Inspiring Change in the Water Industry
Date: 07-Mar-2014
This International Women’s Day, we need to look no further than Moranbah’s Water Treatment Plant to see how this year’s theme of “inspiring change” is playing out in the Queensland water industry.
Responsible for the Plant’s entire operation - from water monitoring and testing to pump, equipment and ground maintenance - Julie Smith and her assistant Shelley Cottam’s hard work and dedication is paying off with the pair being awarded full scholarships to complete a Diploma of Water Operations through the Queensland Government’s Supporting Women Scholarships.
148 Queensland women from 500 applicants were given the opportunity to challenge the status quo for women’s equality by gaining qualifications in high priority and skills shortage areas that are traditionally male dominated.
Isaac Regional Council (IRC) Mayor Anne Baker said both Julie and Shelley are highly skilled and motivated and extremely deserving of their scholarships.
Julie has been with IRC for 25 years – with the past 23 at the water plant. Shelley came on board six years ago as an adult trainee and has since gained her Certificate II, III and IV through Council.
With only the two women on site, plus a trainee who shifts between the water plant and sewage plant, a typical day for Julie and Shelley usually involves the recording of plant logs, water sampling and monitoring, checking equipment, chemical vats, fluoride levels and overnight water usage - then any machinery and ground maintenance needed.
“We do it all,” Julie said. “We operate two separate plants which can run independently – so if work is needed on one, we can operate the other. In winter one is enough, but we need both during the summer to supply the town.”
Starting their day at 6.30am, Julie and Shelley alternate weekend work at the plant. “If Julie is away, I work until she’s back and vice versa,” Shelley said.
“We’re undertaking the diploma as part of our job - with water and sewerage training you need to work within the industry.”
Julie said while the day to day plant operation generally ran smoothly, the occasional storm and power outage could have them on alert. “That can keep us here to manually run pumps until four in the morning – but we can usually manage,” she explained.
“We don’t have many breakdowns or stressful moments. We are lucky to be working at a smaller plant because we can do all our own testing, monitoring and maintenance – which make it all the more interesting.”
According to Tracie Regan, Senior Training Consultant, Water and Sustainability at the Wide Bay Institute of TAFE, there has been a slight increase in women trainees undertaking water operations studies since 2013, mainly from regional areas, but the 5% statistics are still quite low.
Tracie has set up a closed Facebook group for women working in the water industry, hoping that it will provide an online networking opportunity to further foster kinship between women in water. See https://www.facebook.com/groups/womeninwater/
qldwater is proud to celebrate the achievements of the women in our industry this International Women’s Day. Make sure you recognise the women in your teams too!