Urban water infrastructure technologies

Developing technologies to improve the nation's water infrastructure to deliver efficient and secure water supply for Australia's growing population and future industries.

Great Artesian Basin Water Resource Assessment

CSIRO is reappraising the water resources of the Great Artesian Basin, which underlies about one-fifth of the Australian continent.

Water for a Healthy Country

Addressing the sustainable management of Australia's water resources.

Dr Robyn Russell: using enzymes to clean-up pesticide and toxin residues

Dr Robyn Russell’s work on bioremediation of pesticide residues will help protect the environment and ensure uncontaminated commodities.

Towards sustainable fertiliser use in the sugarcane industry

CSIRO has developed a new approach to the use of nitrogen fertilisers in sugarcane farming, known as N-Replacement. Initial trials suggest that the N-Replacement method could have major environmental and economic benefits for cane-growing regions and the Great Barrier Reef.

Orica and CSIRO win DuPont Innovation Award for bioremediation product

Orica and CSIRO have won a DuPont Innovation Award for the product, Landguard™, which uses enzymes to remove pesticide residues from water.

Dr Colin Scott: understanding enzymatic diversity

Dr Scott is researching industrial and environmental applications for natural and altered enzymes to help detoxify insecticides, fungicides and herbicides that may damage the environment and human health.

Economic costs of water pollution in Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Water pollution is a significant issue for many small island nations with fringing reefs. CSIRO estimated that sound watershed management could save the community of the Cook Islands millions of dollars that currently are spent dealing with the consequences of water pollution.

Process magazine

The October 2008 issue shows how CSIRO is collaborating with research partners to maintain our scientific edge and help Australia's minerals industry maintain its competitive edge. (12 pages)

Process magazine

The February 2011 issue of Process highlights a number of projects where CSIRO’s expertise is being applied to increase the economic and environmental viability of mineral processes. (12 pages)

Process magazine

The February 2009 issue looks at the latest research in hydrometallurgy and how it is helping alumina, base metals and gold processors. (12 pages)

Outraged Scientists call for more funds for marine research (Podcast 10 Jun 2008)

Scientists from the CSIRO and the University of Queensland have called for a bigger research effort into the impact of climate change on marine species, outraged that research into the oceans has received far less Government funding than the examination of climate change on terrestrial species. (5.30)

Winery wastewater management

This project aims to reduce the costs of wine production and demonstrate environmental leadership with a sustainable wastewater management strategy.

Restoring near-city catchments

The Restoring Near-City Catchments project aims to guide management plans for the restoration and protection of healthy waterways and water ecosystems in near-city catchments around Australia.

Removing toxic algae from ship ballast water

A new technique could help to prevent the spread of toxic algae in the ballast water of ships has been developed by CSIRO. Controlling the spread of invasive water pests

Pollution

Our scientists are developing solutions to our mounting air, land and water pollution problems. Our scientists are working with industry, regulators and the community in the search for solutions to our mounting air, land and water pollution problems.

Mr Peter Dyce: using remote sensing to manage water resources

Mr Peter Dyce creates scientific applications using geographic information systems and satellite image processing.

Pesticide impact rating index software

After ten years of CSIRO research, the off-site impacts of different pesticides and land uses can be compared using a simple risk indicator.

Dr Jurg Schutz: researching filtration of gases and liquids

After developing a manufacturing process for making wool blend air filters and seeing his work applied in commercial products, Dr Jürg Schütz is now investigating filters containing carbon nanotubes.

Ms Janet Anstee: researching optically shallow waters

Ms Anstee is an application specialist working in water applications, hyperspectral data, multi-temporal analysis and the integration of remotely sensed data into process models.

Global Carbon Project figures

A factsheet detailing the 2007 data for the Global Carbon Project, a joint international project on the global carbon cycle.

Science for our environment

CSIRO and its partners seek to develop solutions to Australia’s environmental challenges. CSIRO is committed to the challenge of using science, combined with community and industry knowledge, to make sure that our ecosystems are sustainable for the long term prosperity of Australia.

Charcoal: understanding nature’s filter

A new understanding of how charcoal formed in natural events like bushfires can minimise the effect of pollutants in soil and sediments as well as aquatic environments is made available through the results of this study.

New bioreactor techniques for treating acid-saline water

CSIRO research into a biological process treating metal contaminated acidic groundwater has identified possible future options for the treatment of these waters.

Dr Bill Cotching: soil resource management

Dr Bill Cotching is applying expertise on soils in agricultural systems to improve farm management approaches in Tasmania.