Power and Water Corporation sweeps NT engineering awards

Power and Water Corporation dominated last week’s Australian Engineering Excellence Awards (AEEAs) Northern 2016, hosted by Engineers Australia. The government-owned corporation won in all project categories bar one, as well as the President’s Award and the night’s highest honour, the Northern Distinction Award.

The Australian Engineering Excellence Awards identify and reward outstanding achievement in the practice of engineering and service to the profession. 200 engineers and guests attended the awards event, which was held at the Darwin Turf Club on 9 September.

The Northern Distinction Award was awarded to Power and Water Corporation’s Adelaide River Water Treatment Plant, which also won the Innovation, Research and Development category. According to Engineers Australia Northern General Manager Mark Monaghanm, the project’s groundbreaking indigenous bacteria treatment solution and ice pigging technology made it a standout.

“Power and Water’s innovative biological and ice pigging water purification technologies confirm that the corporation is a leader in the utility industry as it continues to challenge mainstream methodologies,” said Monaghanm.

The company also won the Environment category for the Manymak Energy Efficiency Project. Its Darwin Zone 66/11 kV Substation Project meanwhile took out the President’s Award and was highly commended in the Project Management category.

The Project Management winner was construction company Sitzler for its $8 million Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Darwin Flood Mitigation Project, which helped resolve severe local flooding issues at a RAAF Darwin health facility. Chief Judge and Engineers Australia Northern Deputy President Chris Lugg said he was impressed by both the project’s scope and effectiveness.

“Sitzler’s challenging project included a 1 km-long open unlined water diverting drain, development of existing detention basins and extensive installation and relocation works,” Lugg said. “The solution provided a marked improvement in flood immunity and site amenity at the base and the project’s success was capped off by meeting the client’s brief within budget, despite its vast scope.”

Rebecca Mills was the recipient of the Young Professional Engineer of the Year Award. Engineers Australia Northern President Nerida Horner said Mills was an outstanding candidate because of her significant achievements and maturity, having “taken on a lot of responsibility at a young age, including the management of large infrastructure projects and making a power station in Alice Springs solar ready”.

The award winners are eligible to compete at the national Australian Engineering Excellence Awards, to be held in Brisbane on 23 November. For more information on the national awards, visit http://www.excellenceawards.org.au/awards-event.