Chemical crisis in Australia: The importance of modeling preparation Over in Australia, the WA Agriculture Department faced its own water-management crisis in the Keep River. In May 2025, chemicals leaking from nearby farmland posed an ecological threat to the pristine, tidally influenced river system, which includes endangered sawfish species. There was no time to lose. The incident demanded a rapid assessment and recommendations to mitigate risks to the river’s ecology. Our team provided an email proposal within an hour of being asked to help. After this was quickly approved, we delivered a mitigation recommendation within a week and a final report within two weeks. This work wasn’t just done “on the fly.” Two years earlier, we had updated our 2011 environmental impact assessment modeling framework to inform recommendations for just such an incident affecting the Keep River. The framework was set up to allow for a rapid assessment of the situation and the immediate delivery of recommendations. The incident underscores the importance of preparation. Tailoring assessment frameworks and tools to future scenarios enables consulting teams to hit the ground running and become the go-to support options for decision-makers under pressure. Building trust through speed Whether with a dedicated team or more ad hoc, companies need to be able to react quickly and flexibly to unexpected situations on the ground, with clear heads and clear lines of communication. The response to these two water-system crises shows how emergency work can buy time and foster the trust companies need to pursue longer-term engagements involving more complex solutions. The two scenarios show how consultancies can create business opportunities by continually updating tools, such as data modeling systems, enabling decision- makers to help map out quick solutions to problems affecting residents and the environment. References 1. The Guardian. 2024. “’Likely a Bird Strike’: Virgin Australia Flight Makes Emergency Landing in New Zealand After Engine Fire.” June 18. https://www. theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jun/18/likely-a-bird-strike-virgin- australia-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-new-zealand-after-engine-fire 2. Brunton, Tess. 2025. “Protesters Picket in Bid to Stop Queenstown Council Sewage Plan.” RNZ, March 26. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/547531/ protesters-picket-in-bid-to-stop-queenstown-council-sewage-plan 3. Newport, Peter. 2025. “Sewage Crisis: Brad Pitt Abandons Queenstown River Shoot.” Crux, December 11. https://crux.org.nz/crux-news/new-blog-post-24
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