MEDIA RELEASE

Australian Water Association announces 2016 South Australian Water Award Winners

Innovative excellence, creative solutions and exceptional leadership were the consistent themes across the distinguished recipients of the Australian Water Association’s 2016 South Australian Water Awards.

Announced at the SA Water Awards Dinner, the awards celebrate Association members’ achievements and promote the outstanding work contributed by individuals and organisations in the water sector.

Along with the prestige of being recognised as ‘the best in South Australia’, the winners of a number of the SA Water Awards will automatically be entered into the equivalent Australian Water Awards category, which will be presented at Ozwater’17 in Sydney.

The 2016 South Australian Water Award winners are:

Water Professional of the Year

Professor Craig Simmons FTSE, Director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT)

Professor Craig Simmons FTSE is a leading groundwater scientist, recognised for major national and international contributions to groundwater science, education and policy reform. Director of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, he is one of Australia’s foremost groundwater academics and has been a significant contributor to global advances in the science of hydrogeology for many years.

Craig was named the 2015 South Australian Scientist of the Year and is The Advertiser’s Scientist in Residence.

Research Innovation Award

Research delivering savings to recycled water treatment plant membrane assets, SA Water Corporation

The research was conducted by SA Water, Allwater and SUEZ to assess ultrafiltration membrane performance and inform asset replacement of the membranes. The research has not only been beneficial for the direct application at the Glenelg recycled water treatment plant, but also to the broader water industry. The research has resulted in greater understanding of the approaches available to monitor and manage the membrane asset and their associated risks.

Program Innovation Award

The Allwater Allsafe Program – Moving an Organisation to a Healthier and Safer State

The aim of Allwater’s Allsafe Program was to build a positive safety culture and change behaviours of Allwater employees and sub-contractors through a proactive and integrated approach. The results achieved to date through the establishment of the Allwater Allsafe have been very positive, and have resulted in a marked increase in safety awareness across a broad spectrum of staff within Allwater. In turn, this has resulted in a strong culture of safety management and continuous improvement.

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award

Anderson Avenue Pump Station and Glenelg Inlet Works, Aurecon and Fulton Hogan

The upgraded Anderson Avenue Pump Station and the new Glenelg Inlet Works are critical pieces of infrastructure that transfer sewage from the collection network to the Glenelg Wastewater Treatment Plant in South Australia. The aim of the project was to minimise the risk of a wastewater overflow to the Glenelg beach and waterways, and to reduce work health and safety incidents at the Anderson Avenue Pump Station and new Glenelg Inlet Works. The innovation delivered by the project team has far reaching and positive impacts, and the project is an example of sound collaboration between SA Water, Aurecon, Fulton Hogan and plant operator Allwater and was delivered against project objectives.

Young Water Professional of the Year

Jennifer Dreyfus, Plant Supervisor Bolivar ASR WWTP, Allwater

Jennifer has been involved in the water industry since 2007 through her employment with SA Water. She is currently supervising the operations of the largest WWTP in South Australia, Bolivar. She always takes on challenges, continually looks for opportunities to optimise, target higher performance standards and improve efficiency. She has written numerous papers and presented at industry conferences including Ozwater, and currently she chairs the Emerging Professionals group at Allwater.

The Hodgson Medal: Student Water Prize

Sina Moradi, University of New South Wales / SA Water

Assessment and modelling of chloramine residual decay in drinking water

Sina is doing his PhD project at SA Water with the Research and Innovation Services team. He works on water quality network modelling in water distribution systems. His major research interests are water treatment processes and his research focus is on assessment and modelling of chloramine residual decay in drinking water.

Highly commended recipients include:

Research Innovation Award
Adelaide Airport Heat Reduction Trial, SA Water

Young Water Professional of the Year
Katherine Reid, Treatment Performance Analyst, SA Water

The Hodgson Medal: Student Water Prize
Matthew Konetschka, University of Adelaide / SA Water

Developing intelligent, cost saving pump controls for wastewater networks through integration with the electricity spot market.

To arrange an interview with any of the award winners contact Ashleigh James 0488 160 277.

The Australian Water Association is an independent, not-for-profit association for water professionals and organisations, providing leadership in the water sector through collaboration, advocacy and professional development. As Australia’s peak water industry body, the Australian Water Association has the largest broadly based membership, with approximately 700 corporate members and 5,000 individual members representing the diversity and breadth of the Australian water industry.