QUEENSLAND AWARDS

Water Professional of the Year Award
2023   Anthony Domanti, Senior Principal Engineer, WSP  
2022   Emma O'Neill, Aurecon
2021    Abel Immaraj, Aurecon
2020   Professor Zhiguo Yuan AM, The University of Queensland
2019   Daryl Ross, Logan City Council
2018   Richard Savage, GHD
2017   Colin Hester, Queensland Urban Utilities
2016   Aneurin Hughes, Cardno

Young Water Professional of the Year Award
2023   Amber Craig, Senior Project Officer / Hydro-Climate Analyst, 
            Murray-Darling Basin Authority  
2022   Johanna Johnson, Logan Water
2021    Samuel Koci, Arup
2020   Dr Lachlan Guthrie, International WaterCentre
2019   Aidan Symons, SMEC
2018   William Speirs, Unitywater
2017   Dr Katrin Doederer, The University of Queensland
2016   Alycia Moore, Cleanaway

Student Water Prize
2023    Zhetai Hu, Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
            of Queensland
            Novel Usages of Iron Salts for Achieving Sustainable Water Management 
2022   Zhigang Yu , The University of Queensland
            Novel Disinfection to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
2021   Tao Liu, The University of Queensland
            Towards Net-Zero Emission and Energy Neutrality, a Novel Technology to
            Utilise Methane Produced in Wastewater Treatment
2020 Zhiyao Wang, The University of Queensland
           An Innovative Way of Treating Wastewater and Sludge Employing a
          Novel Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria Genus Candidatus Nitrosoglobus
2019   Ji Lu, The University of Queensland
           Unravelling Roles of Emerging Environmental Contaminants in Promoting the
           Spread of Antibiotic Resistance
2018   Lindsay Stafford, Gladstone Regional Council
           Controlling and Monitoring Algae Blooms in Effluent Storage Ponds
2017   Adam Rose, CQUniversity
           Understanding the Ecological Basis for Human Health Risks associated with
           Drinking Water Drawn from a Sub-Tropical Freshwater Catchment

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award
2023   Regional:  Callide Dam Gates  –Sunwater
2023   Metro: How Queensland’s Oldest and Largest Sewer was Upgraded While the City Slept  –
            Interflow and Urban Utilities
2021   Regional: Mer (Murray) Island Water Network Management Program –
           Torres Strait Island Regional Council
2022   Regional: Cleveland Bay Purification Plant Process Upgrade Project –
            AECOM, Townsville City Council, Beca HunterH2O, Evoqua Water Technologies,
           and Monadelphous Engineering
2022   Metro: Australia’s First Biosolids Gasification Facility – Logan Water
2021   Regional: Mer (Murray) Island Water Network Management Program –
           Torres Strait Island Regional Council
2021   Metro: Mer (Murray) Island Water Network Management Program –
           Torres Strait Island Regional Council
2020   Regional: Port Stewart Water Supply – Arup and Centre for Appropriate Technology
2020   Metro: Cedar Grove Environmental Centre – Logan City Council, Downer, WSP
            and Cardno
            (High Commendation: Virtual Assist – Urban Utilities)
2019   Townsville CBD Utilities Upgrade – BMD Constructions, Townsville City Council and GHD
           (servicing under 250,000 end users)
           Going Green at Kenilworth – Unitywater (servicing over 250,000 end users)
2018   Bowen Water Treatment Plant Solar Plant and Resilience Upgrade – Whitsunday
           Regional Council (under 250,000 end users)
           Sun and Salt: Logan’s Water Quality Solution – Logan City Council, Downer, Cardno
           and WSP (over 250,000 end users)
2017   Kingaroy Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade - Aquatec Maxcon Pty Ltd and
           South Burnett Regional Council
2016   Flood Resilience Program - Queensland Urban Utilities

R&D Excellence Award (previously known as the Research Innovation Award)
2023     A Living Laboratory - R&D at Yandina Creek Wetland and Blue Heart Sunshine Coast  –
             Unitywater with Contributing Organisations
2022    CRC-P: Transforming Wastewater Treatment in Regional Australia – Urban Utilities,
             Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
            of Queensland, Power and Water Corporation, Department of Environment and Science,
          Queensland, and Aquatec Maxcon
2020   Zero-Energy Sewage Treatment: Harnessing the Power of Biogas – The University of
            Queensland, Urban Utilities, City of Gold Coast, SA Water, Water Corporation
            and University of Technology Sydney
2019   An Integrated Approach to Iron Salt Use in Urban Water Systems – University of
           Queensland, Queensland Urban Utilities, Seqwater and WaterRA
2018   UGOLD – A Decentralised Technology for the Removal & Recovery of Valuable
             Nutrients From Source Separated Urine - Advanced Water Management Centre,
            The University of Queensland and Queensland Urban Utilities
2017   Purple Phototrophic Bacteria for Resource Recovery from Wastewater - The University
            of Queensland and CRC for Water Sensitive Cities
2016   Affordable and Sustainable Water Recycling through Optimal Technology Integration -
            The University of Queensland

Organisational Excellence Award (formerly Program Innovation Award)
2023   Urban Utilities – Planning Our Journey to Excellence and Empowered People –
           Urban Utilities, Stantec, KBR and AJile (Aurecon and Jacobs)
2022   Fulton Hogan Utilities Schools STEM and Industry Immersion Program –
            Fulton Hogan Utilities
2021   Water Future Program – Seqwater
2020   Regional Water Industry Worker Pilot Program – Mackay Regional Council,
            Whitsunday Regional Council, Townsville City Council, Cairns Regional Council
            and Burdekin Shire Council
2019   Smart Catchments: Saltwater Creek – Cairns Regional Council (servicing under
            250,000 end users)
            Autonomous Motorised Monitoring Instrument – Seqwater (servicing over 250,000
           end users)
2018   MiSewer, Mackay Water Services – Mackay Regional Council (Under 250,000 end users)
            Queensland Water Regional Alliance Program (QWRAP) – Department of Natural
            Resources, Mines and Energy (Over 250,000 end users)
2017   Cyanotoxin Based Recreational Water Quality Management Program - Seqwater
2016   In Situ Calibration of Bulk Flow Meters - Queensland Urban Utilities and GHD

Distinguished Service Award
2023   Richard Savage
2022   Kelly Hopewell
2021   Mal Shepherd
2020  David Cameron
2019   Matt Dawson
2018   Jenny Danslow
2017   John Betts
2016   John Graham

Regional Service Award
2023  Narelle D’Amico  
2022  Dr Lynne Powell
2021   Moira Zeilinga
2019   Arron Hieatt
2018   Dr Rob Fearon
2017   Steve Tansley
2016   Jeff Ballard

To compete in the Australian Water Awards, entries will first be judged at the appropriate State Awards, with winners automatically entered as a finalist for the National awards (aside from our two National Award only categories).

In addition to the 10 national award categories, each state runs independently other award categories. These programs, like the national, recognise and reward individuals and organisations for innovation, commitment and leadership in the Australian water sector.

All Awards, aside from the Student Water Prize and Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize, are open to AWA members only. The Innovating for Sustainable Water and Environmental Outcomes Award (WA only) is also open to non members, however the lead organisation must be a not-for-profit, local government body, non-government organisation, school or small business.

For organisational awards, the lead organisation/s must be a current Corporate Member. Any partner organisations listed in the submission must also be a current Corporate Member to receive recognition if announced as a finalist and/or winner. This recognition includes the organisation/s being listed as a finalist on award collateral (online and print), on email communications announcing the finalists and/or winners, on any certificates and/or trophies, on the awards visual presentation (if applicable) and on media release statements.If the partner organisation/s listed in the submission are not current Corporate AWA Members, they will not receive the recognition as listed above.

For individual awards, the nominee must be a current individual AWA Member or an employee of a current Corporate Member.

To enter, nominations must be submitted using the online entry forms. Please note when your relevant State or Territory award submissions close.

There is no entry fee associated with the AWA Awards program.

Duplicate nominations are not permitted in the awards program. This means that you cannot nominate the same individual or project/activity for more than one award category or more than one state or territory in the same year. You can enter more than one award in the same year, as long as it is not with the same project/activity.

The submission close dates are specific to the state or territory award being entered. Please click your relevant state/territory button on this page to view the closing dates.

All nominations must be submitted via the online nomination form. Please check the relevant award category page to view the requirements to complete the nomination form.

State judging is coordinated by the relevant Member Engagement Manager and committee. Each state convenes a panel of experts to assess the applications.

National judging is coordinated by the National Awards Manager. The panels of experts are approved by the Honours & Awards Sub-committee of the Board to take part in the judging. Each panel includes at least three judges and is chaired by an AWA Board Director.

At both state and national levels, judges score each nominee based on how well they address the award criteria. The panel then meets to review the scoring and discuss the merits of all submissions. Final scoring and ranking is based on a majority vote from all eligible members of the judging panel.

All judges adhere to a code of conduct which includes a policy to prevent conflicts of interest. The judges’ decision is final and no discussion about the merits of entries will be entered into with nominees.

Award finalists and winners of the State Awards will be announced at their relevant state or territory event. Winners of the 2023 Australian Water Awards are presented at the Ozwater Gala Dinner, to be held in Sydney in May 2023.