Council to host 34th Annual Queensland water industry workshop

More than 600 water industry delegates will head for Caloundra this month when the Sunshine Coast Council hosts the 34th Annual Queensland Water Industry Operations Workshop and Exhibition on 17 and 18 June.

Presented by the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA), the workshop and exhibition will be held at the Caloundra Indoor Sports Stadium.

Deputy Mayor Tim Dwyer will officially open the workshop, which has attracted water and wastewater industry experts, operators, tradespeople, technicians, environmental experts and industry suppliers from across Australia.

“This event is staged annually at different locations across Queensland, and we are proud to be supporting it here in Caloundra this year,” Cr Dwyer said.

“The workshop will give many regional and metropolitan councils an opportunity to get together and discuss issues such as education and training, preservation of clean waterways, protection of public health and the environment, and will also allow delegates to share information on new technologies.

“The event includes a comprehensive trade display. The popularity of the event saw display space sell out more than a month before the event. The trade display will fill the stadium to capacity with 132 trade booths exhibiting the latest in equipment, services and process technologies available to the water, wastewater and liquid conveyancing industries.

“The main focus of the workshop is to share ideas, equipment and technology available to operators of water and wastewater systems. The knowledge that participants will gain at the event can be used to implement better quality, more efficient and more reliable operational systems.”

The opening address by Karen Waldman, Chief Operating Officer of the new South East Queensland Water Distribution Entity, will discuss the priorities and opportunities in the South East Queensland region.

The keynote address by David Sheehan from Department of Health Services Victoria will discuss a new system designed to ensure minimum standards and appropriate skills are in place for water industry operational staff. The system has the potential to be introduced Australia-wide.

During the two day event, 20 papers will be presented including a special session dedicated to discussing water industry training issues. Papers will be delivered by engineers, water and wastewater treatment plant operators, scientists and staff from product suppliers.

“This is an interesting time for the water industry in South East Queensland, however in amongst the industry change our assets still require operation, maintenance and renewal,” Cr Dwyer said.

“This workshop gives our staff and our colleagues in the water industry an opportunity to see what is happening in the industry and how we can potentially improve our business.”

The workshop will be hosted by Sunshine Coast Council and is being held at the Caloundra Indoor Sports Stadium. The joint major supporters are: Queensland Government, Water Industry Training Association (Qld), Australian Water Association, Rad-tel Systems, ITT Water and Wastewater, Acromet Australia and ABS Wastewater Technology.

Entry to the exhibition is free on Wednesday 17 June between11am and 5pm and Thursday 18 June between 9.30am and 4pm.

Further details on the workshop can be obtained from the WIOA Office on (03) 5821 6744 or by contacting Cynthia Lim 0407 846 221 or from the website www.wioa.org.au