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Our state and national water awards program recognises outstanding achievements of individualsorganisations and students. The awards showcase innovation, leadership, infrastructure and inspiring positive change to drive a sustainable water future.  

NSW Honour Roll


Water Professional of the Year Award
2024  Prof. Leslie (Phil) Duncan, Galambany Professorial Fellow
2023   Ian Law, IBL Solutions
2021   Dr Annette Davison, Risk Edge
2020  Grant Leslie, Balmoral Group Australia
2019   Kevin Young, Sydney Water
           (Highly Commended: Kurt Dahl, Permeate Partners)
2018   Daniel Lambert, Arup
2017   Carmel Krogh OAM, Shoalhaven Water
2016   Dr Fang Chen, Data61

Young Water Professional of the Year Award
2024   Steve Adamthwaite, Associate | NSW/ACT Water Business Leader, Arup
2023   Chelsea Hayward, Jacobs
2022   Michael Carter, Hunter H2O
2021    Shannon Davies, AECOM
2020   Dr Tanja Rosenqvist, RMIT
            (Highly Commended - Jocelyn Ellero, SMEC)
2019   Dr Yulia Shutova, AECOM
           (Highly Commended - Ronica Koey, Sydney Water)
2018   Casey Magee, GHD
2017   Shona Fitzgerald, Sydney Water
2016   Kathryn Silvester, Sydney Water

Student Water Prize
2024   Ting Zhou, University of Technology Sydney  
2023   Rebecca Carlier, The University of Newcastle
2022   Huan Liu, University of Technology Sydney
2021   Chris Skellern, The University of Sydney
2020   Alana Saliba, The University of Sydney
           Optimisation of the Water System at Visy Paper Smithfield (VP3&6)
2019   Florence Choo, University of New South Wales
           Real-time Monitoring of Cyanobacteria: Validation of Fluorometers as a Tool for
          Optimising Treatment
Processes
2018   Karthick Thiyagarajan, University of Technology Sydney
            Robust Sensor Technologies Combined with Smart Predictive Analytics for Modelling
           Concrete Corrosion in Sewers

2017   Kaitlyn Bell, Shoalhaven Water and the University of Wollongong
           Development of a Performance Measuring Device for Improved Monitoring of
          Sewer Pump Stations

Infrastructure Project Innovation Award
2024   Regional: Record-Breaking Rehabilitation of a DN500 Watermain in Rutherford -
             Interflow and Hunter Water 
             Metro: Sydney Water’s Purified Recycled Water Discovery Centre - Sydney Water,
             Confluence Water
(Downer Utilities, Jacobs, and Ventia joint venture) 
2023   Regional: Jubullum Aboriginal Community Water Project - Department of Planning
            and Environment, Clarence Valley Council and EcoTeam

            Metro: Balickera Tunnel Restoration - Hunter Water, Abergeldie
           Complex Infrastructure and
Tunnelling Solutions
2022   Regional: Gayini Nimmie-Caira Wetlands - The Department of Planning,
            Industry and Environment

           Metro: IoT Wastewater Blockage Detection - Sydney Water
2021   Regional: A Water Quality Digital Revolution Partnership for Bathurst –
           D2K Information & Bathurst Regional Council
           Metro: Geospatial Planning Tool – Sydney Water, Arup, Aurecon & GHD
2020   Project Gilghi: Modular Self Contained Solar WTP for Remote Indigenous Communities –
             Aurecon and
Ampcontrol
2019   Green Square Stormwater Drainage Project – City of Sydney and Sydney Water
2018   Googong Township Integrated Water Cycle – Stantec
            (Highly Commended - Parkes Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Project –
            Parkes Shire Council)
2017   Yamba Sewerage Augmentation - Clarence Valley Council, Public Works Advisory and
           DPI Water

2016   Treating high sugar wastewater – BioGill Operations Pty Ltd & Ferrero Australia

R&D Excellence Award (previously known as the Research Innovation Award)
2024   Upland Peat Swamps of the Woronora Plateau - Hydrological Monitoring and Water Balance Modelling -
             WaterNSW and UNSW Water Research Laboratory
2023   Collaborative Research Project for NOM Reduction Through Catalytic Advanced
            Oxidation - Infinite Water and Sydney Water
2022   Minimisation of Leaks and Breaks in Pipes with Innovative Integrated
            Deployment - WaterNSW
2021   Development of Wastewater Epidemiology for NSW – Collaboration on
             SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring in Wastewater – Sydney Water, WaterRA & Water Unit –
            NSW Health

2020   Innovative Sensor Suites and Intelligent Robotics for Condition Assessment of
            Concrete Sewers – University of Technology Sydney and Sydney Water
2019   R2T2 Rapid Response Robot – For the Non-Destructive Inspection and Assessment of
           Critical Water Mains – University of Technology Sydney and Sydney Water
2018   Success in Data Analytics – Sydney Water and Data61 Collaboration – Data61, CSIRO
            and Sydney
Water
2017   Better management of sewers – Exploiting Photonics Sensors Research through
           to its Introduction to the Water Industry - Sydney Water, City University of London and
           Edinburgh Napier University

2016   Advanced Condition Assessment and Pipe Failure Prediction Project - Sydney Water

Organisational Excellence Award (formerly Program Innovation Award)
2024   Urban Plunge - Sydney Water 
2023   Town Water Risk Reduction Program - Department of Planning and Environment
2022   Sydney Water Innovation Festival - Sydney Water and Isle Utilities
2021   Global Challenge – Partnering to Invest, Influence and Tangibly
            Impact Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Arup
2020  Recycled Water for a Greener Parkes – Parkes Shire Council
2019   Energy Master Plan – Sydney Water
2018   System Blueprints Program – Sydney Water, AAJV: AECOM-Aurecon Joint Venture, and
           ENSureJV:
GHD-Jacobs Joint Venture
2017   Keep wipes out of the pipes - Sydney Water
2016   Lake Macquarie Sports Field Improvement Program, Lake Macquarie City Council

Kamal Fernando Mentoring Award
2022   Renny Chivunga, Engineer Water, Aurecon
2021   Dammika Vitanage, Asset and Infrastructure, Sydney Water
2020   Daniel Lambert, Australasia Water Leader, Arup
2019   Saravanamuth Vigneswaran, Director, Centre for Technologies in Water and Wastewater,
           The University of Technology Sydney
2017   Andrew Francis, Director Infrastructure, Parkes Shire Council
2016   Rita Henderson, UNSW

Roger Pettitt Award
2024   Leonie Huxedurp
2022   Shoshana Fogelman
2021   Karen Eldridge
2020   Ivan Reolon
2016   Will Strachan

Resources

Sponsors

National R&D Excellence Award Sponsor

Water Research Australia-horizontal

National Young Water Professional of the Year Sponsor

Xylem

Important Dates
Entries close: 1 November 2024
Winners announced: Heads of Water Gala Dinner, 14 March 2025

Organisational Excellence Website

Awards for organisations


Open to AWA member organisations, nominate your projects for infrastructure innovation, organisational excellence, research, safety, and customer experience.

Find out more
Phil duncan

Awards for individuals


Open to AWA members and corporate member employees, have your commitment recognised as Water Professional of the Year or Young Water Professional of the Year.

Be recognised
StudentWaterPrize2024Website

Awards for students


Students can enter the Student Water Prize showcasing excellence in water studies and research, and the prestigious Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize for high school students.  

Grow your profile

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


To compete in the Australian Water Awards, entries will first be judged at the appropriate State Awards, with winners automatically entered as a finalist for the National awards (aside from our two National Award only categories).

In addition to the 10 national award categories, each state runs independently other award categories. These programs, like the national, recognise and reward individuals and organisations for innovation, commitment and leadership in the Australian water sector.

All Awards, aside from the Student Water Prize and Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize, are open to AWA members only. The Innovating for Sustainable Water and Environmental Outcomes Award (WA only) is also open to non members, however the lead organisation must be a not-for-profit, local government body, non-government organisation, school or small business.


For organisational awards, the lead organisation/s must be a current Corporate Member. Any partner organisations listed in the submission must also be a current Corporate Member to receive recognition if announced as a finalist and/or winner. This recognition includes the organisation/s being listed as a finalist on award collateral (online and print), on email communications announcing the finalists and/or winners, on any certificates and/or trophies, on the awards visual presentation (if applicable) and on media release statements.If the partner organisation/s listed in the submission are not current Corporate AWA Members, they will not receive the recognition as listed above.

For individual awards, the nominee must be a current individual AWA Member or an employee of a current Corporate Member.

To enter, nominations must be submitted using the online entry forms. Please note when your relevant State or Territory award submissions close.

There is no entry fee associated with the AWA Awards program.

Duplicate nominations are not permitted in the awards program. This means that you cannot nominate the same individual or project/activity for more than one award category or more than one state or territory in the same year. You can enter more than one award in the same year, as long as it is not with the same project/activity.

The submission close dates are specific to the state or territory award being entered. Please click your relevant state/territory button on this page to view the closing dates.

All nominations must be submitted via the online nomination form. Please check the relevant award category page to view the requirements to complete the nomination form.

State judging is coordinated by the relevant Member Engagement Manager and committee. Each state convenes a panel of experts to assess the applications.

National judging is coordinated by the National Awards Manager. The panels of experts are approved by the Honours & Awards Sub-committee of the Board to take part in the judging. Each panel includes at least three judges and is chaired by an AWA Board Director.

At both state and national levels, judges score each nominee based on how well they address the award criteria. The panel then meets to review the scoring and discuss the merits of all submissions. Final scoring and ranking is based on a majority vote from all eligible members of the judging panel.

All judges adhere to a code of conduct which includes a policy to prevent conflicts of interest. The judges’ decision is final and no discussion about the merits of entries will be entered into with nominees.

Award finalists and winners of the State Awards will be announced at their relevant state or territory event. Winners of the 2023 Australian Water Awards are presented at the Ozwater Gala Dinner, to be held in Sydney in May 2023.