Double whammy: plaudits for water champions of WA

Essential Environmental business partners & AWA winners extraordinaire: Helen Brookes & Shelley Shepherd

It’s been a huge week for the WA water industry as plaudits were handed out at the recent Stormwater Industry Association awards night (17th November 2015) AND the Australian Water Association WA Water Awards and Gala dinner (20th November 2015)!

Essential Environmental‘s hard work paid off yet again to come away with the AWA Water Award for the Conservation and Efficiency category on the work undertaken jointly with the City of Canning on the Canning City Centre Arterial Drainage Plan (the second year in a row for this award!).

The final 2015 WA Water Awards winners are:

Research Innovation Award
Evaluation of Vibratory Shear Membrane Technology for Concentrate Minimisation and Brine Recovery/Recycling, National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award
Pilbara Clearwater Alliance, Water Corporation & Downer

Program Innovation Award
Rural Water Plan, Department of Water

Grahame Heal Water Sensitive Urban Design Award
Urban Waterways Renewal, Department of Water & South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare

Conservation & Efficiency Award
Canning City Centre Arterial Drainage Plan, Essential Environmental

Resource Management Award
River health assessments using the South West Index of River Condition, Department of Water

Undergraduate Water Award
Luke Murphy, Rottnest Island Sustainable water expansion project, Murdoch University

Young Water Professional of the Year
Ben Mitchell, Jacobs
(Presented by Mike Rowe, Acting Director General, Department of Water)

Water Professional of the Year
Mike Harold

Yay us!

Concurrently, the Stormwater Industry Association of Western Australia recognised excellence in research & innovation, policy/education and integrated stormwater design, with this year’s winners as follows:

Excellence in Research & Innovation
Wharf Street Wetland and Civic Parklands, Department of Parks and Wildlife, City of Canning & SERCUL

Excellence in Policy or Education
New WAter Ways

Excellence in Integrated Stormwater Design
SMS Your Stormwater (Stormwater Management @ Source) for the New Perth Stadium Station, AECOM for the PRISM Alliance and DS Agencies

Well done to Shelley and the rest of the New WAter Ways team for their hard work in building the water sensitive urban design capacity of Government and industry and setting Perth on the path to transforming into a water sensitive city!

Shelley Shepherd, Mark Batty, Rebecca Epworth & Jennifer Strizke of New WAter Ways accepting their Excellency in Policy or Education award

Until next year, may we all strive forth to be passionate and excel in the management of our precious life-giving water resources!