Ozwater’24: Making the most of Day Two

As Day One of Ozwater’24 draws to a close, delegates are catching their breath after a packed schedule of informative and thought-provoking presentations, forums and panels, and turning their attention to what’s on offer tomorrow.

Here are some of the program highlights to plan for, including more opportunities to learn, share and engage. Follow the links below to add sessions to your conference program on the Ozwater’24 online platform. 

Day Two Panels 

Aside from the dozens of presentations on offer under the Ozwater’24 program streams, delegates are also invited to consider attending one of the impressive panel sessions organised for Day Two. 

Assent Communications and Seqwater will lead the Social Licence in focus, showcasing what the Seqwater model for program management and engagement is and the benefits which flow from it for Seqwater, local communities and the water industry.

The facilitated group discussion will:

• Involve participants as we explore the barriers, solutions, and benefits of place-based co-design program delivery and engagement methods in the water industry.
•    Result in a list of relevant, timely data participants can take back into their organisations, enabling them to start or develop discussions around this future of program delivery and engagement model
  

For those delegates interested in exploring international partnerships for water and climate action, the Partnerships to Build Water Sector Strength and Accelerate Climate Resilience session will feature a presentation from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Australia’s water priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

The Building Climate Resilient Water Sectors Through International Partnerships session will be presented in two parts, with the first part focused on 'Uniting Water Leaders Across Our Region' bringing together a panel of experienced water leaders across Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and APAC to discuss how we forge collaborations. Part two of the workshop will focus on 'Insights from utility partnerships across Southeast Asia and the Pacific' and will also bring a panel from across PCERWASS, Riverina Water, Unitywater, Tonga Water Board, Giri Menang and TasWater to discuss lessons learned and future steps from a successful international partnership.

The Water Services Association of Australia will lead two sessions, with the first focusing on 'The decade that matters: Investment, climate, technology', the challenges of climate change, population growth and ageing assets, combined with changing expectations from customers and regulators, are now forcefully driving necessary investment to record levels meaning the era of flat prices is over in many jurisdictions. We continue to have a gap in provision of water to First Nations communities. All while we face transitions in energy and digital. Join us as we hear from expert speakers on the decade that matters.

In the second session, Frontiers of Recycling, international and local experts will discuss the home-grown global purified recycled water map that has brought the growing global community in this area together.

Workshops

Day Two of Ozwater’24 has seven workshop options on offer, dishing up an array of in-depth discussions for delegates to engage with. Workshops to pick from include: 

• Leapfrogging Climate Change, facilitated by Sydney Water
• Developing a Water Responsible and Circular Hydrogen Economy, led by Water Research Australia
• Pay Now or Pay Later, facilitated by AWA Water Quality Specialist Network
• Advancing First Nations Procurement Through the 3Cs of Supplier Diversity, facilitated by ARUP and iDiC
• Setting the Course: The Inescapable and Critical Agenda for Responsible AI in Water Utilities, facilitated by SpiralData
• A Shift to Green Solutions - What Role Can Nature-based Solutions Play for Future Water Infrastructure?, facilitated by Pacific Biotechnologies Australia
• Keeping the Lid on Odour, facilitated by the AWA Operations Specialist Network
• International PerspectivesL Collaboration and Opportunities, facilitated by the Water Services Association of Australia.

Gala Dinner 

When it comes to Ozwater highlights, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Gala Dinner – one of the most anticipated social events on the annual water community calendar – where some of the sector’s brightest talent will be celebrated. 

For the Australian Water Awards finalists, the wait will finally be over as award winners are revealed. 

The Association looks forward to welcoming delegates to the Melbourne Room at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to celebrate the industry’s successes while enjoying a three-course dinner, drinks and entertainment. 

We look forward to seeing you on Day Two of Ozwater’24.