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Product Innovation

This category rewards the development and commercialisation of a product that minimises potable water consumption. Products could include (but are not limited to) domestic appliances, consumer products, commercial equipment, washing systems, water storage and irrigation.

Congratulations to our winner, WaterTrack Pty Ltd

ProductInnovation

WINNER


WaterTrack Pty Ltd

WaterTrack Pty Ltd has developed an innovative software package that assists irrigators in obtaining the maximum production from their water. The software consists of two products; WaterTrack OptimiserTM and WaterTrack RapidTM.

WaterTrack OptimiserTM is the world’s first comprehensive daily whole farm water balance software package. It enables a farmer to track where all water is being used on the farm including crop growth and evaporation and seepage through the soil, farm dams and drains. It is a daily water balance model which determines water losses in each element of a farm and allows future prediction of farm water use based on historical weather data.

“One of WaterTrack Optimiser’s strong points is its ability to predict water use by comparing various historical seasonal conditions in order to work out the most efficient and economic way to use available irrigation water,” said Jim Purcell, WaterTrack Director.

WaterTrack RapidTM is a web-based tool that provides a simple approach to calculating irrigation performance indicators for any farm. By providing basic levels of input, users are provided with accurate and essential information to help prevent water loss. Unlike the WaterTrack OptimiserTM, WaterTrack RapidTM is a seasonal model and determines a single lost volume of water, as opposed to losses in each element.

Both of these WaterTrack products have formed integral components of federally funded projects through involvement with the Cotton Catchment Community (CRC for Cotton), the National Water Commission and The Murray Darling Basin Commission. For more information about WaterTrack’s products, visit the WaterTrack website or free call 1800 886 536.

Judges’ comments: WaterTrack Pty Limited was awarded the honour because of the critical nature of water savings and management in agriculture. In a drying climate, targeting water management for farmers is a winning strategy.




FINALISTS


The Skycore Group

A consortium of specialist companies, The Skycore Group provides a range of product and service solutions in safety and environment areas. Its latest innovations, The Odour Zorbe and Zorbe Indoor are granular absorbent products, which significantly reduce and even eliminate the need to use water in cleaning operations.

Supermarkets, shopping centres, factories and homes all stand to benefit from Skycore’s new products as not only do they make the task of cleaning up liquid spills easier, they also reduce the likelihood of slippery surfaces being left after a spill.

Produced from natural minerals, the Odour Zorbe eliminates the need to hose out domestic and commercial waste disposal bins, receptacles and skips and reduces the need to use water in the removal of stains. The Zorbe Indoor eliminates the need to use water, mops and buckets in the clean up of spills. Its process is simple and easy; just sprinkle Zorbe Indoor absorbent over the spilt liquid or food and the surface will be left slip free and dry.

“In order to make a significant difference in society we do not necessarily always have to focus on single monumental achievements. It is very much the small things that go a long way to saving our most precious resource – water,” said Cameron Chapman, Managing Director of The Skycore Group

“Skycore Group is sincerely honoured to have been nominated as a finalist in the 2008 savewater! Awards and believe it will greatly assist our organisation in further opening the minds of organisations and the community on areas where water can be saved.”

For further information please visit the Zorbe or the Skycore Group websites.

Judges’ comments: The decision to appoint a winner was difficult with all finalists demonstrating a very high standard of innovative thinking and application.




Kodak

Traditionally, commercial printers use large quantities of water to process printing plates which are required to transfer images onto the printed material. Now, thanks to Kodak’s latest innovative technology, an alternative solution is being offered to the industry.

Kodak has developed a new method of processing commercial printing plates where no water or chemicals are used. Thermal Direct delivers the resolution accuracy of normal, digital plates, without the need for processing.

In addition to being an environmentally responsible product, Thermal Direct reduces costs as it eliminates the need for plumbing, equipment, chemicals, maintenance and cleaning. It also significantly reduces energy usage.

For further information on Kodak’s Thermal Direct please visit the Kodak website.

Judges’ comment: The decision to appoint a winner was difficult with all finalists demonstrating a very high standard of innovative thinking and application.