Ashantha Goonetilleke

Qualifications

BSc Civil Eng. (Sri Lanka), MSc Env. Management (GU), PhD (QUT), FIE (IE Aust.), CPEng.

Career History and Biography

Professional and Group Associations

• Institution of Engineers Australia
• Australian Water Association
• International Water Association
• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• International Association of Hydrological Sciences

Awards

Award for Outstanding Academic Contribution for Research and Scholarship (2002)

Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Partnerships and Engagement (2007)

Research Areas

Within the broad field of water research, Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke and have research team has defined three main research areas:

• Protecting and Restoring Urban Water Quality
• Mitigating Risks from Decentralised Wastewater Treatment
• Stormwater/Wastewater Recycling

Protecting and Restoring Urban Water Quality

All over the world, cities and regions can be seen as engines of the economy driven by people. Urban areas need advanced research to craft and understand the distinct characteristics of the urban water environment in order to assist people and institutions in their effort to promote health, enhance the efficient use of water resources, and protect environmental values.

Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke's research focuses on a series of investigations; from understanding the behaviour of contaminants through to knowledge of their impact. His research develops approaches and methods to assess and diagnose the causes and pollutant sources, tools to assess the exposures and reduce the human health risks, provides the approaches to attain water quality standards.

Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke's research involves a combination of laboratory experiments, field investigations and computer modelling and simulation. His research focus involves:

• Analytical methods for water quality evaluation
• Water pollution mechanisms
• Fate of pollutants
• Analysis of process kinetics and modelling

Mitigating Risks from Decentralising Wastewater Treatment

On-site and decentralised wastewater systems are viewed as permanent and essential components of the nation's wastewater infrastructure. The performance of decentralised wastewater treatment systems is a national issue of great concern to the environmental agencies.

Unfortunately, many of the systems in use are poorly designed, managed and do not provide the level of treatment necessary to adequately protect public health and surface and ground water quality.

Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke's research focuses on overall design and proper management of decentralised systems which involves life-cycle assessment and activities that address public education and participation, planning, performance and site evaluation, design and operation and maintenance. His research areas include:

• Domestic wastewater, constituents and treatment methods.
• Innovative methods of collecting, treating and reusing domestic wastewater.
• Recommendations for sustainable use of domestic wastewater
• Management challenges in relation to decentralised wastewater treatment

Stormwater/Wastewater Recycling

The use of water is approaching, and in some cases exceeding, the limits of sustainability both in Australia and worldwide. As a result, stormwater is increasingly being recognised as a valuable resource (particularly for non-potable use); indeed both stormwater and wastewater recycling are focal points of water conservation programs. Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke's research identifies issues and challenges in water recycling and develops mitigation action. An important key to sound urban water management is the integration of stormwater and recycled water as resources into the urban water system.

His research areas include:

• Water quality and treatment
• Water conservation
• Risk assessment and risk management

External Collaborators

Within the broad field of water research, Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke and his research team has strong collaborations with:

• Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
• Brisbane Airport Corporation
• Port of Brisbane Corporation
• Gold Coast City Council
• Queensland Department of Transport
• Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water

Teaching Areas

• Hydrology and Hydraulics Engineering
• River and Coastal Engineering
• Water Pollution
• Public Health Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Design/Professional Studies

Within the broad field of water research, Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke and his research team have been granted funds to conduct following research projects:

Adaptation of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to Climate Change, Changing Transport Patterns and Urban Form

Project concept

Novel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Water Purification - Science and Application

This project will develop the science and engineering underpinning a photocatalytic water purification technology platform utilising a fixed, thin film nanostructured titania catalyst. It is funded by the Queensland Department of Public Works and two other industry partners and the Commonwealth Government through an ARC Linkage grant.

The Airport Metropolis: Managing the Interfaces

This project aims to develop coordinated and equitable decision-making to ensure that airport-urban development balances economic, social and environmental issues and produces a sustainable regional competitive advantage. It is funded by Brisbane Airport Corporation and seven other industry partners and the Commonwealth Government through an ARC Linkage grant.

Rainfall simulation to evaluate pollutant build-up and wash-off from selected land uses in the Port of Brisbane

Stormwater quality research at Port of Brisbane

Strategies to minimise the ecological risk to the aquatic environment at Brisbane Airport

Stormwater quality research at Brisbane Airport

Water quality profile of an urbanising catchment - Ningi Creek catchment

With a primary focus on microbiological quality and Lyngbya 'trigger parameters', the project developed the quality profile of a waterway under significant pressures due to urbanisation. The project was funded by Caboolture Shire Council.

Assessment of ecological and social factors inherent to neighbourhoods with different housing densities

This project investigated the concept of sustainable communities within an integrated ecological and social context by undertaking a baseline study of the sustainable and social factors inherent to different housing density classes. The project was jointly funded by the Queensland Department of Public Works and Gold Coast City Council.

Assessment of environmental risk due to urbanisation in subtropical environments in South East Queensland

The project developed reliable predictive models to evaluate the pollutant generation potential of urban developments. The project was funded by Gold Coast City Council.

Optimising environmental and socio-economic planning and management decision-making for international airport expansion

The project developed a decision-support model to optimise environmental and socio-economic planning and management for the Brisbane Airport expansion. The project was funded by the Brisbane Airport Corporation and the Commonwealth Government through an ARC SPIRT/Linkage grant.

Integrated land capability for ecological sustainability of onsite sewage treatment systes

Column study evaluate soil performance under effluent disposal

Development of a stormwater management strategy for Fraser Island based on sand and spatial characteristics to optimise sand road serviceability

Stormwater erosion control on Fraser Island

Development of an integrated risk-based approach to on-site sewage treatment system sitting, design and management

This doctoral research project led to the development of methodology for the assessment of engineering, ecological and public health risk associated with on-site sewage treatment and the integration of the different risk assessments into a single cohesive risk assessment framework. The project was funded by Gold Coast City Council.

Performance evaluation of on-site sewage treatment

The project undertook a detailed performance evaluation of on-site wastewater treatment systems in the Brisbane area. The project was funded by Brisbane City Council.

Development of generic guidelines for the rehabilitation of sand mining areas

Degraded banks of Oxley Creek

Audit of septic tank performance for the development of management strategies

The project undertook a detailed evaluation of the performance of on-site wastewater treatment systems and householder perceptions on system maintenance in the Logan area to assist the local authority in developing improved management strategies. The project was funded by Logan City Council.

Within the broad field of water engineering, Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke’s postgraduate students are undertaking or have recently completed the following research projects:

Physical and chemical properties of suspended solids influence in urban water quality

This doctoral research project will identify the key physical and chemical properties of suspended solids impacting on urban water quality and the development of mathematical relationships to describe the process kinetics of suspended solids build-up and wash-off.

Understanding the process kinetics of nutrients build-up and wash-off in urban areas

This doctoral research project will develop knowledge on nutrients build-up and wash-off processes and underlying influential parameters. This knowledge will then be applied to develop mathematical relationships to describe the process kinetics of nutrients build-up and wash-off.

Surrogate parameters to predict urban stormwater quality

This masters research project focuses on determining a set of surrogate parameters, which will enhance the investigation of urban stormwater quality.

The efficiency of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Treatment Trains

This masters research project will assess the efficiency of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) treatment trains implemented in South East Queensland. WSUD treatment trains will be monitored under real storm events to evaluate outflow water quality using appropriate surrogate parameters.

The influence of urban form on stormwater runoff quality

The primary objectives of the masters research project is the investigation of the role of the urban form on the build-up and wash-off of pollutants to receiving waters. The study outcomes are expected to contribute to a greater understanding of the adverse water quality impacts associated with urbanisation.

Translation of small-plot scale pollutant build-up and wash-off measurements to urban catchment scale

This doctoral project provided a scientific basis for using small impervious plots on roads and roofs and the application of rainfall simulation for estimating the stormwater pollutant load originating from an urban catchment.

Modelling of build-up and wash-off process kinetics of PAHs and heavy metals on paved surfaces using simulated rainfall

Rainfall simulator

Selected List of Publications

Additional publications can be found on ePrints: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Goonetilleke,_Ashantha.html

• Ahmed, Warish and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Gardner, Ted (2008)Alternative indicators for detection and quantification of faecal pollution Water 39(1):pp. 46-49.
• Egodawatta,Prasanna K. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2008) Understanding urban road surface pollutant wash-off and underlying physical processes using simulated rainfall. Water Science and Technology 57(8):pp. 1241-1246.
• Egodawatta,Prasanna and Goonetilleke, Ashantha(2008) Modelling pollutant build-up and wash-off in urban road and roof surfaces. In Proceedings 31st Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium and the 4th International Conference on Water Resources and Environment Research, Engineers Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
• Egodawatta, Prasanna K. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2007) Characteristics of pollution build-up on residential road surfaces. In Piasecki, M. and Wang, S.S.Y. and Holz, K.P. and Kawahara, M. and Gonzalez, A. and Beran, B., Eds. Proceedings 7th International conference on hydroscience and engineering (ICHE 2006), Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA.
• Settle, Steven and Goonetilleke, S. Ashantha and Ayoko, Godwin A. (2007) Use of multivariate techniques for determining surrogate indicators for phosphorus and solids in urban stormwater. Water Air and Soil Pollution 182(1-4):pp. 149-161.
• Egodawatta, Prasanna K. and Thomas, Evan C. and Goonetilleke, S. Ashantha (2007) Mathematical interpretation of pollutant wash-off from urban road surfaces using simulated rainfall. Water Research 41(13):pp. 3025-3031.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2006) Using multivariate analysis to predict the behaviour of soils under effluent irrigation. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 172(1-4):pp. 109-127.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Khalil, Wael Al-Shiekh and Frost, Ray L. (2006) Assessment via discriminant analysis of soil suitability for effluent renovation using undisturbed soil columns. Geoderma 131(1-2):pp. 201-217.
• Egodawatta, Prasanna K. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Ayoko, Godwin A. and Thomas, Evan C. (2006) Understanding the interrelationships between stormwater quality and rainfall and runoff factors in residential catchments. In Deletic, Ana and Fletcher, Tim, Eds. Proceedings Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Urban Drainage Modelling and the Fourth International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design 1, pp. 43-50, Melbourne.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Hargreaves, Megan (2006) Water quality profile of an urbanising catchment – Ningi Creek Catchment. Technical Report, School of Urban Development, Queensland University of Technology.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. (2006) Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Implementation of a region-wide Integrated Risk Framework. In Proceedings 7th International Conference on Small Water and Wastewater Systems, National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. and Hargreaves, Megan and Frost, Ray L. and Dawes, Les A. (2006) Integrated risk framework for onsite wastewater treatment systems. Environmental Management 38(2):pp. 286-303.
• Herngren, Lars F. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Ayoko, Godwin A. (2006) Analysis of heavy metals in road-deposited sediments. Analytica Chimica Acta 571(2):pp. 270-278.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2006) Using undisturbed columns to predict long term behaviour of effluent irrigated soils under field conditions. Australian Journal of Soil Research 44(7):pp. 661-676.
• Rigby, Portia A. and Dobos, S. and Cook, F. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2006) Role of organic matter in framboidal pyrite oxidation. Science of the Total Environment 367(2-3):pp. 847-854.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. and Ginn, Simon P. and Gilbert, Dale (2005) Understanding the role of land use in urban stormwater quality management. Journal of Environmental Management 74(1):pp. 31-42.
• Herngren, Lars F. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Sukpum, Ramate and De Silva, Dewa Y. (2005) Rainfall simulation as a tool for urban water quality research. Environmental Engineering Science 22(3):pp. 378-383.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2005) Assessment of high density of onsite wastewater treatment systems on a shallow groundwater coastal aquifer using PCA. Environmetrics 16(3):pp. 257-274.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Hargreaves, Megan and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2005) Sourcing fecal pollution from onsite wastewater treatment systems in surface waters using antibiotic resistance analysis. Journal of Applied Microbiology 99(3):pp. 471-482.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Cox, Malcolm E. (2005) Assessment of physical and chemical properties of sub-tropical soil to predict long term effluent treatment potential. Soil and Sediment Contamination 14(3):pp. 211-230.
• Herngren, Lars F. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Ayoko, Godwin A. (2005) Understanding heavy metal and suspended solids relationships in urban stormwater using simulated rainfall. Journal of Environmental Management 76(2):pp. 149-158.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Hargreaves, Megan (2005) Sourcing faecal contamination through antibiotic resistance pattern classification. In Patterson, R. A. and Jones, M. J., Eds. Proceedings On-site ’05 Conference: Performance Assessment for On-Site systems: Regulation, operation and monitoring, University of New England, Armidale.
• Al-Shiekh Khalil, Wael and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Carroll, Steven P. and Dawes, Les A. (2005) Land capability assessment for on-site sewage treatment systems. Technical Report, Centre for Built Environment and Engineering, Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Dawes, Les A. (2004) Framework for soil suitability evaluation for sewage effluent renovation. Environmental Geology 46(2):pp. 195-208.
• Al-Shiekh Khalil, Wael and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Kokot, Serge and Carroll, Steven P. (2004) Use of chemometrics methods and multicriteria decision-making for site selection for sustainable on-site sewage effluent disposal. Analytica Chimica Acta 506(1):pp. 41-56.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. and Herngren, Lars F. and Ginn, Simon P. and Gilbert, Dale (2004) Urban Water Quality: Stereotypical Solutions May Not Always be the Answer. In Proceedings International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design; WSUD 2004 - Cities as Catchments, Hilton Hotel, Adelaide, South Australia.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. (2004) Water quality impacts of urbanisation: Relating water quality to urban form. Technical Report, Centre for Built Environment and Engineering Research, Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering.
• Herngren, Lars F. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Ayoko, Godwin A. (2004) Investigation of urban water quality using artificial rainfall. In Proceedings Watershed 2004, Dearborn, Michigan, USA.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2004) Assessing changes in soil physical and chemical properties under long term effluent disposal. In Proceedings Tenth National Symposium on Individual and Small Community Sewage System (701P0104), pp. 349-357, Sacremento, California, USA.
• Al-Shiekh Khalil, Wael and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Rigby, Portia A. (2004) Use of undisturbed soil columns to evaluate soil capability to renovate on-site sewage treatment system effluent. In Proceedings Tenth National Symposium on Individual and Small Community Sewage System (701P0104), pp. 201-209, Sacremento, California, USA.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Hargreaves, Megan (2004) Assessment of Environmental and Public Health Risk of On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems. In Proceedings Tenth National Symposium on Individual and Small Community Sewage Systems(701P0104), pp. 368-376, Sacremento, California, USA.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2003) An investigation into the role of site and soil characteristics in on-site sewage treatment. Environmental Geology 44(4):pp. 467-477.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. (2003) Urban water quality and the Triple Bottom Line - Can we reconcile the irreconcilables?. In Douglas, Bob and Furnass, Bryan and Goldie, Jenny, Eds. Proceedings In search of sustainability.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. (2003) Water quality impacts of urbanisation: Evaluation of current research. Technical Report, Centre for Built Environment and Engineering Research, Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering.
• Carroll, Steven P. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Thomas, Evan C. (2003) Risk-based approach to on-site wastewater treatment. In Patterson, Robert, Eds. Proceedings Conference On-site ’03 Direction for On-site systems: Best management practice, pp. 93-100, University of New England, Armidale.
• Al-Shiekh Khalil, Wael and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Dawes, Les A. (2003) Correlation of soil data with treatment performance of subsurface effluent disposal systems. In Patterson, R. A. and Jones, M. J., Eds. Proceedings On-site ‘03 Conference: Future Directions for On-site Systems, University of New England, Armidale.
• Bailey, David and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Deriche, Mohamed (2003) A decision support system for site selection of large-scale infrastructure facilities using natural language. In Chattopadhyay, G. and Kozan, E. and Beard, R., Eds. Proceedings Operations Research into the 21st Century, pages pp. 1-17, Australis Noosa Lakes Resort, Queensland, Australia.
• Bailey, David and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Campbell, Duncan A. (2003) A new fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation method for group site selection in GIS. Journal of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis 12(6):pp. 337-347.
• Bailey, David and Campbell, Duncan A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2003) An experiment with approximate reasoning in site selection using ‘InfraPlanner’. In Proceedings Australia New Zealand Intelligent Information Systems (ANZIIS 2003), pp. 165-170, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.
• Bailey, David and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Campbell, Duncan A. (2003) Information analysis and dissemination for site selection decisions using a fuzzy algorithm in GIS. In Chu, Wesley, Eds. Proceedings Information and Knowledge Sharing, pp. 223-228, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
• Jenkins, Graham A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Black, Robin G. (2002) Estimating peak runoff for risk-based assessment in small catchments. Australian Journal of Water Resources 5(2):pp. 177-194.
• Jenkins, Graham A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Black, Robin G. (2002) Estimating peak runoff in small catchments. In Proceedings 27th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Melbourne.
• Rahman, Ataur and Thomas, Evan C. and Bhuiyan, Shamsuzzaman and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2002) Modelling pollutant washoff from South East Queensland catchments Australia. In Proceedings Enviro 2002 and International Water Association 3rd World Water Congress, CD Rom publication, Melbourne.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2001) Importance of site characteristics in designing effluent disposal areas. In Proceedings On-site ’01 Advancing On-site Wastewater Systems Design and Maintenance, pages pp. 133-140, University of New England.
• Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Dawes, Les A. (2001) Audit of septic tank performance. In Patterson, Robert, Eds. Proceedings On-site ’01 Advancing on-site wastewater systems, pp. 155-162, University of New England.
• Dawes, Les A. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2001) The importance of site assessment in designing effluent disposal areas. In Proceedings GeoEnvironment 2001 Second Australian and New Zealand Conference on Environmental Geotechnics, pp. 287-294, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
• Rahman, Ataur and Goonetilleke, Ashantha (2001) Effects of non-linearity in storage-discharge relationships on design flood estimates. In Proceedings MODSIM 2001 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, pp. 113-117, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
• Wake-Dyster, Kevin D. and Goonetilleke, Ashantha and Bullen, Frank (2001) Managing stormwater erosion of unpaved sand roads on Fraser Island, Queensland. In Proceedings 6th Conference on Hydraulics in Civil Engineering, pp. 503-512, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.