eFlash #435
Date: 22-May-2020
Information for Water Industry Managers and Practitioners in the Queensland Water Industry
Weekly Update – 22 May
Our seventh online “essentials” networking event happened yesterday with 92 attendees participating throughout the session.
Intelligent Water Networks Program update and exploring opportunities for collaboration
Dean Barnett (IWN) is program director for the Intelligent Water Networks (IWN), which is a collaboration of 16 of the 19 Victorian water utilities, the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and VicWater. The network leverages on the strengths of its members (both big and small) to conduct technology trials, participate in leadership development programs, collaborate and undertake joint procurement. IWN activities are divided into eight delivery programs: Biosolids and Resource Recovery, Energy & Carbon, Digital Metering Systems, Pipeline Intelligence, Asset Management and Optimisation, Data and Analytics, Edge Technologies, and Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration. Dean outlines the program activities and shares some highlights, which include Zero Emissions Water, now a separate entity that came out of an earlier IWN program on large scale renewables.
How to prepare future leaders for the transition from tools to team
Troy Pettiford (Whitsunday Regional Council) has made the transition from where he began in the industry as plumber years ago to today where he is WRC’s Chief Operating Officer. The steps that he took have involved many changes in outlook: from a task oriented on-the-tools operator, to being required to managing a small team, to now where his role requires a completely different strategic focus in order to operate effectively as a director, board member and chairperson of the qldwater TRG. Troy describes the key skills that he has developed over the years with the help of mentors along the way, including self-awareness, communication, delegation, and encourages participation in mentoring programs to develop the next generation of leaders.
National response to COVID-19
Adam Lovell, Water Services Association of Australia
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, WSAA has been one of three organisations that have provided industry liaison reporting to the Department of Home Affairs through the National Coordination Mechanism – Water established to address COVID-19 impacts. At the same time a WSAA COVID-19 Taskforce has been working to identify opportunities for economic stimulus funding and has developed the following six initiatives: Economic Impact on Urban Water, Managing Customers & Hardship, Supply Chain Resilience – Chemicals & Materials, Promoting staff mental health & wellbeing, Improving regional performance and Digital approaches to assist recovery. To date the federal government has not provided any economic stimulus funding to the water sector, but WSAA continues to promote its strategy so that our sector is well positioned should any funding be forthcoming.
The presentations and a recording of the webinar are available here.
The next event will be on Thursday 28 May at 10am with the following speakers:
Shaun Johnston – Burdekin Shire Council
“Old school asset condition assessment”
Everyone has likely seen presentations on robots and smart sensors and their impact on our industry but they are yet to have the market penetration anticipated by many, with some preferring to stick with simple solutions including smoke testing and acoustic leak detection. Shaun will demonstrate why these technologies still have an important place in infrastructure management.
Chris Mooney – Department of Environment and Science
“Regulatory approach to COVID-19, other initiatives”
Chris is currently the Director, Waste Development and Southeast Compliance and Chris has an extensive background in assessments and compliance for the department, particularly working with local government and environmental authorities for sewage treatment facilities. She can lay claim to being the “most capped” government stakeholder to participate in qldwater’s Water Connections Tour to regional and remote communities, with five trips under her belt commencing in 2015. This is a great opportunity to get some questions ready on practical solutions to managing your environmental duty.
Register for this event here.
It would be advisable to test your connection, video and audio prior to the event, if you haven’t participated before. Click here for more detailed instructions.