VICTORIA WATER AWARDS

Water Professional of the Year Award
2023   Niru Gosavi
2022   Nina Braid, Yarra Valley Water
2021   Eamonn Kelly, Melbourne Water
2020   Deb Brown, Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP)
2019   Terry Dalgleish, South East Water
2018   Andrew Forster-Knight, South East Water
2017   Ciara Sterling, Yarra Valley Water
2016   Dr Melita Stevens, Melbourne Water

Young Water Professional of the Year Award
2023   Dr Samuel Skinner, Lead Process Engineer - Water, Aureon
2022   Sian Harrick, Arup
2021   Gabby Butera, Arup
2020   Simon Roberts, City West Water/ Our Future Cities
2019   Dr Paul Satur, Monash Sustainable Development Institute/Our Future Cities
           High Commendation - Brendan Moore, Yarra Valley Water
2018   Casey Furlong, GHD
            Highly Commended - Emily Darlison, Climates
2017   Priyani Madan, Arup
2016   Rhys Anderson, Arup

Student Water Prize
2023   Ibrahim Hakeem, RMIT University
2022   Minh Duc Nguyen, Deakin University
2021   Eliza Venville, Monash University,
            Missing Voices: Engaging Family Violence-Affected Water Customers
2020   Piumie Rajapaksha, RMIT University,
            The Development of Novel Nanofunctional Wastewater Remediation Strategies:
            Creating Clean Water for the Many, Not the Few
2019   Matthew Kube, RMIT University
           Harnessing Immobilised Algae for High Rate Wastewater Treatment
2018   Mukta Sapkota, University of Melbourne
           Impacts of Hybrid Water Supply Systems on Water Resources and Infrastructure
2017   Samuel Skinner, The University of Melbourne
           Quantifying Wastewater Dewaterability for Improved Water Recycling
2016   Damien Modie and supervisors, Professor Dayanthi Nugegoda and Dr Bradley Clarke,
           RMIT University
           Investigating Bioaccumulation of Chemical Pollutants Adsorbed to
           Microplastics in the Terrestrial Environment

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award
2023   Regional: Beechworth Sewer Upgrade – An Innovative Solution  –
            North East Water with Contributing Organisations
2023   Metro: Eastern Treatment Plant Biogas Handling System Stage 1 Upgrade –   
            Melbourne Water and John Holland-KBR Joint Venture
2022   Regional: Design and Construction of the Mt Cole Pipeline Renewal – GWMWater and
            Interflow
2022  Metro: Shakespeare Grove Main Drain Outlet Renewal – Melbourne Water,
           Stantec and John Holland-KBR Joint Venture
2021   Regional: Web-Based Decision Support Tool for Regional Wastewater Management –
           KBR, Goulburn Valley Water, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning,
           North East Water and Decentralised Water Australia
2021   Metro: Reimagining Your Creek – Melbourne Water and Alluvium Consulting Australia
2020  Regional: Torres Strait Islands Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management Plan -
           Arup, Griffith University and Ganden Engineers & Project Manager
2020   Metro: Deriving Value Through Remote Access to Asset Information –
            CH2M Beca and Western Water
2019   Yarra Valley Water Waste to Energy Project – Yarra Valley Water
            (High Commendations: Aquarevo – South East Water and Villawood Properties;
             and Urban Remote Metering – GWMWater)
2018   Internet of Things Site Monitoring Solution – SAGE Automation and Melbourne Water
2017   Warrnambool Roof Water Harvesting Project – Wannon Water
2016  Amaroo Main Sewer Project – Yarra Valley Water and John Holland
          (High Commendation: Merri Creek Main Sewer Project - Early Works -
          John Holland-KBR Joint Venture and Melbourne Water)

R&D Excellence Award (previously known as the Research Innovation Award)
2023   Biochar to Batteries – Barwon Water, South East Water and The Department of
            Environment, Energy and Climate Action with Contributing Organisations 
2022   Real Greenhouse Gas Emission Measurement and Reporting for Real Reductions as
            We Move Toward Net Zero - Melbourne Water, The University of Queensland,
           The University of Melbourne and Ektimo
2021   Australian-First Technology – the Next Step in Biosolids Innovation Transforming Local
           Circular Economies – South East Water, Greater Western Water and the Intelligent
          Water Networks
2020   Victorian Collaboration on Sewage Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (ColoSSoS VIC Node) –
            WaterRA and ColoSSoS Project Partners Project (Partners include:
            Victoria Department of Health and Human Services, Barwon Water, Central Highlands
            Water, City West Water, Coliban Water, East Gippsland Water, Gippsland Water,
            Goulburn Valley Water, Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water, Lower Murray Water,
            Melbourne Water, North East Water, South East Water, South Gippsland Water,
           Western Water, Westernport Water, Wannon Water, Yarra Valley Water, ALS,
           Monash University and University of Melbourne)
2019   Victorian Climate Initiative – Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning,
            Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO
2018   Driving Change from Conservatism to Pragmatism – Better use of Biosolids and Recycled
            Water by Using Research to Challenge Guidelines – South East Water
2017   Emerging Contaminants: Innovative Technology for Treatment and Removal – Arup

Organisational Excellence Award (formerly Program Innovation Award)
2023   Environmental Sensitivity Map – South East Water
2022   Enhancing Liveability and Prosperity in the Goulburn Valley – Goulburn Valley Water
2021   Aboriginal Employment and Retention strategy – Barwan Water
2020   Wara Paring Indigenous Civil Construction Project – Aqua Metro Services
            and Melbourne Water
2019   Barwon Water Property Consolidation Program – Barwon Water
            (High Commendations:
            The Aboriginal Water Program – The Department of Environment, Land,
            Water and Planning)
            (High Commendations: Zero Emissions Water – Power Purchase Agreement –
             The Victorian water industry’s Intelligent Water Networks)
2018   Enhancing Our Dandenong Creek – Melbourne Water
            (Highly Commendation: A Day at the Zoo – Engaging Culturally and Linguistically
            Diverse Communities – City West Water)
2017   Ballarat City Integrated Water Management Plan – Central Highlands Water,
            Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, E2Designlab & RMCG
2016   Greening the West - City West Water
            (High Commendation: Lal Lal Mini Hydro Electric Generator - Central Highlands Water,
            Barwon Water and the State Government of Victoria)
            (High Commendation: The Victorian Water Register (Web Enhancement Program) -
            Dept of Environment, Land, Water and Planning)

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.