SA Water

This week’s Voices from the Bush Conference in Alice Springs provided a valuable opportunity for some of our people to connect with colleagues from the water industry and beyond, sharing ideas on how to shape a sustainable water future for remote and regional communities across Australia. On day one, our Education Specialist Jade, in collaboration with Patrick from Atria Group, discussed the education initiative 'Anangu Water Wisdom' which we deliver to schools across the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia’s far north. Hydrogeologist (Water Security) Tavis also shared how we’re working through the challenges of treating and supplying groundwater for some growing APY Lands communities, to ensure long-term water quality and reliability. On day two, our Senior Manager of Production and Treatment Paul Bendotti delivered a powerful Principal Partner address, focusing on the importance of meaningful engagement and genuine partnerships with Aboriginal communities in our everyday work as an essential service provider. He also stressed the need to acknowledge when we can do better in this space, both as individuals and organisations. Thank you to Australian Water Association and Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) for hosting this important event.

In 2023-24, we saw some remarkable achievements in our capital delivery space, with upgrades and new infrastructure projects ensuring we can continue providing reliable and sustainable water services to South Australians for many years to come. From upgrading essential pipelines to building cutting-edge water treatment plants, our teams consistently delivered projects on time and within budget. There’s a lot more to come during our 2024-28 regulatory period – we’ll be delivering our largest ever capital delivery program, with $3.3 billion being invested across the state. There’s never been a more exciting time to be part of this ambitious journey, and we’ll soon be looking to the market for skilled people from a range of disciplines to join the SA Water team and help us deliver this important work.

Vegetation Services Specialist Shaun is celebrating #NationalWattleDay at our Pink Gum Woodland revegetation site in Kangarilla. Shaun stumbled across this glorious wattle on his travels to our many sites around SA. Not only does wattles enrich our soil with nitrogen but also supports native wildlife. 

It's show time! Visit our Royal Adelaide Show stand in the Jubilee Pavilion to explore the fascinating journey of water through time. Whether you're a curious kid or an adult eager to learn, come and chat with us about the vital role water plays in our world.

Being true to your values was one of the key sentiments shared by our Chief Financial Officer Jacqueline Guerin at this week’s Women in Leadership Summit in Adelaide. Jacquelline joined other leaders and experts in their own field on one of many panels and other speaking opportunities across the two-day event, with this discussion focused on ‘how to thrive as a leader with authentic leadership’. She reinforced that honesty, kindness and integrity help build trust and openness with the people you work with, and encouraged people to be courageous enough to be honest as a leaders. Also on the panel was our Executive Director Strategic Projects Alex Blood, who focused on the importance of diversity of thought in a workplace to truly understand a challenge and find a solution. The Hatchery (Hub)

We're excited to be playing a leading role in the creation of a national working group of water utilities delivering services in Aboriginal communities. Led by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) under its First Nations Water Program, the Clean Water and Sanitation Network will support an industry-wide approach to delivering water services to First Nations communities. 💧 SA Water and NT Power & Water have also joined as founding members, and our own Head of Water Quality, Rachel Miller will act as network chair. 🙌 The network will be a great platform for utilities to exchange ideas, collaborate, and learn from each other’s experiences. This will be especially valuable as we progress on our Aboriginal Communities Water Services program.

Led by this year’s theme of 'Your Pride, Your Passion', today we celebrate Wear it Purple Day and are using the opportunity to talk about how to ensure our workplace is as supportive as possible for our LGBTQ+ employees.   Our Pride Together network hosted a special get-together, where we discussed inclusion, some misconceptions about LGBTQ+ individuals and the importance of a respectful environment. It also wouldn’t be a celebration without some sweet treats lovingly made by some of our star bakers.

Nature at its cutest! This spiky echidna was spotted enjoying the flowers in our Middle River Reservoir Reserve on #KangarooIsland. Reservoirs reserves aren’t just vital sources of water – they’re also home to some important (and adorable) native wildlife.

Build a bridge and get over it This week’s #ThrowbackThursday comes to us from Millbrook, with construction of this reservoir occurring between 1914 and 1918. This photo was taken during the second fill of the reservoir, with the bridge since demolished and replaced with a new structure in the township of Chain of Ponds. Built to supply the upper reaches of the River Torrens, water from Millbrook can be released back into the Torrens to supplement water into the Kangaroo Creek Reservoir.

Did you know a whopping 94 per cent of our water and sewer pipes are underground? They’re beneath streets and footpaths, alongside a range of other infrastructure such as gas and telecommunications. Before our crews or anyone digs down, it’s important to check what’s there first to reduce the risk of infrastructure damage. Before You Dig Australia are a single point of contact who hold information on all underground networks. Head online for more information: byda.com.au