Atlas Engineering senior mechanical engineer Peter Haylock works as part of the Design and Engineering Team at Sydney Water, where he has developed delivery strategies for several multimillion dollar projects.

This includes the $100+ million dewatering program for the utility’s biosolids business. He is also heavily involved in process improvements in commissioning and design across the capital delivery program.

Before Haylock joined Atlas in 2013, he spent seven years as a commissioning lead at UGL, working on a variety of projects.

Among the highlights were managing the construction and commissioning of an odour management system and other new upgrades as part of the $90 million production asset reliability renewal (PARR) of Sydney’s 330 ML/d North Head wastewater treatment plant from 2006 to 2009.

He also commissioned the 60 ML/d Bootawa water filtration plant for MidCoast Water and coordinated wet weather capacity upgrades to Quakers Hill sewage treatment plant on the SewerFix Program.

Haylock was recently nominated for the Australian Water Association’s New South Wales (NSW) Young Water Professional of the Year Award, which will be presented at the NSW Water Awards in March.

“It’s an unexpected honour during my last year of being considered ‘young’,” he said.

“There are so many great young professionals in the industry currently, to be recognised among them is a proud moment.”

The Australian Water Association's NSW Young Water Professionals team asked Haylock for his water saving tips, best piece of advice and what the water industry means to him.

What excites you in the industry right now?

The high quality of young professionals entering the industry and their motivation to volunteer and contribute to the wider water sector.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?

Author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss. His almost obsessive approach to time management and learning from others strikes a chord with me. Also being able to interview and learn from some of the world’s highest performers would be a blast.

Have you got any tricks for saving water?

I always water the garden after the sun has gone down to reduce evaporation (using a drip system).

If there was one piece of advice you could give yourself on your first day of full-time work, what would it be?

Be motivated, willing to have a go at anything and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Can you sum up what the water industry means to you in three words?

Water is everything.

To learn more about the Australian Water Association's Young Water Professionals program, click here.