Great Southern Grammar students put waterwise ideas to test in think tank challenge workshop

A team of Great Southern Grammar students put their sustainable water solutions to the test in Bunbury this month in a workshop for the 2022 WA Schools Think Tank Challenge.

The annual Water Corporation initiative challenges students to better understand the State’s water supply issues by devising their own waterwise innovation.

The Year 9 and 10 students from Albany were among about 270 students from Perth, Northam, Mandurah and Bunbury who took part in the workshop, one of four happening across WA.

Great Southern Grammar and Mandurah Baptist College were named the two top teams of the Bunbury round and will showcase their ideas in October, alongside the other workshop winners, to a panel of water industry experts who will decide the winner.

The Albany students’ “Blufoods” idea aims to improve water processes in the food industry, by using grey water from restaurants and hospitality on community gardens and offering a money back scheme for businesses that find ways to reduce their water use.

Water Corporation customer and community manager Karen Willis said the workshop was a chance for students to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing WA’s water supply.

“Young people are acutely aware of the impacts of climate change and want to be involved in developing ways to combat its effects,” she said.

“There’s considerable innovation involved in recycling water as a fit-for-purpose resource and reusing by-products from water treatment.

“This is an important part of promoting circular economies where something that was once considered waste is reused, leading to better environmental outcomes.”