Sunshine Coast Council to host the Australian water Association Queensland Regional Conference 2009

Sunshine Coast Council will host the Australian Water Association’s Queensland regional conference at the Hyatt Coolum on 13 and 14 November, which is attracting keynote speakers from the state government and urban water industry such as Queensland Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Kate Jones; Queensland Water Commission CEO, Dan Spiller; and the new CEO of the Northern SEQ Distributor-Retailer Authority, Jon Black.

Presented by the Australian Water Association (AWA), the peak body representing water professionals in Australia, the conference and trade exhibition will be held at the Hyatt Coolum and is expected to attract more than 200 people to the Sunshine Coast region for the two days.

Councillor for Division 8 and Major Projects Portfolio Chair, Debbie Blumel, is opening the conference, which will be attended by state government representatives, water and wastewater industry experts, environmental experts and industry suppliers.

“This annual conference is held at different locations across Queensland, and we are proud to be supporting it here in Coolum this year,” Cr Blumel said.

“The conference has attracted high-level state government representatives and key urban water industry experts to present their view on the conference theme ‘Is water the oil of the future?’

“The conference presentations will relate to issues around the management of water as a scarce resource, including current and future industry models, climate change, sustainability and asset management.

“Given the calibre of the presenters, the conference will certainly engage the audience in the challenges and opportunities that our urban water industry is faced with, and create some vigorous debate.

“The event also has a trade display where pre-eminent water and wastewater technology companies will be exhibiting, as well as organisations such as LinkWater, the state-owned statutory authority responsible for the transport of bulk water and the pipeline infrastructure from major water storages."

The opening keynote presentation will be given by Mr Jon Black, Chief Executive Officer of the new Northern SEQ Distribution-Retailer Authority. This organisation will become the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay region’s water and wastewater distribution and retail business in 2010, when the existing businesses are separated from their respective councils as a result of the state government’s SEQ water reform.

“This is an interesting and challenging time for the urban water industry in South East Queensland and this conference gives industry participants and stakeholders a good opportunity to understand each other’s platforms,” Cr Blumel said.

The conference is being hosted by Sunshine Coast Council, along with joint major sponsors ITT Water & Wastewater Australia, Tyco Water and EcoCatalysts.

Further details on the conference can be obtained by contacting Ms Kathy Bourbon from the AWA Queensland Branch Office on (07) 3846 1564 or from the website www.awa.asn.au