eFlash #654

eFlash #654 New

Date: 22-Apr-2026

In this edition: Essential Services First | A new chapter for Queensland's water taste test | Call for nominations: WIOA QLD Operator Awards | Harnessing AI: Empowering regional and remote water utilities | Disinfection by-products webinar recording available | WIOA Interest Day, Gympie | Nature-Based Solutions Bus Tour and Networking Drinks | New Queensland Commissioner for Rural and Regional | QPC Review into Environmental Regulation | PC Inquiry into National Water Reform | OSCA 2027 Consultation

Essential Services First

qldwater supports the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) call for councils to be granted essential user status for fuel, as ongoing instability in the Middle East continues to place pressure on fuel prices and supply chains.

The LGAQ is advocating for councils to have priority access under State and Federal emergency fuel legislation, should fuel supplies tighten. For Queensland communities, this is critical to maintaining the continuity of essential water and sewerage services, where reliable fuel access is vital to operate treatment plants, pump stations, maintenance fleets and emergency response activities.

With councils reporting rising fuel costs and increasing pressure from contractors, the risk of disruption to core services is growing—particularly in regional and remote areas. Water and sewerage services are fundamental to public health, environmental protection and community wellbeing, and must be prioritised in any future fuel supply emergency.

qldwater stands with LGAQ in urging State and Federal governments to recognise councils as essential users under emergency fuel arrangements, so communities can continue to rely on safe, reliable water and wastewater services when they are needed most.

A new chapter for Queensland’s water taste test

After 15 years of proudly running the Best of the Best Queensland Water Taste Test at our Annual Forum, qldwater has handed the competition over to our colleagues at the Water Industry Operators Association (WIOA). What began in 2011 with a small group of western councils has grown into a nationally – and even internationally – recognised initiative, largely driven by WIOA’s leadership.

This change better aligns Queensland’s taste test timing with WIOA’s national competition calendar, removing previous challenges where Queensland winners from the prior year were required to compete in the current national event. The new arrangement creates a clearer, more seamless pathway for Queensland water service providers to showcase their water alongside peers from across Australia.

More info here.

Call for nominations: WIOA Queensland Operator Awards

qldwater is proud to sponsor two operator awards at the annual WIOA Queensland Conference and is calling on managers and supervisors to nominate outstanding team members from across the state.

There have been some important updates to the awards this year:

Queensland New Operator of the Year Award (formerly Young Operator of the Year)
This change allows newcomers to the industry to be recognised regardless of age. The award celebrates emerging professionals who demonstrate enthusiasm, commitment to learning, innovation, leadership and fresh perspectives early in their water operations career.
Queensland Operator of the Year Award
qldwater has also taken on sponsorship of the Operator of the Year Award, instead of the former Civil/Allrounder category which no longer exists. This award recognises operators of water or wastewater treatment facilities who demonstrate excellent performance, initiative, and strong all-round attention to detail in their day-to-day operations.

Recognition starts with a nomination. Shine a spotlight on the people making a real difference in Queensland’s water industry.

Nominations close on 3 June.

More info here.

Harnessing AI: Empowering regional and remote water utilities

qldwater CEO Georgina Davis and QWRAP Program Director Neil Holmes will represent Queensland’s water sector at Harnessing AI: Empowering rural, remote and regional water utilities, a free breakfast workshop being held alongside Ozwater on 26 May 2026 in South Brisbane.

The session will explore how artificial intelligence can be applied in practical, low cost ways to help smaller utilities respond to growing pressures such as workforce constraints, service expectations and water security challenges. As panellists, Georgina and Neil will share insights from Queensland, including how AI can support productivity, decision making and digital capability while maintaining appropriate safeguards around privacy, security and reliability.

Designed for small, regional and remote utilities, the workshop will combine case studies, panel discussion and interactive table conversations, providing attendees with real world examples and opportunities to connect with peers and sector leaders from across Australia.

Disinfection by products: A fresh look at an old problem

A recording of last week’s webinar on DBPs is now available on our website. In the webinar Professor Fred Leusch from Griffith University provided an overview of a research program to identify whether common DBP mitigation strategies may unintentionally increase toxicity.

Watch the recording here.

WIOA Interest Day, Gympie

If you’re in the Gympie region, join peers from across the water industry operations sector this Thursday, 23 April for a hands on, operator focused event featuring a mains tapping demonstration, local water taste test and a panel discussion featuring qldwater CEO Georgina Davis.

The event will run from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Pavilion Conference & Reception Centre, 77 Exhibition Road Gympie - view map

Nature-Based Solutions Bus Tour and Networking Drinks

Two weeks to go before our Nature-Based Solutions Tour in partnership with Stormwater Queensland.

The tour on Thursday 7 May 2026 will include site visits to the two most iconic offsets-related nature-based solutions projects completed in Queensland in 2026 including the Urban Utilities Cannery Creek sewer upgrade project and Redland City Council’s Shoreline Mangrove Offset Project (SMOP).

Presentations will include discussions about community engagement, design, approvals, construction, operation, establishment, maintenance and monitoring.

Places are strictly limited and are filling quickly.

More info and register here.

New Queensland Commissioner for Rural and Regional

Andrew Cripps has been appointed to the State’s first Special Commissioner for Regional and Rural Queensland to focus on delivering programs and services across the state. The Townsville-based role will help unlock economic opportunities, strengthen local voices and improve service delivery across regional Queensland.

A born and raised North Queenslander, Andrew Cripps is also an experienced Recovery Coordinator and former Minister.

CURRENT CONSULTATIONS

Queensland Productivity Review into Environmental Regulation

qldwater has welcomed the Queensland Government’s decision to direct the Queensland Productivity Commission (QPC) to conduct an inquiry into the impacts of recent changes to federal environmental regulation.

The inquiry into reforms to Commonwealth environmental laws – including the 2025 changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – was an important opportunity to address long standing issues around assessment timeframes, duplication and regulatory burden for urban water (infrastructure) projects in Queensland.

The QPC will release further information on the inquiry shortly and the inquiry will run for 12 months.

More info here.

PC Inquiry on National Water Initiative

The Productivity Commission (PC) is conducting its fourth inquiry on governments’ progress under the National Water Initiative, as required by the Water Act 2007 (Cth). It will also advise on ways to promote a more sustainable water service industry to inform further work by governments to refresh Australia’s water policy. The PC will provide an interim update and produce a final report. The full terms of reference that guide the inquiry are available from the PC’s website.

To assist in the preparation of submissions for the interim update, the PC has prepared a call for submission paper which identifies a range of matters about which information and comment are being sought.

Call for submissions are due by Friday 24 April 2026. Please speak to Georgina if you want to provide information for the qldwater submission.

OSCA 2027 Consultation

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is committed to maintaining the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) through targeted updates as specified in the OSCA Maintenance Strategy.

The ABS has already reviewed and evaluated proposed updates that were identified late in the comprehensive review and were unable to be included in OSCA 2024. These changes are planned to be included in OSCA 2027 and are available as an Excel download.

OSCA describes all occupations in the Australian labour market. Your feedback will help inform and reshape educational pathways, skilled migration programs and strategies that support our workforce to remain adaptable and equipped with the right skills.

They are particularly interested in understanding which occupations have evolved, changed or are not currently separately identified within the classification and are seeking feedback on: