Passion and commitment to water in WA receives recognition

One of the pioneers of new climate-independent water supply options for Perth was recognised with a leading water industry award on Friday night.

Water Corporation’s Senior Principal for Strategic Projects Nick Turner was named Water Professional of the Year by the Western Australian branch of the Australian Water Association at its annual award ceremony.

Water Corporation Chief Executive Officer Sue Murphy said Mr Turner’s work in developing Australia’s first Groundwater Replenishment Scheme in Craigie had revolutionised the way Perth had responded to climate change.

“The fact that the community is comfortable with Water Corporation recycling treated wastewater, and further treating it to recharge into our groundwater supplies to be supplied as safe drinking water at a later date, is in no small way due to Nick Turner,” Ms Murphy said.

“He recognised very early on that we needed to bring the community along in our journey to secure our drinking water supplies, and we now have a recycling scheme that puts Perth at the forefront nationally for innovative water source options that are not reliant on rainfall.”

The Groundwater Replenishment Scheme itself was also recognised at the awards, receiving the Infrastructure Project Innovation Award.

Water Corporation’s Senior Technical Adviser Kate Bowker was named Young Water Professional of the Year for her potential to play an influential role in the water industry. “These awards are recognition for our dedicated employees who do so much behind the scenes for more than two million of our customers, so we can take it for granted that we will always have a safe and secure drinking water supply in the face of declining rainfall,” Ms Murphy said.

For more information on the Australian Water Association’s WA Water Awards, go to: www.awa.asn.au