WA Water Award winners announced as part of National Water Week

The winners of the Australian Water Association's Western Australian (WA) Water Awards have been announced at the Water Awards Dinner on 23 October at The Ritz-Carlton, Perth as part of National Water Week.

The WA Water Awards recognise the contribution of the Association's members for their inspiring leadership and innovative research, programs and infrastructure projects.

“For over 20 years, the Association has been running the Water Awards Program to recognise the work our members do for their communities and the industry,” Australian Water Association President, Carmel Krogh OAM said.

“In 2020, we have all had to reimagine what our future might look like. Through climate change, a global pandemic and economic recession, the water industry has shown resilience and innovation.

“The WA Water Award finalists and winners are exemplars of how our members are working towards a sustainable water future.”

Many of this year's WA Water Award winners will go on to represent the state in the national Australian Water Awards, which will be presented at the Association’s annual water conference and exhibition, Ozwater’21 in Adelaide on 4-6 May 2020.

Winners:

Innovating for Sustainable Water and Environmental Outcomes Award (program partnered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Water Corporation)

The Australian Fine China Project: A Decentralised Model for High Density Infill Developments – Syrinx Environmental

The Australian Fine China project is a precinct scale rainwater reuse scheme that uses built form planning controls to create a model water re-use scheme and approval framework. The project delivers significant reductions in scheme water use, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions within a mixed-use high-density urban renewal area.

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (Regional)

Busselton Water Filtration Plant No. 1 – Busselton Water & GHD

Busselton Water and GHD’s project replaced 40-year-old legacy drinking water treatment filters with new, highly innovative, custom designed units. The new design exhibits substantial improvements to the safety, operability, and environmental performance with a strong focus on sustainability.

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award (Metro)

Beenyup Advanced Water Recycling Plant Stage 2 – SUEZ & Water Corporation

This project, in partnership with Clough, produces 14 gigalitres of recycled water for indirect potable reuse via groundwater replenishment. It demonstrates that utilities can manage urban growth alongside changing environmental conditions and that groundwater replenishment using recycled water can be a viable and sustainable option for forward-thinking global cities.

R&D Excellence Award

Naegleria Fowleri in Drinking Water Distribution Systems – CSIRO & Water Corporation

CSIRO and Water Corporation’s project highlights the improved management of Naegleria Fowleri in drinking water distribution systems through targeted detection methods and in-depth characterisation of the biological, physical and chemical conditions supporting its presence and persistence. The outputs of the project have impacted water management and surveillance strategies both in Australia and internationally.

Student Water Prize (program partnered by GHD)

An Investigation into the Optimisation and Evaluation of Smart Ponds for Sludge Management – Raveena Raju, The University of Western Australia

Raveena’s project has provided Water Corporation with design and operational recommendations for improving sludge management in advanced facultative ponds through field experiments and computational fluid dynamics modelling. The outcomes from this project can also be adapted for other waste stabilisation ponds and wastewater lagoons with similar operating modes and configurations.

Young Water Professional of the Year Award (program partnered by Xylem)
Kevin Massez, Project Manager, Water Corporation

Kevin’s contribution to the water industry can be credited to his can-do attitude and passion for building a sustainable future. He has been instrumental in managing Water Corporation’s Pipes for Perth projects, which has required disruption of the current landscape, effective communication with stakeholders and identification of gaps in the delivery of the water main renewal works.

Water Professional of the Year Award
Chris Elliott, Managing Director, Busselton Water

Chris is a highly skilled and experienced Western Australian water industry manager – a natural leader and strategic thinker with more than four decades of dedication to the sector. Chris has set new benchmarks in workplace safety and sector innovation, while also making a significant contribution at a regional level.

The Association congratulates all the award finalists and winners and thanks our program partners, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Water Corporation, Sacyr Water Australia, West Force Construction, Steel Mains, Xylem and GHD, for their support of these important industry awards.