31 May 2006

The Water Directorate congratulates Port Macquarie-Hastings and Queanbeyan City Councils on their successful award nominations in this year's IPWEA Excellence Awards.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council was announced the winner of the Innovation in Water Supply and Wastewater Award at last Monday night's Excellence Awards Dinner for the 3 Villages Water Microfiltration Plants project. 

This project involved the construction of three water treatment plants utilising innovative technology to provide drinking water to residents in the villages of Comboyne, Long Flat and Telegraph Point.

The plants, which utilise submerged membrane technology, were constructed in partnership with the NSW Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability, Bircon Pty Ltd and Veolia Water Systems.

The highly commended award was presented to Queanbeyan City Council for its Waterwise Program which has reduced average household usage in Queanbeyan by 18%.

Introduced in 2000 to combat high flows entering Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment plant, this program shifted the Council's focus from augmenting the treatment plant to better water management.

Congratulations to both winners and to all seven member councils that submitted a nomination.  If your Council has recently finished or is completing a water supply or wastewater project please consider nominating in next year's event.

More information about these two projects and all the IPWEA Excellence Awards can be found at www.ipweanswconference.com.au

For more information contact: