Connecting the dots
Date: 29-Nov-2013
Steve Jobs is quoted as saying that you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.
”So you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in the future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
As we celebrate the Queensland Water Directorate’s tenth anniversary this year, our endeavour to connect the dots resulted in the launch of a commemorative publication entitled ‘Water Connections: Celebrating the Queensland Water Directorate’s First Decade’, which provides and overview of the history, environmental impacts, technology, water sources and politics that have shaped the Queensland urban water industry over the past ten years.
Like children connecting numbered dots to reveal a picture, Water Connections gives us the opportunity to form a clearer picture of Queensland’s urban water industry at the moment, and help us to map out the way forward to secure a safe and sustainable industry for future generations.
Last week we hosted a dinner with key people who have played a substantial role in the inception and growth of the Directorate. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the past and also to pay tribute to those whom we believe has made a lasting impact in the industry.
Although the urban water industry is blessed with plenty of great men and women who work tirelessly to provide a top quality food grade product to their customers 24/7, we took the opportunity to single out a couple of people who, over the years, have gone above and beyond their normal duties to make a difference. Two special awards were presented to acknowledge Industry Contribution and Industry Leadership.
Congratulations to Alan Kleinschmidt from Toowoomba Regional Council who received the Industry Contribution Award and David Brooker from Mackay Regional Council – winner of the Industry Leadership Award.
Other contribution winners included Dick Went from Gold Coast Water, John Roworth from Longreach Regional Council, Daryl Ross from Logan Water and Jason Devitt from Mackay Regional Council.
And so, as we continue on our journey, we trust that the dots will somehow connect in the future. We trust in more than just destiny, life, karma, or whatever else worked for Steve – we trust that the collected wisdom, hard work and foresight of organisations like qldwater and our founding partners (IPWEAQ, AWA, LGAQ, LGMA) and the Technical Reference Group and other specialist forums will drive a sensible and sustainable industry, powered and engineered by a well skilled workforce and understood by better educated communities.
Limited copies of the book were provided free of charge to qldwater members in December 2013. Further copies are available for sale at the price of $20 plus actual postage by contacting Heather Gold on (07) 3632 6850 or email hgold@qldwater.com.au.
To try before you buy, you can view selected pages of the book here.