The Australian Water Awards are a way of recognising the Australian Water Association’s members for their contribution to the water sector and the communities in which they serve.

The State and Territory award winners will go on to compete in the national awards, which are being announced live during Ozwater’20 Online over two Happy Hours on Thursday 11 June and Thursday 25 June.

See who’s up for the top gongs.

Research Innovation Award

This national award is proudly sponsored by WaterRA and recognises innovation in water technology, environmental conservation and sustainable management of Australia’s water resources.

• An Integrated Approach to Iron Salt Use in Urban Water Systems - The University of Queensland, Urban Utilities, Seqwater and WaterRA (QLD)
• Innovative Sensor Suites and Intelligent Robotics for Condition Assessment of Concrete Sewers - University of Technology Sydney and Sydney Water (NSW)
• SA Water Machine Learning Analytics for Proactive Pipe Leak Detection and Repair​​ - SA Water (SA)
• Treatment of Highly Alkaline Industry Wastewater through SPORE - Environmental Engineers International (WA)
• Victorian Climate Initiative - Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO (VIC)

Program Innovation Award

This national award recognises significant and innovative environmental or sustainability programs within the water industry.

• Autonomous Motorised Monitoring Instrument - Seqwater (QLD)
• Barwon Water Property Consolidation Program - Barwon Water (VIC)
• Drainage for Liveability - Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (WA)
• Flows for the Future – Department for Environment and Water (SA)
• Integrated Water Accounts for the Canberra Region - Bureau of Meteorology (ACT)
• Recycled Water for a Greener Parkes - Parkes Shire Council (NSW)
• That’s My Water! - The Weather Web - Power and Water Corporation (NT)

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award

This national award is proudly sponsored by SMEC and recognises significant and innovative infrastructure projects and initiatives within the water industry.

• 24 Glasses - TasWater (TAS)
• ACT Healthy Waterways Project - ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (ACT)
• Borroloola Water Treatment System Upgrade: The Containerised Story - Power and Water Corporation and SUEZ (NT)
• Going Green at Kenilworth - Unitywater (QLD)
• Kununurra Diversion Dam Gantry Crane - Water Corporation and Vector Lifting (WA)
• Peterborough Community Wastewater Management Scheme​ - District Council of Peterborough, Flinders University and Local Government Association of South Australia (SA)
• Project Gilghi: Modular Self Contained Solar WTP for Remote Indigenous Communities - Aurecon and Ampcontrol (NSW)
• Yarra Valley Water Waste to Energy Project - Yarra Valley Water (VIC)

Student Water Prize

This national award is proudly sponsored by Guidera O’Connor and rewards students for excellence in water-related studies and research. The award also provides a forum for students to display their academic innovation and/or research findings to the water industry.

• Incorporating Agricultural Analysis into Hypoxic Blackwater Modelling to Improve Forecasting of Future Events - Jimmy Parascos, Australian National University (ACT)
• Unravelling Roles of Emerging Environmental Contaminants in Promoting the Spread of Antibiotic Resistance - Ji Lu, The University of Queensland (QLD)
• Leanyer Sanderson Waste Stabilisation Pond Microbiology - Alea Rose, Charles Darwin University (NT)
• Unravelling Stream Ecosystem Functioning in Urban Landscapes to Improve Management of Water Quality and Habitat - Jen Middleton, University of Western Australia (WA)
• Is the Installation of Mini Hydropower Turbines into Water Transmission System Pipelines Cost Effective? ​- Amber Smith and Anthony Cox​, University of Adelaide (SA)
• Harnessing Immobilised Algae for High Rate Wastewater Treatment - Matthew Kube, RMIT University (VIC)
• Optimisation of the Water System at Visy Paper Smithfield (VP3&6) - Alana Saliba, the University of Sydney (NSW)

Young Water Professional of the Year Award

This award is proudly sponsored by Xylem and honours young water professionals who have outstanding career achievements to date and who have the potential to play a large and influential role in the water industry.

• Christina Bruno, Leader - NT, Tonkin (NT)
• Portia Condell, Environmental Support Officer, Icon Water (ACT)
• Rebecca Ferguson, Catchment Management Officer, City of Bayswater (WA)
• Dr Tanja Rosenqvist, Lecturer - Humanitarian Engineering, RMIT (NSW)
• Dr Paul Satur, Researcher, Monash Water Sensitive Cities, Monash Sustainable Development Institute & Our Future Cities (VIC)
• Ben Staniford​, Senior Engineer​, Tonkin (SA)
• Aidan Symons, Senior Engineer, Water Infrastructure, SMEC (QLD)
• Cassandre Tickner-Smith, Environment and Compliance Officer, Tasmanian Irrigation (TAS)

Water Professional of the Year Award

This award is proudly honours individuals who have displayed a sustained passion and continued commitment to the water industry, and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and influence in the water sector.

• Terry Dalgleish, Group Manager Liveability, South East Water (VIC)
• Mark Gobbie​, General Manager, Asset Operations and Delivery, SA Water​ (SA)
• Grant Leslie, General Manager, Balmoral Group Australia (NSW)
• Jeremy Maher, Manager Sustainability and Environment, City of Bayswater (WA)
• Daryl Ross, Acting Director, Road and Water Infrastructure, Logan City Council (QLD)
• Chris Thompson, Principal Consultant, Macquarie Franklin (TAS)
• Eric Vanweydeveld, Senior Project Manager, Power and Water Corporation (NT)

Water Industry Safety Excellence Award

This award is proudly sponsored by WSAA and acknowledges outstanding initiative and team contributions in considering and playing an active part in the area of safety improvement and injury prevention across the entire water industry.

• Confined Space Entry Simulator Experience - Melbourne Water (VIC)
• Decluttering for the Water Industry: How to Test if Your Safety System Should Stay or Go - Logan Water, Downer Utilities and Griffith University Science Innovation Lab (QLD)
• Dredge Robotics - Dredge Robotics (WA)
• Soft Tissue Injury Prevention - TasWater (TAS)
• Ventia M&E Contract to Yarra Valley Water - Ventia (VIC)

Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize

This award is proudly sponsored by Xylem and is an annual water science competition for high school students focusing on projects aimed at improving the quality of life through improvement of water quality, water resources management, water protection, and water and wastewater treatment.

• Developing and Testing an Autonomous Water Monitoring System - Olivia Arvanitis, Meriden School (NSW)
• Microplastics in Water - Tsz Yee (Phoebe) Pang, Menai High School (NSW)
• The Use of Eggshell Waste as a Bio-adsorbant of Phosphates for Water and Soil Quality - Emma Serisier, Bishop Druitt College (NSW)
• What is the Effectiveness of Organoclay Adsorption and Re-elution in Removing the Aquatic Pollutant 2-Ethylhexyl-3-(4-Methoxyphenyl)Prop-2-Enoate, Quantified Through UV-Visible Spectrophotometry and Bacteria Luminescence Test Screen? - George Tian, Queensland Academies for Health Sciences (QLD)

Best Water e-Journal Paper - In honour of Guy Parker
Winner announced on Thursday 25 June during the Ozwater’20 Online Happy Hour

The Australian Water Awards are proudly sponsored by ANZ.