---
title: Meet the 2026 Australian Water Awards finalists
description: Australian Water Awards 2026 finalists announced, celebrating innovation, leadership and excellence ahead of the Ozwater’26 Gala Dinner in Brisbane.
---

[Latest News Blog ](https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news)

# [Meet the 2026 Australian Water Awards finalists](https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/meet-the-2026-australian-water-awards-finalists)

 Written by [Water Source](https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/author/water-source) | Apr 26, 2026 11:07:01 PM

**Congratulations to the 2026 Australian Water Awards finalists. Winners will be announced at the **[**Ozwater’26**](https://www.ozwater.org/program/ozwater-program)** Gala Dinner on 27 May in Brisbane. **

Australian Water Association Chief Executive Corinne Cheeseman said the annual awards program continues to showcase the depth of talent and innovation across the water community.

“The Australian Water Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals, organisations and students from across the country. It’s an opportunity to recognise the leadership, ingenuity and dedication driving a more sustainable and resilient water future,” she said.

“Once again, we have been incredibly impressed by the calibre of nominations. The diversity and quality of work being delivered across the sector highlights both the strength of our industry and the critical role it plays in supporting communities and the environment.

“Our judges faced a challenging task in selecting finalists and winners, with each nomination demonstrating excellence in its own way.

“I’d like to sincerely thank our judges for their time, expertise and careful consideration throughout the process. I’m very much looking forward to celebrating these achievements at the Australian Water Awards ceremony at [Ozwater’26](https://www.ozwater.org/program/ozwater-program) in Brisbane.”

### **MEET THE FINALISTS **

#### **ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD **

**Sponsored by:   
**

NT Government Water Demand Management Strategy   
Department of Lands, Planning and Environment and Power Water Corporation (NT)

Osmoflo's South Tarawa Water Supply Project Delivers More   
Osmoflo and other contributing organisations (Qld)

Alternative Water Supply Efficiency Measures Program   
Department for Environment and Water (SA)

Let's Save Our Thing – TasWater's Water Conservation Strategy   
TasWater (Tas)

Sotto® – Network Leak Detection   
South East Water and IOTA (Vic)

Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2   
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Water Corporation and other contributing organisations (WA)

The South Asia Water Security Initiative (SAWASI) in Nepal - Water Supply and Demand Model for Pokhara and Tulsipur   
Alluvium Group and other contributing organisations (ACT)

Water Loss Management and Efficiency Hub   
Central NSW Joint Organisation and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW)

#### **R&D EXCELLENCE AWARD **

**Sponsored by: 

**

Everyone Wins: Advancing Sludge Treatment Technologies for Customer Affordability and Environmental Benefit   
Urban Utilities, Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology – The University of Queensland, Western Australia Water Corporation, Aquatec Maxcon, Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (Qld)

From Salinity to Security: Innovative Water Supply for a Sustainable Future in Agriculture   
Osmoflo, One Basin CRC, University of Adelaide, Department for Environment and Water and other contributing organisations (SA)

World’s First Transforming Biosolids Training Centre   
South East Water Consortium with RMIT University, Melbourne Water, Environmental Protection Authority Victoria and Intelligent Water Networks (Vic)

Safeguarding Water Quality through Predictive Pathogen Management   
CSIRO Environment & Water Corporation (WA)

ACT Water Security Vulnerability Assessment   
Office of Water, ACT Government (ACT)

Restoring Land: Addressing One of the Biggest Environmental Challenges Facing Australia Using Resources from Water Filtration for a Sustainable Circular Economy   
SUEZ and SoilRegen (NSW)

#### **INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT INNOVATION AWARD (REGIONAL) **

**Sponsored by:

**The Remote Water Team   
Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, Power Water Corporation, Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development, NT Health and contributing organisations (NT)

Burdekin Shire Council's Macro-Algal Bioremediation Facility   
Burdekin Shire Council, Pacific Biotechnologies Group and James Cook University (Qld)

Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin On-Ground Works Lake Hawdon North Project   
Department for Environment and Water, Leed Engineering and Construction, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and other contributing organisations (SA)

Tasmania's First Catchment Scale Real-Time Water Quality Analyser Trial   
Derwent Estuary Program (Tas)

Beaufort Reuse for Recreation   
Central Highlands Water (Vic)

Golden Era for 600km Pipeline – GAWS Pipeline Upgrade Leverages Digital Twin and AI to Deliver Measurable Cost Savings   
SUEZ & Water Corporation (WA)

Sewer Pumpstation Battery Energy Storage Systems   
Shoalhaven Water, University of Wollongong and other contributing organisations (NSW)

#### **INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT INNOVATION AWARD (METRO) **

**Sponsored by:  
    
**Wamuran Irrigation Scheme   
Unitywater, WIS Joint Venture (Pensar, Twin View Turf and Pinata Farms), GHD and Abergeldie (Qld)

Bolivar WWTP Inlet Works Upgrade   
Fulton Hogan, SA Water, WSP and Sage Automation (SA)

5W NRP at Western Treatment Plant   
Melbourne Water, Jacobs and BMD (Vic)

Southern Seawater Desalination Plant Transition Box Remediation Project   
Sacyr, Water Corporation & Fremantle Commercial Diving (WA)

Breaking Barriers: Safe, Sustainable Sewer Inspection Under Live Flow   
Interflow and Icon Water (ACT)

Prospect Automated Surveying System   
WaterNSW and C.R. Kennedy (NSW)

#### **WATER INDUSTRY SAFETY EXCELLENCE AWARD **

**Sponsored by: 

**

Grey Card – Asbestos Awareness Training   
QLD Water Directorate (Qld)

Eliminating High-Risk Maintenance: Forklift-Removable Carbon Cassettes For Odour Control   
Aquatec (ACT)

Reducing Confined Space Hazards on Water Tanks Projects – Birts Hill Innovation   
Ventia (Vic)

WaterNSW Remote Video Monitoring   
HCL Tech (NSW)

Safety Excellence in Action: GWMWater’s Whole‑of‑Organisation Approach to Injury Prevention and Cultural Change   
Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (Vic)

Driving Behaviour Change: Eliminating Mobile Phone Use While Driving   
Veolia (Qld)

CCTV Manual Handling Innovations   
Sydney Water (NSW)

Shenton Park Training Centre and Simulation Facility   
Water Corporation (WA)

#### **CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD **

**Sponsored by:  
  **

Future Water Story: Shaping WaterSmart Communities Through Immersive Learning   
Melbourne Water (Vic)

Operational Change, Customer Impact: Quarterly Billing Implementation   
Central Highlands Water (Vic)

Shaping Tasmania's Water Future – TasWater's PSP5 Engagement Program   
TasWater (Tas)

Customer Care Fair Practice Plan   
North East Water (Vic)

Shared Responsibility Made Easy: A Customer‑Led Approach to Reducing Wet Weather Overflows   
Urban Utilities (Qld)

#### **BEST WATER E-JOURNAL PAPER in honour of Guy Parker**

*Winner to be announced at Ozwater’26 *

#### **AUSTRALIAN STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER PRIZE**

**Sponsored by:

***Winner to be announced at Ozwater’26

*

#### **STUDENT WATER PRIZE **

**Sponsored by:  
**

**Reducing Litter Leakage via Stormwater Systems Across Australia**   
Justine Barrett – University of Tasmania (Tas)

**Hydrodynamic Development in Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Channels: A Particle Image Velocimetry-Based Study **   
Ali Kandi – Edith Cowan University (WA)

**Hydrogeology of Lateritic Regolith Profiles**   
Anita Doig – Flinders University (NT)

**Proactive Detection of Wastewater Overflows in Smart Wastewater Systems**   
Thi Hai Duong Ninh – University of Adelaide (SA)

**Understanding and Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Wastewater Systems in the Data Era**   
Dr Kaili Li – The University of Queensland (Qld)

**Hydrogen from Wastewater: A Circular Solution for Clean Energy and Water**   
Dr Muhammad Haris – RMIT University (Vic)

**Albon-Modular, Low Energy, Algae Bacteria Wastewater Treatment**   
Tom Bessell – University of Sydney (NSW)

**Decolonising Water Governance: Indigenous Rights and Regulatory Capitalism in Australia**   
Cherie Blackburn – Australian National University (ACT)

#### **YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD**

**Sponsored by:  
  **

Sean Fisher (Tas)

David Stanik (WA)

Mathilda Lipscombe (NT)

Bridget Lindsay (SA)

Cassandra Mai (Qld)

Christopher Lee (Vic)

Cr Declan Clausen (NSW)

#### **WATER PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD **

**Sponsored by:

**

Ian Dunbabin (Tas)

Associate Professor Amir Razmjou (WA)

Trevor Durling (NT)

Carmine Ciccocioppo (SA)

Sarah Wheeler (Qld)

Dr Michael Thomas (Vic)

Danielle Francis (NSW)

Sarah Ransom (ACT)

**Thanks to all our sponsors for supporting the Australian Water Awards. We look forward to announcing the winners at the Australian Water Awards Gala Dinner at **[**Ozwater’26**](https://www.ozwater.org/program/ozwater-program)** in Brisbane. **

[View full post](https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/meet-the-2026-australian-water-awards-finalists)

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