Celebrating our water leaders
The recent Australian Water Association WA Awards shone a spotlight on the fantastic talent we have at Water Corporation.
Held earlier this month, the awards showcase innovation, leadership and infrastructure. This year we walked away with 3 major awards and a number of shortlisted finalists, highlighting the fantastic efforts of our employees over the last 12 months.
One of these significant achievements was the Infrastructure Project Innovation Award for the Horrocks Water Treatment Plant.
In June 2023, we commissioned the world’s first benign full-scale Continuous Electrochlorination (CEC) aesthetics removal water treatment plant at Horrocks.
Application of the CEC electrochemical technology at Horrocks is the first example of its kind and a game changer for the water industry.
The project delivered many benefits including eliminating exposure and manual handling of dangerous goods, reducing operations and maintenance costs and improving community perceptions.
The successful delivery and reliability of these upgrades sets a unique and outstanding example of innovation. The direct transition and implementation of research into industrial-scale applications has delivered amazing benefits for us.
The team behind the Horrocks Water Treatment Plant.
Our water professionals
Two of our employees were also acknowledged for their efforts, with Cristiano Carvalho taking home the Water Professional of the Year award and Liz Duguid winning the Young Water Professional of the Year award.
Liz is currently working as a Project Engineer in Assets Delivery but has made significant contributions to the organisation since she joined as a graduate in 2019.
“My first involvement with Water Corporation was as an industry partner to my Masters thesis project looking at Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries,” she said.
“I worked full time as a vacation student and then 1 day a week for a year while I completed the project. I then completed a second vacation placement with Water Corporation before returning as a Graduate in 2019.”
While we know water and electricity don’t inherently mix, Liz is showing us otherwise and making strides on our net zero journey.
“Our society’s transition to renewable energy was a key driver in my choosing of the electrical engineering profession,” she said.
“After learning Water Corporation was the such a large consumer of electricity in WA, I felt I was in no better place to make an impact.”
As well as having been a participant in the WSAA Young Utility leadership program 22/23, Liz is also an avid volunteer. She’s worked with programs like Girls in Engineering Tomorrow to promote the water industry and more broadly raise awareness for high school students about all the opportunities engineering can bring.
“I believe the next generation of engineers are often motivated by helping society sustainably in the same way I am,” she said.
“For the water sector to continue innovating and progressing we need to attract and retain a diverse workforce.”
Liz is currently seconded in the Woodman Point Sludge upgrade Alliance as a project engineer.
Liz Duguid took home the Young Water Professional of the Year award.