Delivering sustainable sewerage services and looking after waterway health through nature-based solutions

In 2016, Unitywater purchased two lots of former cane farming land on River Road, Maroochy River as part of a larger program to improve the health of the rivers and creeks in the area. Now, much of this land is being restored as wetlands.

These wetlands remove nutrients and sediments from the river, improving water quality and overall river health. Nutrients removed by this wetland work to offset the nutrients discharged to the Maroochy River following treatment of the local community’s sewage.

At the Yandina Creek Wetland site, Unitywater encourages natural processes by establishing a wetland environment and allowing tidal water from the river to enter parts of the site. The wetland plants and micro-organisms in the soil take up the nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from the tidal water. These wetlands are estimated to remove 5.3 tonnes of total nitrogen per annum and 0.3 tonnes of total phosphorus per annum, helping growth and sustainability for the region.

The end result? The environment is protected, and we cater for growth providing sustainable wastewater services, all thanks to a sensible strategy of letting nature take its course.

The wetland is also a thriving research hub, an eco-tourism hotspot, and holds significant cultural importance for First Nations peoples. Visitors can experience the beauty of the wetland along an 850m walking trail.