StudyOBJECTIVE 15566706070809Minimise emissions and reducecarbon footprintOBJECTIVE 2106.5066.5077087.509Promote cleaner production toindustry and minimise waste810A view from the top of Upper NihotupuDam looking down to where thecompensation valve was opened forthe first time in September, releasingthe flow of water.OBJECTIVE 37.5068.58.5 8.5Minimise the impact of treated biosolidsand effluentOBJECTIVE 48068Promote the preservation of species andprotection of places of significant heritagevalue impacted by operationsOBJECTIVE 56.5066.5Use energy efficiently and, where practical,recover energy from operational activitiesOBJECTIVE 68.506070707707088.50896.5 7088 8.5088.509 109.509 106.509 10909 10Reduce and control odours,overflows, noise and other nuisancesA gush of water signalled the start of a new era for Nihotupu Stream in the Waitakere Ranges.For over 70 years, the stream had been affected by the Upper Nihotupu Dam which had blockedits major tributary and reduced its water level. Now, thanks to the installation of a compensationvalve, flows are making it past the dam.Headworks Engineer Suzanne Naylor opened the new valve for the first time on 30 September2009, releasing water into the plunge pool at the base of the dam’s spillway which flows into thestream below. She says the compensation flows are significant for the local community.“When new resource consents were granted in 2005, one thing the public and council werereally concerned about was making sure we released flow continuously from the dam to mimicwhat would happen if it wasn’t there,” says Suzanne.“This valve has the ability to release 30, 60 or 90 litres of water a second, depending on thecombined water levels in all of Watercare’s dams – if they are full, more will be released becauseit assumes greater rainfall and higher natural water levels.”Watercare’s Project Engineer Neil Jacka managed the upgrade. He says the work also includedthe installation of a free discharge valve to enable Watercare to drain the lake in an emergency.This valve can be used to flush water downstream during the summer months as well, as Neilexplains: “In summer, the low stream flows and increased sunlight can cause algae growthwhich reduces the available oxygen in the water, affecting the fish. With the free dischargevalves we can mimic the summer storms that naturally flush away the algae, and thereforeimprove aquatic life.”The work was undertaken as part of the Western Dams Upgrade Project. Compensation and freedischarge valves have also been installed at Lower Huia, Lower Nihotupu and Waitakere damsand work has commenced at Upper Huia Dam.24
WATERCARE SERVICES LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2010Atmospheric Emissions – Carbon ReductionWatercare continued its work to reduce atmospheric emissions of carbon.The company has now achieved an 86 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO 2)equivalent emissions since 1990, largely as a result of improved wastewatertreatment processes. The single largest contributing factor since 1990 has beenthe decommissioning of the oxidation ponds and sludge lagoons at the MangereWastewater Treatment Plant. Other company initiatives such as collecting methanefor electricity generation and optimising the efficiency of hydro generation at waterstorage dams has also helped to reduce reliance on the use of external energy.The slight increase in CO 2production this year was due to the greater quantity ofwastewater treated as a result of a growing population. Furthermore, operationalrequirements of the plant resulted in a need for increased volumes of natural gas.Watercare has continued to review its approach to measuring greenhouse gasemissions to ensure consistency with best practice as methods for carbonaccounting develop.Management of Carbon FootprintWatercare is continuing to measure its performance against 10 initiatives of practicalvalue to minimise the company’s carbon footprint. The company is seeking ways toreduce its carbon footprint and is working with customers and suppliers in this area.Some projects identified as part of the future capital works programme beyond 2010will also provide opportunities to lower greenhouse gas emissions and in the processreduce our carbon footprint. Re-roofing of the digesters at the Mangere WastewaterTreatment Plant and the proposed development of a biogas storage unit will help toreduce gas emissions and the unnecessary flaring of gas. These initiatives will helpto increase the volume of biogas captured and the amount of electricity generatedat the plant.A graph of Watercare’s greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to today, withprojections to 2050 and the company’s long-term target, is shown below.Biogas UtilisationBiogas is a by-product of the wastewater treatment process and comprisesapproximately 60 per cent methane. If it escapes into the atmosphere,it is 21 times more damaging than CO 2.At the wastewater treatment plant, biogas is captured and used to run four gasengines that this year met 56 per cent of the plant’s energy needs. Watercareis looking to increase the amount of energy produced using biogas. This will beachieved through the construction of biogas holders to reduce the quantity of gasthat flares, and by re-roofing the digesters to reduce gas emissions. These initiativesare included in future capital works programmes beyond 2010.Watercare’s greenhouse gas emissions 1990-2010, with projections and targets to 2050Greenhouse gas emissions (tonnes CO 2e)120,000100,00080,00060,00040,00020,00001990Decommissioningof oxidation pondsKyoto target5% reduction 2008-2012Further capitalworks to reduceemissionsScope 1: Fossil fuels, nitrogen compounds and methane releasesScope 2: Energy imports and exportsWatercare1990 levelStep changein energy useto meet futuregrowth asidentified inAMPAspirational Global Target(50% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050)Watercare 2009 Level (22% of 1990 levels)Watercare 2050 Level (10% of 1990 levels)2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050YearWeblinksFigures:Sustainability accounting analysis Fig. 10Watercare’s greenhouse gas emissions Fig. 11Initiatives to reduce greenhousegas emissions Fig. 12Significant gaseous emissions by weight Fig. 13Watercare’s ecological footprint Fig. 14Sources of emissions Fig. 15Objective 1 Minimise Emissions and Reduce Carbon FootprintA. Atmospheric emissions – carbon reduction (nwoodley@water.co.nz)% CO 2equivalent reduction from 1990 levels 0.5 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%B. Carbon footprint management (nwoodley@water.co.nz) 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5DevelopobjectiveIdentifytargetsInfluencesuppliersInfluencecustomersVerify carbonaccountingIdentify studiesand opportunitiesImplementstudiesImplementopportunitiesStaff educationand initiativesExternalrecognitionC. Biogas utilisation (stan@water.co.nz)% of WTP energy supplied by methane capture 0.5 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%TargetTargetTargetG3EN16-2020108.5/102006 2007 2008 20097 8.5 8.5 8.520107/102006 2007 2008 20091.5 2 5 720105.5/102006 2007 2008 20095.5 5.5 5.5 6Impact on key areas:SocialEconomicEnvironmentalMinimise emissions and reducecarbon footprintOverall performance scores out of 102006 2007 2008 20095 5 6 62010725
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IndexWATERCARE SERVICES LIMITED ANN
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