Celebrating Service to the Sector New
Date: 21-Aug-2026
Each year, as part of the qldwater Annual Forum, we present two awards to recognise exceptional service to the urban water sector – the Government Stakeholder Contribution Award and the Industry Recognition Award.
This year, we were delighted to recognise Heidi Grodecki as the recipient of the Government Stakeholder Contribution Award.
For more than a decade, Heidi has been a valued partner to Queensland's water industry through her work in Queensland Health's Water Unit. Her expertise, leadership and unwavering commitment to safe drinking water have helped strengthen public health outcomes across communities throughout the state.
Beyond her technical and regulatory contributions, Heidi is a passionate advocate for improving services in rural and remote areas and creating opportunities for First Nations drinking water operators. Her willingness to collaborate, support industry initiatives and share her knowledge has made a lasting impact on the sector.
When she is not championing better water outcomes, you might find Heidi running marathons, cycling, hiking or exploring the outdoors.
Congratulations, Heidi, and thank you for your dedication to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of Queensland communities.
We were also proud to recognise Phil Wetherell as the recipient of the Industry Recognition Award.
A scientist by training with a Master's degree in Environmental Health, Phil has built an impressive career spanning technical leadership, customer service, incident management, strategic risk and resilience. In his current role as Principal Water Quality at Urban Utilities, he is responsible for guiding drinking water quality strategy and frameworks that support safe and reliable services for communities across South East Queensland.
Beyond his professional achievements, Phil is widely respected for his willingness to share knowledge and support the development of others. Over many years, he has been a strong advocate for collaboration across the water sector, contributing to qldwater events, presenting on emerging industry challenges, and facilitating technical tours that help build capability and understanding among peers and regulators alike.
Phil's passion for practical scientific solutions, robust risk management and public health outcomes has made a lasting impact on Queensland's water industry.
Congratulations, Phil, and thank you for your outstanding service and contribution to our sector.
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