Regional, sustainable finalists in Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney

Community- and council-funded irrigation and water projects dominate the roll call of finalists of the Engineers Australia Sydney Division Excellence Awards 2013. The highest number of entries into the coveted awards program was in the category of Engineering for Regional Communities.

Stephen Finlay, the Executive Director, Engineers Australia Sydney Division, said it was indicative of the extraordinary contribution their members are having in the development of sustainable water solutions for regional Australia.

“The finalists in this category are having a real impact on the improved water services and sustainability of waterways across regional NSW,” Finlay said. “With council-funded projects featuring heavily this year, it is a great sign of the commitment that so many regional communities have made to improving infrastructure like new pipelines, sewage treatment facilities, wastewater plants and stormwater harvesting and re-use projects.

“We are proud to represent our members, who continue to champion sustainable water solutions where Australia needs them most.”

Finalist in two categories - Engineering for Regional Communities and Software and Embedded Systems - the Computer Aided River Management Project (CARM) by the State Water Corporation with joint entrant Water for Rivers achieves water savings while delivering an improved service to all water users of the Murrumbidgee River. By taking a ‘whole valley approach’, the engineers ensured the irrigation needs of the whole region were considered in the development of the sustainable solution.

Other finalists include:

• Lismore City Council’s Southern Trunk Main project, which increased sewage infrastructure causing minimal disruption to landowners, residents and Aboriginal sites of significance.
• Griffith City Council’s Wastewater Treatment Facility - the largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) facility in NSW (at time of commissioning in May 2012).
• Liverpool Plains Shire Council, which is championing increased water infrastructure projects and has been awarded finalist status for two projects in the category of Engineering for Regional Communities.
• The Mardi-Mangrove Link - the largest water infrastructure project undertaken on the Central Coast in over 25 years, entered by Wyong Shire Council with joint entrants Gosford City Council and GHD.
• Dubbo City Council, which has installed a 10 ML stormwater harvesting tank beneath Apex Oval’s playing surface.
• ITS Trenchless (based in NSW), which repaired the town of Ayr’s ageing irrigation infrastructure to provide long-term performance benefits and significant cost savings.

The Mardi-Mangrove Link.

Championing proactive sustainable water solutions for regional Australia, finalists in the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney 2013 are now invited to enter the second level of the awards, with winners to be announced at the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney Gala Dinner on 20 September at The Star Event Centre, Sydney.

For more information about the Engineering Excellence Awards Sydney, visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sydeea.